Regional
Rusesabagina: His “Rise” and Self Destruction – not a profile in courage
In a
couple of weeks the chickens are coming home to roost: the long-awaited
Rusesabagina sentence will be handed down. If he is found not guilty, so be it.
He will walk out of court a free man. If found guilty, I hope they throw away
the keys.
Either way, the Rwandan justice system will have triumphed
because Rusesabagina has received a free and fair trial no matter the
protestations of Rwanda’s enemies and critics who have been advocating for his
un-conditional release.
Much
has been made of Rusesabagina’s Hollywood created “heroism” and having been
awarded a US Presidential Medal of Freedom. This is all nonsense. The movie
“Hotel Rwanda” was fiction, hyped to bring in good sales in theaters, and
Rusesabagina’s handlers seized the chance to create their “hero” and he run to
the bank smiling. And as for the Medal of Freedom, this was America’s way of
atoning its failure to step forward and stop the genocide against Tutsi.
None
of this has a bearing on the terrorism charges Rusesabagina is charged with.
His defenders in America and elsewhere have belittled the seriousness of the
charges against him as well as the loss of innocent lives as a result of
Rusesabagina’s alleged attacks on innocent Rwandans. His freedom pales in light
of the terrible suffering and lost lives caused by the FLN — activities that
Rusesabagina has publicly admitted to.
A closer look at Rusesabagina’s defenses borders on the
comical, were it not for the seriousness of the charges. Here are a few of
them, but hold your laughter;
I AM NOT A
MUNYARWANDA: Well, what relevance is this? Whether
from Mars or Jupiter, if you commit crimes on Rwandan soil you must be held
accountable. In reality however, Rusesabagina is a MUNYARWANDA, and holding
Belgian citizenship and being a Green Card holder that gives him residence in
America does not strip him of his Rwanda nationality.
I
WAS KIDNAPPED: No you were not. You just dialed a
wrong number, fool. This defense deserves no response. Lured by a friend onto a
private jet bound for destination un-known, Rusesabagina’s ego got the best of
him. He had become accustomed to special treatment that boarding a private jet
he did not reserve nor pay for was the norm. Fools get what they deserve.
I AM
A MEDAL OF FREEDOM HOLDER: Well, wear it and shut up. Bill
Cosby, a convicted sex offender is also a holder of the same medal.
I AM
A PHILANTHROPIST AND HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATE: Baloney. You
are nothing but a second rate hotelier who exploited the genocide against Tutsi
for personal gain. You are genocide denier, negationist per excellence who
deserves no mention in history books but for the carnage you have visited upon
innocent Rwandans.
ALL
EVIDENCE IS FABRICATED: No accused has ever said that the
evidence against them was clear and convincing. Nice try, Paul.
I
CANNOT RECEIVE A FAIR TRIAL: Not only has he
received a fair and open trial, but court has bent backwards to accommodate
Rusesabagina’s often ridiculous demands, clearly made to engage his
international sympathizers whom he hoped would secure his release. Did I
mention that Rusesabagina was among the first Rwandans to receive a COVID-19
vaccine? Paul, thou protests too much. You are in detention charged with
serious offenses, not vacationing on The Riviera.
I
have watched Rusesabagina’s trial closely, and clearly he has not been getting
good legal advice. Every time he was given a chance to address court he
indicted himself. He ought to have heeded the advice, once you find yourself in
a hole, you stop digging.
If
nothing comes out of Rusesabagina’s trial, one thing will have been made clear:
Rwanda’s judiciary is independent and cannot be influenced by outsiders. Rwanda
is a sovereign and independent state that takes no directives from outsiders.
The lies and fabrications made by Rusesabagina’s family to the international
press are just that: lies, and hopeless pleas for an avowed terrorist and
genocidaire.
Justice delayed is justice denied. This chapter ought to end.
Source: www.rwandanvoice.com