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Intelligence chief's arrest shows west's 'contempt', says Rwandan president Karenzi Karake: security chief's arrest shows west's 'contempt', says Kagame
(about 3 hours later)
The Rwandan president, Paul Kagame, has launched a withering attack on Britain and other western powers after the arrest of his intelligence chief in London.The Rwandan president, Paul Kagame, has launched a withering attack on Britain and other western powers after the arrest of his intelligence chief in London.
Kagame reminded governments of their bloody colonial exploitation of Africa and put the arrest down to “absolute arrogance and contempt”, observing: “They must have mistaken him for an illegal immigrant.” Kagame reminded western governments of their bloody colonial exploitation of Africa and put the arrest down to “absolute arrogance and contempt”, observing: “They must have mistaken him for an illegal immigrant.”
The country’s relations with Britain have been shaken since the head of intelligence, Karenzi Karake, was arrested at Heathrow airport last weekend under a European arrest warrant. He is among 40 people sought on the orders of a Spanish judge over the alleged murder of three Spanish aid workers and revenge massacres of Hutus in the wake of the 1994 genocide. The country’s relations with Britain have been shaken since the head of intelligence, Karenzi Karake, was arrested at Heathrow airport last weekend on a European arrest warrant. He is among 40 people sought on the orders of a Spanish judge over the alleged murder of three Spanish aid workers and revenge massacres of Hutus in the wake of the 1994 genocide.
On Thursday, the Rwandan presidency’s Twitter account ran extracts from a speech to parliament in which Kagame was unusually scathing about the conduct of the west. “People think they can take us down but they can never take us out,” he said. “We are decent people who do not accept injustice. It is history repeating itself in a different form. It is a continuation of slavery, of colonialism, of violence and bigotry.On Thursday, the Rwandan presidency’s Twitter account ran extracts from a speech to parliament in which Kagame was unusually scathing about the conduct of the west. “People think they can take us down but they can never take us out,” he said. “We are decent people who do not accept injustice. It is history repeating itself in a different form. It is a continuation of slavery, of colonialism, of violence and bigotry.
“It is wagging a finger at the African and telling him this is where you belong. We are no longer the African that belongs there. There are Africans who still belong there, even among us. This is the African they prefer.” “It is wagging a finger at the African and telling him ‘this is where you belong’. We are no longer the African that belongs there. There are Africans who still belong there, even among us. This is the African they prefer.”
The international community failed to intervene to prevent the genocide 21 years ago. Bill Clinton described it as one of the biggest regrets of his presidency. Kagame has even accused France of having a direct role in the political build-up to the mass atrocity and claimed its troops took an “active” part in the killings.The international community failed to intervene to prevent the genocide 21 years ago. Bill Clinton described it as one of the biggest regrets of his presidency. Kagame has even accused France of having a direct role in the political build-up to the mass atrocity and claimed its troops took an “active” part in the killings.
On Thursday the president said the “real untold story is they want to change the narrative of what has happened in Rwanda that they were so deeply involved in. They want to mask their responsibility by saying it’s not us, it is savages of Africa who killed each other.”On Thursday the president said the “real untold story is they want to change the narrative of what has happened in Rwanda that they were so deeply involved in. They want to mask their responsibility by saying it’s not us, it is savages of Africa who killed each other.”
Western donors have since poured millions of pounds of aid into rebuilding the east African country, which has become a development success story, despite concerns over lack of democracy and human rights. Kagame enjoys warm relations with Clinton and Tony Blair, although relations with Britain have become strained since it suspended some aid amid concerns over Rwanda’s role in the conflict in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo.Western donors have since poured millions of pounds of aid into rebuilding the east African country, which has become a development success story, despite concerns over lack of democracy and human rights. Kagame enjoys warm relations with Clinton and Tony Blair, although relations with Britain have become strained since it suspended some aid amid concerns over Rwanda’s role in the conflict in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Kagame, whose rebel Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) brought an end to the genocide, asked: “Since when did we become killers? Who has killed more Africans than they have? They have killed millions of Africans. How do we give our lives to save our country and our people and at the end of the day we are killers?Kagame, whose rebel Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) brought an end to the genocide, asked: “Since when did we become killers? Who has killed more Africans than they have? They have killed millions of Africans. How do we give our lives to save our country and our people and at the end of the day we are killers?
“People say we are friends and support your development. Do you support my development and take away my dignity? Do you support my development but at the same time hold me in contempt? What right does this country have to arrest him in this manner? None of them have any basis other than absolute arrogance.”“People say we are friends and support your development. Do you support my development and take away my dignity? Do you support my development but at the same time hold me in contempt? What right does this country have to arrest him in this manner? None of them have any basis other than absolute arrogance.”
He continued: “Absolute arrogance and contempt is the only basis for this arrest. They must have mistaken him for an illegal immigrant. The way they treat illegal immigrants is the way they treat all of us.He continued: “Absolute arrogance and contempt is the only basis for this arrest. They must have mistaken him for an illegal immigrant. The way they treat illegal immigrants is the way they treat all of us.
“Black people have become targets for shooting practice. We cannot accept that people treat us this way just because they can. In the end, we must and will prevail.”“Black people have become targets for shooting practice. We cannot accept that people treat us this way just because they can. In the end, we must and will prevail.”
Karake, 54, appeared in a London court on Thursday and was greeted by cheers and applause by supporters as he arrived in the courtroom. A full extradition hearing will take place on 29 and 30 October. Karake’s legal campaign is being led by Cherie Booth QC, who is married to Blair.Karake, 54, appeared in a London court on Thursday and was greeted by cheers and applause by supporters as he arrived in the courtroom. A full extradition hearing will take place on 29 and 30 October. Karake’s legal campaign is being led by Cherie Booth QC, who is married to Blair.