What an incredible and depressingly shocking story. Thanks you for raising my awareness of this horrific situation and dangerous President. Its incredible in the age of ‘wokeness’ and BLM that these lives obviously don’t matter enough!
It is not at all ‘incredible’ that these lives don’t matter. Politicians, not to mention the likes of BLM, are very selective as to whose lives matter.
Bell, Either you are being to hasty to believe what is fed to you, or you are unwilling to challenge your own preconceived narrative about African countries and African realities. No one should be too naive to thinking that a single article will condense Rwanda’s reality. This article has willing left out a lot of information regarding Rusesabigina’s involvement in killing innocent Rwandans and funding rebel groups. The account of the flight is wrong and so many other details. I challenge to read more and test the validity of these claims. Clearly the common wealth is not he problem here, the real question is the validity of this authors claim, and on that point, he has failed. If you are truly seeking to know the truth about this account, keep reading. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/easy-narratives-and-lazy-journalism-betray-rwanda
Very interesting. Only last night i finished reading the chapter on Rwanda in Christina Lamb’s “Our bodies, their battlefields”, which describes how r a p e has been used across the globe in the pursuit of war.
As mentioned in the article, it is not hard to believe that “the West” wants to be able to grasp onto a victory story, a “happy end”, where everything works out OK. The truth seems a lot more complex than our current Western culture can cope with. We mourn the loss of critically-thinking politicians, and honest journalists, at our peril.
M Spahn
3 years ago
Kagame’s defenders argue that he brought stability to a troubled country. Gerard Prunier, the French historian, rightly responds that such attitudes display lingering racism, since they suggest a tough ruler is needed to control the inherent violence of Africans.
I was willing to entertain your argument, but you lost me with this passage. A country where hundreds of thousands of people were hacked to death by their fellow citizens in the recent past just might need a strong ruler, and to label that honest accounting “racist” is repulsive nonsense.
That was the one part of the article that bothered me, too. Strongman rule is endemic to much of Africa because the strong man brings stability. But Kagame has crossed several bridges too far.
Just another African fiasco-state whose business model is organised crime.
wanilukak
3 years ago
I’d argue you fooled yourself if you really believed your neo-liberal western leaders genuinely believed in democracy, human rights and good governance. Realism is on steroids in todays western capitals. Will only get worse with Biden.
patriotspeaks
3 years ago
It is unfortunate that voices like that of Birrel get to be the one amplified when dealing with such critical topics. From his reporting over the years, it is clear he hates the current Rwandan leadership, and will do anything to skew reporting on Rwandan events, to an audience that wouldn’t have access to unbiased information or authentic views from Rwandans on the ground. Nowhere in this sham of an article does he mention Rusesabagina’s political aspirations, the fact that he is a self-declared leader of the political party whose armed wing committed acts of terror in Rwanda claiming several lives! This is a huge red flag pointing to his disingenuous intentions. He uses Rusesabagina’s arrest (not illegal by any international standards for a suspect of such heinous crimes) to launch into a vitriolic rant about the President and totally ignores the real story. It is shameful and embarrassing that this is considered journalism.
john freeman
3 years ago
£111M out, and £30M in, via Arsenal: we should be glad of that at least, I suppose. But then, of that £30M, a load goes out again, because of all the foreign nationals in the side . . I can’t keep track.
katoadamdavid
3 years ago
It is heart-breaking in every manner the word employs to see that the so-called experts in journalism—the “award-winning foreign reporter[s]”—fail the most basic and fundamental step of starting the career: reading between the lines and going beyond what one is told. You’ve failed to let go of the presupposition that western media is the master of African stories. This article has been uncritical of many accounts, including Rusesabagina’s, as if it can’t be fact checked, as if it impossible to know the truth. With the use of disconnected jargon, you are throwing opinions at us which you don’t bother to prove, or which you try to prove with completely unrelated topics. Why do you at no point question the charges that landed Rusesabagina in front of the courts, before you criticize the pink he is“clammed” in. Why refuse to question to logical contradiction of funding and supporting terrorist groups to spill the innocent blood to the people that you claim to want to protect? Even a rookie college reporter writing for a student paper would ask such a question. I am afraid this, maybe, reveals other sinister motives beyond just unprofessionalism.
