Peace and Reconciliation in Rwanda

As I sat on the couch, blindly staring at the television screen, a visiting friend asked me whether I was tired enough to visit a neighborhood bar for a few drinks. At first, my aching body drove me to turn down the offer. The previous day's excursion to participate in one of the biggest political rallies of the year had left my already worn-out body in dire need for recuperation. However, the fact that I hadn't stepped an inch outside made me reconsider and viewed it as an opportunity to get some much needed stretching.

The bar was sparsely populated as we sat down and ordered a round of brew. As soon as it seeped into our brains, we began to talk about the political situation in our homeland, Rwanda. What exactly could we do to help?

In the past, I have been approached to be part of several political parties, but I turned the offers down because of my personal conviction of not belonging to any particular political party. I believe we don't understand their meaning or purpose, so we see them as opportunities to advance our own greedy personal agendas. He offered me a chance to start a political party, and my brain, souped up as it was, still rejected the idea.

My reasons for not belonging in any one political party stem from the fact that taking care of the party would divert attention from taking care of the needs of the country as a whole. We already have other things such as jobs, family, health, and such that take our time from addressing the needs of the people. Party meetings, rallies, fundraisers, and such would take away from time that we could use to help the country. What if instead of calling a rally for the RPF we could call a rally for all Rwandans so that everyone can come to the rally and see what their leaders have to tell them about their progress??? What if the colors people wore to the rally were those of Rwanda and not of a particular party such as PL or PSD??? What if the signs the people carried spoke of their allegiance to the country and not just singing the praises of a particular party???

My goal, as is the goal of my Rwandans I have spoken to, is to establish a system that views everyone as important and equally-deserving of the fruits of the country's development. Everyone has a hand to play. My friend mentioned that all parties have to be given a place in the government. That's true, but we have to give someone a place at the head table based on their ideas and potential to help the country move forward, not just because they're at the head of a political party. 

If you want to make a difference, come forward as a Rwandan and state your case. Let's talk about your plan, give you a chance to explain yourself and, also, a chance to explain our positions. Then we can reach a compromise that will have the most benefit for the country and not just any particular segment of the population. 

He told me it wasn't feasible...wasn't something likely to work because success requires precise organization that a political party can offer. I pointed out that great organization does not require a political party, but rather a will to see one's convictions realized. 

Rwanda needs its citizens to work together and not continue to partition themselves amongst political parties. We need to come together and find solutions by brainstorming and striving to put our decisions into action. When things go bad, we shouldn't barricade ourselves behind labeled forts and throw missiles of insult and accusation at other camps rather than sitting down together and finding solutions to the wedges between use. 

A couple of hours later, as I sat on the same couch and pondered back upon our discussion in the bar, I realized that we still have a long way to go in Rwanda and the solution might not be as simple as I would love it to be. His reason for wanting to start a political party was that many Rwandans are extremists who only want to satisfy their own thirst for power without regard to the common citizen. We agreed about that. But, is the solution to continue to carve ourselves up much as the Europeans carved up Africa in Berlin? Are we to figure out the cure for our ailments by running away from our fellow Rwandans? 

What if we were to come together under an umbrella movement whose only requirement was that you were Rwandan and concerned about the well-being of the country? There would be organizational tiers, but not the morbid fanaticism that accompany political parties. We form a think tank that puts its decisions in action for the benefit of the people by inclusion, not exclusion. We put the people to work for their own advancement. We mobilize the country to work to fix its shortcomings, and not to the singular benefit of a particular demographic group. 

Only then, I believe, will we realize the peace and reconciliation that we so love to sing about. Only then will we be  united for a common cause...Rwanda!!!

