President Kagame Sacrificed women (Part 2)

Rwanda’s Fallacious Women Empowerment and How the RPA / RPF Sacrificed Women Combatants in the Struggle.

There is no country that divides the world opinion as Rwanda: A success model of post -conflict recovery yet a renowned repressive police state at the same time.  Prime of what make Rwanda a global star is a facade of women emancipation, but as Lt Jeanne d’Arc Umulisa in a personal statement portrays, Rwanda’s women empowerment is simply a PR STUNT.

Before I continue to narrate the atrocities that happened to women in combatant and cadres of RPA / RPF, I need to clarify the reasons behind the disclosure and why it has taken ages to be disclosed. First of all is to highlight oppressive and unacceptable behaviour of our society towards women not only in the struggle but also in our daily lives too.

These oppressive and unacceptable behaviour should stop and start seeing women as fellow human beings with a heart and soul.  It is a call to all Rwandans to stop these atrocities towards women and also to prevent such oppressive and unacceptable behaviour to happen to our future generations.  It is a reminder to all Rwandans how we are held back in development by such unacceptable behaviour and often prevent women from progress.

Our society always use obsolete cultural values to abuse women, forgetting that culture can be modernised in the same Rwandan cultural heritage. Rwandan society uses culture to force women to be submissive with every rubbish that is imposed on them.

A good example: Take a close look at the beauty contest that takes place in Rwanda every year, what lessons about culture is always emphasised in that boot camp? Walk like a woman, talk like a woman, as a Rwandan woman you have to talk politely, don’t raise voice.  (Hahaha even if you are being bullied or chocked). You have to be faithful to your husband at all times. It’s ok for men to go and sleep out but if a women does it, it becomes a crime that will affect her status .Why does beauty contest organised by men?

Recently Dr Diane Gashumba was given a ministerial position, Rwandan newspapers from centre, left and right within and outside Rwanda, indeed, radios made it a big deal that she cheated on her husband. So what does that has to do with her contribution capabilities to the nation? Why do you think she cheated if she did anyway? Was the husband faithful? This lady is a professional Doctor.  How many Rwandan lives has she saved and still saving? Why can’t she be appreciated and recognised on her role for saving lives and other roles she has done?

Again I heard that the first lady beat two men. I heard people reacting on it and was like a big deal. She only beat two men, how many men and women that her husband H.E the president has beaten and even killed in his power? Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe in violence of any kind, you don’t need to beat people to make them understand their mistakes.

Secondly, traumatic events has its own time to manifest and when it does, a person goes through the stages of acceptance and deal with them and depends on an individual.  Thirdly time also is a factor, Sometimes you need the right time to do whatever you want to do. In this case , my disclosure took time so that the world know the people in question well , also it is the right time for the leaders who did these atrocities to understand the weight of how  much they destroyed our lives . Especially when most of them have children who are of the same age with those they destroyed.  I’m sure it is more meaningful today.

Back to the point. There are so many harassments that were done to women combatants which were totally unacceptable.  The beginning of 1991 in Nyabwishongwize region, after Akagera event, I happened to meet Capt. Igoma who was the admin of the headquarters.  He made me carry boxes of milk and biscuits to his base with his escorts that was fine. But behind that he had an evil plan. One of his escorts alerted me that he was after sleeping with me. I told him that over my dead body and if he tries to force me I will shoot him. When we got to his base he asked the escorts to bring me tea, I got up saluted him and asked to leave, he then said that I first have a cup of tea.  Captain Salton and Sabena were sitting next to the fire.  After the cup of tea he got up and entered in his Kivera, Captain Salto Bahenda got up and went away so was Sabena . I also got up and saluted him and asked him to leave. He answered me in terrorising voice that Waca !! ! You are sleeping here. I asked why I have to sleep there when I have my base where I was staying. I then with no hesitation I told him never to judge the book by it’s cover.  I got my gun and held it, I was preparing in case he dares to force me I would shoot him, and at the time I was very new in the army with no knowledge of how to handle situations.  He then ordered his escort to disarm me.  I pulled a big stick that was next to fire wood,  Knowing that Captain Salto Bahenda was sleeping next door and so is Sabena, I said to him  in aloud voice just to embarrass him with intention to stop him from proceeding his evil plans  which worked. I then said to him that I was shocked by his behaviour, I told him that in our culture it used to feel safe when you meet an old man or old woman. But I think you should set a good example to the young ones than to mislead them.  He then told me to shut up that he has heard. I spent the night guarding him with his escorts with my piece of wood in my hands.

This was after Akagera event, when we were besieged and spent two months without supplies in intensive fighting. Both men and women combatants were starved to death and emaciated.  Infact I had a pinched look at the time.  In hundred years, there is no way I would be attracted to anyone.   I remember one of my colleagues Janet Akariza begged me several times to give me one of her beautiful outfit so that I remove my dirty filth jeans full of lice but I refused because I felt more comfortable in my own out outfits, because no operation was done during the day, I was happy to spend my day killing lice in my filth outfit, therefore Looking back at Captain Igoma’s behaviour was purely inhuman.