At best, this is failed journalism. But it is far worse than this. The western world seeks to set itself as the example of democracy and truth, the light to tyranny and dictatorship that roams the third world. It thinks of itself a complex system, but dissolves those of Rwanda and other developing nations as easy soundbites that lack nuance. But that is the pitfall of the western world and the coverage provided by western journalism. Your preconception is solely a single story, fed by bias, and a static thinking towards “the other”. For those offended by the blanket accusations, it is because scenarios like this have become far to frequent, that they can’t be interpreted otherwise.
To Mr. Birell and the readers of this piece: Journalism is about truth seeking. It is about finding reality and keeping people in touch with it. If you were seeking to feed your preconceived notions and biases do stop here. You got what you were looking for. If you are looking for truth however, keeping reading, challenge easy narratives. You can start here: Easy narratives and lazy journalism betray Rwanda https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/easy-narratives-and-lazy-journalism-betray-rwanda
This piece is not journalism or truth: FAR FROM IT.
Last edited 3 years ago by katoadamdavid
Mark Gregory
3 years ago
Where else have we seen this duplicitous behaviour by British Governments. Seems like a familiar story.
Well, it is sort of obvious what the first steps are. Cancel or move the upcoming Commonwealth meeting and kick Rwanda out of the Commonwealth. I really hope that Rwanda goes back to French as its European language of instruction too, but of course, that’s for the Rwandans to decide. Rwanda was previously a country where many French Canadians went to teach just because the European language of instruction was French. And we should all pray for the courageous Paul Rusesabagina
Piny Def
3 years ago
Oh did Rusesabagina told you also is the president of MRCD movement with a military wing FLN that attacked and claimed the death of innocent citizens in 2018 in Rwandan territory? Actually Rusesabagina is a founder and funded a terror group and declared a war to Rwanda. What do Western countries do to Terrorist? Where’s Bin Laden, Sadam, … at least Rwanda is giving Rusesabagina a trial.
Nicky Samengo-Turner
2 years ago
Africa… so? Are we surprised?
Barry Brill
1 year ago
Words, words, words. Carefully crafted words (polished by PR professionals) to create fear and loathing for the Kagame Government and to reinvent the Tutsi-Hutu rage that Kagame subdued. Words, but no evidence. No data.
I have visited Rwanda twice in recent years, as well as all its neighbours in East and Southern Africa. I stayed at Rusesabagina’s hotel. I couldn’t help but compare the welfare of its citizens with those of Burundi and DRC, and marvel at what has been achieved in so short a time. Under Kagame, the data suggests that Rwanda has become the most successful nation in the whole of the African continent. Kigali is a haven of peace and progress.
Maybe those innocents Clinton and Blair were under-informed. Perhaps the world’s best-resourced intelligence services were out-foxed by the Tutsis. But I doubt it. I suspect this article is the outcome of ‘motivated reasoning’ – or worse, it’s just a propaganda piece!
Barry Brill
1 year ago
Words, words, words. Carefully crafted words (polished by PR professionals) to create fear and loathing for the Kagame Government and to reinvent the Tutsi-Hutu rage that Kagame subdued. Words, but no evidence. No data.
I have visited Rwanda twice in recent years, as well as all its neighbours in East and Southern Africa. I stayed at Rusesabagina’s hotel. I couldn’t help but compare the welfare of its citizens with those of Burundi and DRC, and marvel at what has been achieved in so short a time. Under Kagame, the data suggests that Rwanda has become the most successful nation in the whole of the African continent. Kigali is a haven of peace and progress.
Maybe those innocents Clinton and Blair were under-informed. Perhaps the world’s best-resourced intelligence services were out-foxed by the Tutsis. But I doubt it. I suspect this article is the outcome of ‘motivated reasoning’ – or worse, it’s just a propaganda piece!
Pierre Whalon
3 years ago
I was aghast when the Commonwealth allowed Rwanda to join. It was never a British colony, is ruled by a ruthless dictator, and routinely commits major crimes against humanity in the Congo. I suppose part of the attraction is that Kagame has played the anglophone card, while insisting that France committed crimes in the country in 1994 and French must be expunged (even though it came from Belgium…). It is high time for London and Washington to cut ties with Kagame’s regime, including exclusion from the Commonwealth.