An Opposition Focus in Rwanda

Rwanda has experienced some turmoil since the beginning of the year when presidential hopeful Ingabire Victoire Umuhoza returned to the country after 16 years in exile. In the wake of her return, events quickly unfolded that, so far at least, seem to have pulled back the curtain to expose the true intent of the regime in Kigali. Supporters of the regime switched from singing its praises and how it was a "beacon" in the region, to claiming that Rwanda needs action at the moment more than it needs democracy. As a result, Kagame is now seen as hogging power and more of a dictator than a democratically-elected leader.
Kagame is a man of many admirers and about as many critics. Yet, to all, it is clear that he is not interested in a conventional democracy. The opposition, and many foreign critics, have jumped on this fact and called for him to step down, either voluntarily or through elections, to allow for a more democracy-conducive atmosphere. However, if there is no Kagame, who can take the reins in Rwanda and prevent what could possibly rival the 1994 genocide and its bloodshed?
The key- and what the opposition should be focused on- is targeting the average citizen to change their mindset. Many in the middle and upper social classes have a lot of interest vested in the current regime that they don't want to, or are afraid to, see things change. The average citizen, poor and largely uneducated beyond a few years of primary school, is the pawn without which the game cannot be won.
In 1994, the majority of the killings were not carried out by the army, but by regular people. The people were conditioned by a system of hate and paranoia that they were able to be exploited to achieve ends beneficial to a few strongmen. This same system that conditions them in this way, also, allows for the creation of strongmen such as Kagame.
The only way to retain power in such a system is to divide the citizens and play them against each other through fear-mongering. As soon as someone rises up to question the role of the RPF, the current ruling party in Kigali, they are accused of "genocide ideology," a law so vague and convoluted that if it had a genuine purpose, it has since been lost. The Tutsi population, which is still hurting from 1994, is afraid that the numerically-superior Hutu are biding their time to finish what they weren't able to finish. The Hutu look at the militarily-superior Tutsi and wonder when they will be fell upon in revenge. Both look to Kagame as a savior, and he relishes this role while allowing this climate of fear to fester.
This is why the focus should be on the system that creates such people as Kagame. The only way to change the system is to change the hearts and minds of the average citizens so that these exploitative tactics don't work with them. Only the people will be able to prevent the rise of divisive strongmen from their midst. They have to be able to speak up for their rights, and be willing to lose their lives in the process, rather than cower in fear.
Yes, to many Kagame is a savior, but even Jesus, after saving the world from sin, did not stick around physically forever. Kagame, too, can step aside assured that, after 16 years, he can still guide the country through his actions while he was at the top...if those actions merit that. To be a great president, you don't need to single-handedly bring development to your nation. You don't need to stay forever, and you definitely don't need to suppress the free expression of ideas. What you need is to inspire people to take their future in their hands. George Washington did not stay president forever even though he was offered the option. Thomas Sankara, in his brief 4 years as president, turned an impoverished country around by empowering the people to control their own fate by building their country. There are many like them, and they are what we need in Rwanda in order to attain true development.
Kagame might feel that the country is not ready to move on without him, but, like a parent of a teenager off to college for the first time, reality has to be faced. He has to trust that his guidance the past 16 years has settled into the minds of the people and that they will make good decisions based on that. Whether Rwanda succeeds or fails if he steps aside is unpredictable, what is predictable, however, is that Rwanda will suffer if he doesn't.
Not yet, however, not until the opposition has been able to change the system and the people are ready to be led by someone who doesn't require to be regarded as an overprotective parent. Then, and only then, will the successive rule of strongmen be over in Rwanda.

From a Rwandan to the World

Dear World,

Sixteen years ago, you watched as my home was torn to the ground, my neighbors, family, and friends hacked to death, and rivers flowed red with blood of innocent souls. Sixteen years ago, some of my family were vilified as savages while others were glorified as beacons of liberation. We were divided by the world and the standards of division are yet to escape your minds.

However, we want to move on. We don’t want to be judged and classified as cattle in a barn. If you look closely, you will see that we eat together, drink together, sing together, sleep together, and struggle together. Hutu, Tutsi, and Twa are terms dear to our cultural inheritance and not a hindrance to our pursuit of happiness and development. We are not just ready to move on, we have already moved on- moved on from the politics of exploitation, of hate, of insecurity and fear.

My people believe in a united Rwanda in which we are allowed to speak our minds, follow our hearts, and justice is dispensed equally without regard to ethnicity, region of origin, clan, gender, religion, or any other measure of differentiation. This is what we believe…don’t listen to those who profit from our weaknesses.  All that we ask you- the world- is that you stand with us; not pulling or pushing us, but beside us so we can all grow together. We are now asking you to look into our eyes and see, not only the pain, but also our infinite will to attain true independence from a past that has worked to alienate ourselves from each other.

We have died, we’ve been maimed. We have been left widows and orphans, but we have also been left with an undying desire to move on. We are tired of being hostages of our past…a past which you had a hand in imposing upon us. Now that our muscles are strained and our voices raised in efforts to lift the yoke on our shoulders, that very hand is busy suppressing our efforts. For now, our struggle continues, but, with each passing moment, we grow older, we grow stronger, we grow bolder.

In time you shall join us in genuine celebration. We shall welcome you and work together towards a better world. We shall laugh and eat and drink. We shall not talk of the past for it will be the future we will be beholden to. We shall sing and dance to the ballads of unity and prosperity. Songs shall flow lauding the overthrow of the exploiter. You and your sons and daughters shall hold our hands, and we shall do the same. Remember, however, that we will forgive, but we will not forget…history can never let us forget…lest it happens again.