At around 05.00am he ordered the escort to give back my gun and disappear.  On my way back I met Didas Ndahiro whom I worked with as a cadre before joining the guerrilla war  ,  I told him that I think we made a mistake to start the struggle because there  are people who are still sleeping  and don’t have any idea of how they should conduct themselves. That very evening I met Lt Denis Karera by then and told him what happened.  He became furious and said he was going to confront him. I don’t know what happened but every time I met Capt. Igoma looked bitter and furious.   He scared me out of my wits, I had a feeling that given an opportunity he would kill me. I begged Afande  Mutimbo and Dr Sezibera to take me with them and be a nurse but they couldn’t . Later I was called to work as nurse for just a short time before I joined Lima mobile.

Beginning of 1991 I met Capt. Igoma again in Kaborogota near a place called Gahondo, fortunately he had no authority over me. I, witnessed Capt Igoma sending his escort to bring a young girl to his Kivera (small hut made of plastic paper) .The little girl was so scared and you could see the horror in her eyes, I felt so helpless, I couldn’t do anything but by the grace of God I saw Lt Butare , he used to call himself Makomari coming up very furious and went straight in front of Capt igoma’s Akavera and called out the little girl . She came out scared to death. Lt Butare confronted Capt Igoma that with all your respect Captain Igoma you are disgrace and stupid.  He said to him that if he sees him harassing any girl, he won’t shoot him but will give him one blow of his stick and will kill him. Thank God the girl was rescued.

Like I always said that not all officers were bad, like Lt Butare , late Kamiri who confronted  senior Officer Kizza when he tied up one of the girl on banana tree the whole night .  Lt Micheal Mupende by then who rescued young girls who had come from Tanzania among them were Mwangange, Furaha, just to mention a few. All those officers who helped us in one way or another I owe them respect.

In 1992, I was in charge of welfare in Mutara side, I went to the stores to get milk for those patients who couldn’t eat properly and met one of the girls, name withheld due to her security, she told me the horror she went through that night with tears rolling in her eyes.  Senior Officer Nzaramba Martin raped her and this was because he wanted to get to senior Officer Gahutu , then she became the victim of their misunderstandings.  These acts showed me how shallow minded some people could be. During the struggle most of the girls decided to have a male friend to relieve us from the pressure of men that were constantly harassing us. This was another trauma to have a friend not because you really want to have one but to save yourself from constant harassment.

Another young girl was sold to an officer by the name Godfrey known as God who was based in one of the detach in Gisoro in   exchange for bullets. How cruel is that to send young girl to be destroyed by vicious men, for exchange of bullets or any other favour that they needed from him?  These acts confirm my last statement that women were seen as commodities not human beings.  Was that butter trade eh! From reliable resources this was an order from the high command. What was the lifelike of this young girl? Having gone through such horrible and chocking experiences. From reliable resources this was an order from the high command.

The girls who came from Rwanda were not spared either. These are girls who risked their lives knowing that if Rwandan government catch them that will be their end and that of their families. I had a conversation with one of them, she told me that due to lack of education and lack of freedom, discrimination based on race or region they were happy to risk their lives even if they die but those who will survive will be safe forever. I totally understood this lady because I was the victim of a system as well before I joined my mother in Uganda. She went on to say that they went through what used to be Zaire, through Bunagana , she said they went through many intelligence screening which for her was ok . But what disappointed them is atrocities they had to put up with those so called Afandes they came across.  She said that after the screening, they went to the training wing, here she didn’t go in details but she told me that I can imagine what happened.  Imagine what these young girls went through, and most of them found their families killed, what a life these girls are living now? I would like to inform all the senior officers, top commanders, and top officials, those that committed atrocities directly or indirectly to take full responsibility of their actions wherever they are.

I’m again appealing to all Rwandese women inside and out side Rwanda to fight for our rights and the rights of our children. You know very well that when trouble comes we are the one to pick up the pieces.  Yesterday was my /your mother’s daughter, tomorrow will be mine and yours to go through the same atrocities.  Women in Rwanda should wake up and avoid to be used and abused.  Afande Rose Kabuye was used to spread propaganda to bring down His Excellency Pasteur Bizimungu. Later Oda Gasisigwa was used to bring down Afande Rose Kabuye and everyone connected to her.  Where is Afande Rose Kabuye and Oda Gasinzigwa now?  I also have to admit that the blame is not only the culture of men but also women carry 30% of their failure.  Some women’s behaviour is unacceptable.  They can be abusive towards men and women counterparts too. Still continues.

Jeanne d’Arc Umulisa

One of the women combatants in RPA / RPF.