Mr. Whalon,
Either you are being to hasty to believe what is fed to you, or you are unwilling to challenge your own preconceived narrative about African countries and African realities. No one should be too naive to thinking that a single article will condense Rwanda’s reality. This article has willing left out a lot of information regarding Rusesabigina’s involvement in killing innocent Rwandans and funding rebel groups. The account of the flight is wrong and so many other details. I challenge to read more and test the validity of these claims. Clearly the common wealth is not he problem here, the real question is the validity of this authors claim, and on that point, he has failed. If you are truly seeking to know the truth about this account, keep reading. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/easy-narratives-and-lazy-journalism-betray-rwanda
niyiololade
3 years ago
Biased reporting!
Lori Wagner
2 years ago
Wazungu not wazungus is the plural of muzungu meaning ” foreigner” or colloquially “white man”
What does the Head of the Commonwealth have to say about this/
Nicky Samengo-Turner
1 year ago
So? Are we supposed to be suprised that a former colonial African nation is not a humming hotbed of technology, culture, finance, commerce, education, industry, agriculture, and freedom ?….
Fran Martinez
1 year ago
Excellent article. I had no idea this was going on. Basically, decided to read it because Ian Birrel is an excellent writer and once again he did not dissapoint. Sad however that we will never here if this in the MSM as this will never be the current thing
David Radford
3 years ago
I am a simple guy who has no detailed knowledge of what this West-propelled monster is apparently up.to. But if we are to have a chance at all in the coming years then the concept of sovereignty needs to be changed. All around the world there are dictators who don’t give a sh*t about the consequences of their actions because there is no real downside to being a monster. Sanctions are simply not enough – removing them is the only way to get change. Put that in your pipe Tony Blair and smoke it
What an incredible and depressingly shocking story. Thanks you for raising my awareness of this horrific situation and dangerous President. Its incredible in the age of ‘wokeness’ and BLM that these lives obviously don’t matter enough!
It is not at all ‘incredible’ that these lives don’t matter. Politicians, not to mention the likes of BLM, are very selective as to whose lives matter.
I do agree that “incredible” is not a synonym for “remarkable”.
Bell,
Either you are being to hasty to believe what is fed to you, or you are unwilling to challenge your own preconceived narrative about African countries and African realities. No one should be too naive to thinking that a single article will condense Rwanda’s reality. This article has willing left out a lot of information regarding Rusesabigina’s involvement in killing innocent Rwandans and funding rebel groups. The account of the flight is wrong and so many other details. I challenge to read more and test the validity of these claims. Clearly the common wealth is not he problem here, the real question is the validity of this authors claim, and on that point, he has failed. If you are truly seeking to know the truth about this account, keep reading.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/easy-narratives-and-lazy-journalism-betray-rwanda
So why is Africa financially, industrially, economically, culturally, educationally, and democratically moribund?
Martin Meredith’s book is essential reading for anyone who aspires to understand post-independence Africa.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/State-Africa-History-Continent-Independence/dp/1471196410/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3DIB62UL635IN&keywords=The+State+of+Africa%3A+A+History+of+the+Continent+Since+Independence&qid=1649941434&s=books&sprefix=the+state+of+africa+a+history+of+the+continent+since+independence%2Cstripbooks%2C83&sr=1-1
Very interesting. Only last night i finished reading the chapter on Rwanda in Christina Lamb’s “Our bodies, their battlefields”, which describes how r a p e has been used across the globe in the pursuit of war.
As mentioned in the article, it is not hard to believe that “the West” wants to be able to grasp onto a victory story, a “happy end”, where everything works out OK. The truth seems a lot more complex than our current Western culture can cope with. We mourn the loss of critically-thinking politicians, and honest journalists, at our peril.
Kagame’s defenders argue that he brought stability to a troubled country. Gerard Prunier, the French historian, rightly responds that such attitudes display lingering racism, since they suggest a tough ruler is needed to control the inherent violence of Africans.
