Opinion
WSJ story shows US and Belgian should come clean on Rusesabagina's terrorism
![image](webadmin/images/rusesabagina1.jpeg-20210625112239000000.jpeg)
The unending and seemingly desperate campaign to
free Paul Rusesabagina is getting more farcical by the day. Recently, the Wall
Street Journal (WSJ), yet another US newspaper making a mockery of journalistic
ethics, gave its platform to the terrorist’s hard-line supporters, something it
would never do if only one of the nine victims of Rusesabagina’s FLN terror
grouping had been a US citizen.
Pearson’s and Zoellner’s “From ‘Hotel Rwanda’ to
‘The Slaughter House’” calls on President Biden to pressure Rwanda into
releasing a man responsible for the murders of innocent Rwandans.
Perhaps, it is time Rwandans called on the US administration and
the Belgian authorities to share with the international public opinion the
information they have on the criminal activities that led Rusesabagina to
prison.
First, these governments can put an end to fallacious claims that
Paul Rusesabagina is prosecuted for merely being a critic of the Rwandan
government. These claims - rehearsed by Pierson and Zoellner - are easily
and verifiably
proven wrong by anyone who cares about facts.
However, recent
events demonstrate the need for Rwandans to call on the US and Belgian
governments to share their own information about this case. For instance, a few
days ago, wild rumours - promoted by an overzealous
New York Times' reporter -alleging
that Rusesabagina was “denied food, water and medication” were debunked by a short
statement from the US State Department,
leading Rusesabagina, his family, his defence team and the lazy western media
to adjust their deceitful, anti- Rwanda narrative.
Since the
contemptuous western media finds their governments’ pronouncements on
Rusesabagina more credible than those of Rwanda's institutions, then those who
are trusted to tell the truth should leave no stone unturned.
However,
news editors, such as those at the WSJ, also have a responsibility to
fact-check the falsehoods circulating in their pages. Their work on this case
has been disgraceful for the most part.
Secondly,
if these governments were to be fully transparent on this case, it would, in
turn, clarify what, seemingly, is still a mystery to Pierson and Zoellner;
namely, the reason as to why “the U.S. government hasn’t put an ounce of
pressure on Rwanda to release Paul Rusesabagina” as the two authors of this
shocking advocacy for terrorism put it.
The reason
is quite obvious for any reasonable observer. After all, if the US has usually
no qualms about amplifying the least credible allegations of human rights
violations made by the openly hostile Human Rights Watch, why would it shy away from defending their Presidential medal of
freedom recipient and demanding Rusesabagina’s immediate release?
After
all, his arrest is a tangible fact, unlike HRW’s unfounded allegations.
Shouldn’t it be obvious to any reasonable person that the US administration is
aware that Rusesabagina isn’t just the “critic” painted by Pearson and
Zoellner.
As a
matter of fact, ten years ago, the U.S law enforcement authorities, tipped by Professor Michelle Martin, a US citizen and a former
volunteer at the Rusesabagina’s foundation,
launched investigations into Rusesabagina’s criminal activities.
The FBI
found evidence of Rusesabagina’s transfers of money to commanders of the FDLR
-a genocidal outfit listed as a terrorist group by the US. The findings of
these investigations were summed up in a letter dated October 4, 2013 from the
US Department of Justice to Rwanda Prosecution authority.
Logically, Pierson and Zoellner should know that it is unlikely that the same country whose findings serve as evidence in the ongoing trial will demand anything beyond “a fair trial”. Further, if fair trial, not the delusions about the “immediate release” of a terrorist leader, is a genuine concern, then the ongoing trial must proceed to its conclusion.
Despite efforts to portray Rwanda as a lawless country, we
are old enough to remember that only three years ago, and according to a report by
the World Economic Forum, Rwanda
ranked 1st in Africa and 23rd globally among the countries with the
best judiciary system as far as judicial independence is concerned. In other
words, Rwanda performed better than countries where the media onslaught against
it originates from.
Similarly,
Belgian authorities who conducted a search at Rusesabagina’s house in Belgium
have relevant information to share with well-meaning but misinformed citizens
of the world. I remain convinced that the US and Belgian governments have a
moral obligation to clarify the obvious reasons as to why they have been very
quiet since Rusesabagina’s arrest; assuming they have no vested interests in
the ongoing media onslaught against Rwanda.
The EU parliamentarians were able to feign amnesia by overlooking decades-old European jurisprudence regarding the legality of luring suspected criminals into a trap of arrest. Shamelessly, they condemned Rwanda for actions that the European commission of Human Rights deemed legal in the case of “Walter Stocke vs. the Federal Republic of Germany”. The US and Belgian governments cannot yield to the pressure of defenders of terrorism. Neither will Rwanda.
Source: www.newtimes.co.rw