Sincerely,

Rwandan

Rwanda's Road Map for Lasting Peace

Most people who know anything about Rwanda, know mostly that which relates to the 1994 genocide. They might not know all the details, but they know that one ethnic group killed another in the fastest genocide in modern times. What these people don't know is the condition of Rwanda in the thirty years preceding the genocide, and fewer know about the colonial period, its policies, and the years before the arrival of the Europeans. These people, though well-intentioned, also lack information and insight as to the degree of mayhem that enveloped the region after 1994 and is still ongoing. Why is it easy for foreigners to focus in on one tragedy while they remain ignorant to others which led to, or emanated from, it?

Whether it be because 1994 was the climax in the tragedy that unfolded before an uncaring world or a result of mass media hypnosis in spreading the victors' tale, what is known is that these people who claim to know about Rwanda lack the information necessary to know the root of the problem in Rwanda. 1994 was not something that happened overnight...it was not planned in a year or two...it did not rise out of the RPF invasion of 1990, and it goes further than the 1959 revolution and the late 19th century arrival of Europeans. These events had an effect on 1994, but the root of the cause is as old as time itself.

I believe if we identify the root we will then be able to also come up with a solution that will, I hope, prevent future 1994s. I think it's safe to assume that everyone- Rwandan or not- wishes and prays that what occurred in 1994 was the last of its kind...in Rwanda and elsewhere.

The tragedy in Rwanda is rooted in the concept of exploitation of perceived differences between groups of people for the optimum purpose of gaining supreme concentration of power and its assured safeguarding.  Firstly, the people were divided and classes were established. Secondly, labels were assigned to the ethnicities and, subsequently, the clans. Thirdly, these labels were used to amass power, Fourthly, fear of the past was used to manipulate the masses to commit atrocities regarded as safeguarding their "freedom." Fifthly, purported pursuit and annihilation of such practices were used to attain and consolidate power. That, in a nutshell, is the story of Rwanda from the time of our ancestors to now.

The problem is not between Hutu and Tutsi, but rather between those who want to use the minute differences between the two to gain a grip on power. The differences between the two should not be enough to cause the slaughter of millions, but we saw how they were exploited.  To prevent this, I believe we have to find something for all groups (Hutu, Tutsi, Twa, and naturalized) to rally around. Our history is fragmented with each group choosing to glorify whatever pertains to it, and downplaying what pertains to the other side. Whatever happened in Rwanda is part of Rwandan history and nothing done can erase it. Whether we like it or not, we have to find a way to deal with it and let it bring us together rather than being a wedge between us. A house divided cannot stand...so it is everywhere, so it is in Rwanda. If you think the solution is for one group to be killed off while the other lives on to enjoy the land, you are mistaken...it has been tried and failed.
What will bring us together is patriotism and duty towards our country and not any particular person or political organization. We should abhor politicians who want to partition our loyalty while they reap and steal the harvest of our labor. If one truly cares about the people, let he/she work to unite all groups of Rwandans rather than playing them against each other. We have to recognize, rather than ignore, our differences and use them to build a stronger unity socially. We should keep them out of our political sphere because they tend to polarize us rather than unite us. We should be united behind the banner of development, education, health, and other goals rather than behind any one political party or person. If everyone is aware of what is demanded from them and is held accountable, that person is more likely to hold the leader accountable, too. If the leader is to be held accountable, it lessens the chance for authoritarian rule and abuse of power. This is what Rwanda needs...something more meaningful than umuganda and other programs that are more of a farce than anything.
Programs that raise awareness, empower the common person, and raise the overall development of the entire nation, not just a particular city or region, are what will propel Rwanda into a self-sufficient nation. As long as a significant portion of the population continues to struggle to gain a meager meal, they will be turned away from doing their part in developing the country, and the team will be on the field without enough players to threaten or defend against the opposition.
So, if we understand that the problem in Rwanda is not Hutu against Tutsi or vice versa and see that it's really between the oppressed and the oppressors, we can move to stamp out the weeds that keep choking our crops. All Rwandans have to answer to the same rallying cry and our allegiances have to lie with the nation, rather than an individual or political entity. All Rwandans have a stake in a developed, peaceful nation, so everyone's participation is essential. Though it's hard to assure each citizen's participation, they have to be encouraged and cannot be prevented from participating overtly or covertly. Without this, Rwanda is headed through successive cycles of Hutu- and Tutsi-led governments that will continue to play the citizens against each other and develop the country only as it benefits their respective agendas.