I was willing to entertain your argument, but you lost me with this passage. A country where hundreds of thousands of people were hacked to death by their fellow citizens in the recent past just might need a strong ruler, and to label that honest accounting “racist” is repulsive nonsense.
That was the one part of the article that bothered me, too. Strongman rule is endemic to much of Africa because the strong man brings stability. But Kagame has crossed several bridges too far.
He should have stayed in Texas.
I have often the same about George W.M.D. Bush.
Haha.
Just another African fiasco-state whose business model is organised crime.
I’d argue you fooled yourself if you really believed your neo-liberal western leaders genuinely believed in democracy, human rights and good governance. Realism is on steroids in todays western capitals. Will only get worse with Biden.
It is unfortunate that voices like that of Birrel get to be the one amplified when dealing with such critical topics. From his reporting over the years, it is clear he hates the current Rwandan leadership, and will do anything to skew reporting on Rwandan events, to an audience that wouldn’t have access to unbiased information or authentic views from Rwandans on the ground. Nowhere in this sham of an article does he mention Rusesabagina’s political aspirations, the fact that he is a self-declared leader of the political party whose armed wing committed acts of terror in Rwanda claiming several lives! This is a huge red flag pointing to his disingenuous intentions. He uses Rusesabagina’s arrest (not illegal by any international standards for a suspect of such heinous crimes) to launch into a vitriolic rant about the President and totally ignores the real story. It is shameful and embarrassing that this is considered journalism.
£111M out, and £30M in, via Arsenal: we should be glad of that at least, I suppose. But then, of that £30M, a load goes out again, because of all the foreign nationals in the side . . I can’t keep track.
It is heart-breaking in every manner the word employs to see that the so-called experts in journalism—the “award-winning foreign reporter[s]”—fail the most basic and fundamental step of starting the career: reading between the lines and going beyond what one is told. You’ve failed to let go of the presupposition that western media is the master of African stories. This article has been uncritical of many accounts, including Rusesabagina’s, as if it can’t be fact checked, as if it impossible to know the truth. With the use of disconnected jargon, you are throwing opinions at us which you don’t bother to prove, or which you try to prove with completely unrelated topics. Why do you at no point question the charges that landed Rusesabagina in front of the courts, before you criticize the pink he is“clammed” in. Why refuse to question to logical contradiction of funding and supporting terrorist groups to spill the innocent blood to the people that you claim to want to protect? Even a rookie college reporter writing for a student paper would ask such a question. I am afraid this, maybe, reveals other sinister motives beyond just unprofessionalism.
At best, this is failed journalism. But it is far worse than this. The western world seeks to set itself as the example of democracy and truth, the light to tyranny and dictatorship that roams the third world. It thinks of itself a complex system, but dissolves those of Rwanda and other developing nations as easy soundbites that lack nuance. But that is the pitfall of the western world and the coverage provided by western journalism. Your preconception is solely a single story, fed by bias, and a static thinking towards “the other”. For those offended by the blanket accusations, it is because scenarios like this have become far to frequent, that they can’t be interpreted otherwise.
To Mr. Birell and the readers of this piece: Journalism is about truth seeking. It is about finding reality and keeping people in touch with it. If you were seeking to feed your preconceived notions and biases do stop here. You got what you were looking for. If you are looking for truth however, keeping reading, challenge easy narratives. You can start here: Easy narratives and lazy journalism betray Rwanda
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/easy-narratives-and-lazy-journalism-betray-rwanda
This piece is not journalism or truth: FAR FROM IT.
Where else have we seen this duplicitous behaviour by British Governments. Seems like a familiar story.
Yep, it’s all our fault. Not theirs.
Well, it is sort of obvious what the first steps are. Cancel or move the upcoming Commonwealth meeting and kick Rwanda out of the Commonwealth. I really hope that Rwanda goes back to French as its European language of instruction too, but of course, that’s for the Rwandans to decide. Rwanda was previously a country where many French Canadians went to teach just because the European language of instruction was French. And we should all pray for the courageous Paul Rusesabagina
Oh did Rusesabagina told you also is the president of MRCD movement with a military wing FLN that attacked and claimed the death of innocent citizens in 2018 in Rwandan territory? Actually Rusesabagina is a founder and funded a terror group and declared a war to Rwanda. What do Western countries do to Terrorist? Where’s Bin Laden, Sadam, … at least Rwanda is giving Rusesabagina a trial.
Africa… so? Are we surprised?
Words, words, words. Carefully crafted words (polished by PR professionals) to create fear and loathing for the Kagame Government and to reinvent the Tutsi-Hutu rage that Kagame subdued. Words, but no evidence. No data.
I have visited Rwanda twice in recent years, as well as all its neighbours in East and Southern Africa. I stayed at Rusesabagina’s hotel. I couldn’t help but compare the welfare of its citizens with those of Burundi and DRC, and marvel at what has been achieved in so short a time. Under Kagame, the data suggests that Rwanda has become the most successful nation in the whole of the African continent. Kigali is a haven of peace and progress.
Maybe those innocents Clinton and Blair were under-informed. Perhaps the world’s best-resourced intelligence services were out-foxed by the Tutsis. But I doubt it. I suspect this article is the outcome of ‘motivated reasoning’ – or worse, it’s just a propaganda piece!
Words, words, words. Carefully crafted words (polished by PR professionals) to create fear and loathing for the Kagame Government and to reinvent the Tutsi-Hutu rage that Kagame subdued. Words, but no evidence. No data.
I have visited Rwanda twice in recent years, as well as all its neighbours in East and Southern Africa. I stayed at Rusesabagina’s hotel. I couldn’t help but compare the welfare of its citizens with those of Burundi and DRC, and marvel at what has been achieved in so short a time. Under Kagame, the data suggests that Rwanda has become the most successful nation in the whole of the African continent. Kigali is a haven of peace and progress.
Maybe those innocents Clinton and Blair were under-informed. Perhaps the world’s best-resourced intelligence services were out-foxed by the Tutsis. But I doubt it. I suspect this article is the outcome of ‘motivated reasoning’ – or worse, it’s just a propaganda piece!
I was aghast when the Commonwealth allowed Rwanda to join. It was never a British colony, is ruled by a ruthless dictator, and routinely commits major crimes against humanity in the Congo. I suppose part of the attraction is that Kagame has played the anglophone card, while insisting that France committed crimes in the country in 1994 and French must be expunged (even though it came from Belgium…). It is high time for London and Washington to cut ties with Kagame’s regime, including exclusion from the Commonwealth.
Could you do a little bit research? Docs are unclassified detailing the role of France in the genocide of 1994 against Tutsi.
Mr. Whalon,
Either you are being to hasty to believe what is fed to you, or you are unwilling to challenge your own preconceived narrative about African countries and African realities. No one should be too naive to thinking that a single article will condense Rwanda’s reality. This article has willing left out a lot of information regarding Rusesabigina’s involvement in killing innocent Rwandans and funding rebel groups. The account of the flight is wrong and so many other details. I challenge to read more and test the validity of these claims. Clearly the common wealth is not he problem here, the real question is the validity of this authors claim, and on that point, he has failed. If you are truly seeking to know the truth about this account, keep reading.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/easy-narratives-and-lazy-journalism-betray-rwanda
Biased reporting!
Wazungu not wazungus is the plural of muzungu meaning ” foreigner” or colloquially “white man”
But thanks for the interesting article
What does the Head of the Commonwealth have to say about this/
So? Are we supposed to be suprised that a former colonial African nation is not a humming hotbed of technology, culture, finance, commerce, education, industry, agriculture, and freedom ?….
Excellent article. I had no idea this was going on. Basically, decided to read it because Ian Birrel is an excellent writer and once again he did not dissapoint. Sad however that we will never here if this in the MSM as this will never be the current thing
I am a simple guy who has no detailed knowledge of what this West-propelled monster is apparently up.to. But if we are to have a chance at all in the coming years then the concept of sovereignty needs to be changed. All around the world there are dictators who don’t give a sh*t about the consequences of their actions because there is no real downside to being a monster. Sanctions are simply not enough – removing them is the only way to get change. Put that in your pipe Tony Blair and smoke it