Gacaca: Hijacked Justice

April 1994 found Rwanda embroiled in nearly four years of civil war that had destroyed much of its infrastructure and economy. The country was tethering on the brink of ethnic violence and it was finally shoved over the edge by the assassination of President Juvenal Habyarimana. In a matter of 100 days, hundreds of thousands of Tutsis were annihilated in revenge for the assassination. In retaliation, the Tutsi-dominated Rwandan Patriotic Front pursued Hutu refugees, some of whom had actively participated in the genocide, even into neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (then known as Zaire) and killed thousands of their numbers. Although the exact number is unknown, what is indisputable is that many perished at the hands of the RPF. Sixteen years down the road, the RPF-dominated government in Kigali is still on the prowl for genocidaires, although the fight is now being waged on a different battlefield. 

Gacaca is a Kinyarwanda name for well-manicured grass and, traditionally, people would sit on grass and listen to disputes between their neighbors and the elders would then pass binding judgement to the two parties involved in the conflict. After the genocide, the Rwandan government opted for this type of system to process the large amount of cases due to the number of those accused of crimes during the genocide.

This is all and well, but the system has been hijacked by those who seek to slander and eliminate the intellectual element of the Hutus in exile and other Rwandan opponents of the government. Why do I say the Hutu intelligentsia? Because I have recently had to deal with people who have been falsely accused and convicted by gacaca for having participated in the genocide.  

I had heard about such allegations before but I had never personally known those accused, so I couldn't speak with certainty whether they were guilty or innocent, but now I know without a doubt that this is a continuation of the RPF strategy of following the Hutu masses to discourage any opposition. These people, who are well-learned and held positions in the education system before the genocide, are being forced to cower and limit their participation, if any, in any form of opposition. The interesting thing is that the ones I know who have been falsely accused and convicted have absolutely no interest in politics. 

I first heard about the allegations in 2007 but I didn't take them seriously. One of their former colleague, a Tutsi, had spearheaded a campaign to convict them and he set about to find a student at their former school who could help him by saying he saw them participate in the genocide. Among those being accused at the time was my aunt, who had passed away. I heard one man had been taken and tortured but he had refused to implicate them. I figured that was the end of that, but I was clearly wrong.

This year, I heard the people, all former teachers or administrators, had been convicted to between 19 and 27 years in prison. Knowing the people accused, I can attest to their innocence 100% without a smidgen of doubt in my mind. It didn't make sense for a system to pursue innocent people- some of whom had actually been imprisoned by the then regime during the genocide- without an agenda. One of the first things that came to mind was Stalin's purges. 

Rwanda has always pursued its opponents through false accusations, the most infamous of which is Genocide Ideology, and this is another form of pursuit. The bad thing about it is that it will make the system of gacaca, in general, lose legitimacy in the eyes of many. It is without a doubt that the system is the best to deal with such large amount of cases, but hijacking it to achieve political aims is a sure way to discredit it and whatever benefits it might possess. As I wrote in my previous post about speaking out against injustice, this is a moment for us to speak out against those who are wrongly accused. Gacaca is our tradition and it works, but we have to put an end to its hijacking...we, at least, owe that much to our ancestors who worked hard to give us a just way to deal with our disputes. 

Freedom of Expressions Applies to All Sides

A few months ago, I became aware of the political situation in Rwanda and joined a couple of pages on an online social site in hopes of learning more. Undiscriminating, I joined a page named after, and supporting, current Rwandan president Gen. Paul Kagame, and another one for the opposition leader, Ingabire Victoire Umuhoza, leader of the FDU-Inkingi political party based primarily in exile. Through several discussions with other participants, I came to see the passions these people, especially the young men and women, have for what happens in their country. Some even talked about their willingness to pick up arms, should need arise, and fight for what they perceive to be their way of right.

I agreed with some, and I disagreed with others, without taking any one side besides the truthful side, but all in all I was impressed. Over time, some participants began to change their views towards the middle; their shift from radical beliefs to more conciliatory ones reflecting a sense of maturity that a country like Rwanda needs in order to move on from the wounds of the past.

One of the topics we tackled was that of freedom of expression...the ability to speak your mind and bring your ideas to the table without fear of persecution. In Rwanda, two tabloids were first suspended, then outrightly outlawed because of their criticism of the government; the president mentioned journalists' meeting of exiled former military leaders whom it accuses of terrorism and some took this to be a warning against them; There is talk of imprisonment and harassment of journalists with some going in hiding or exile; and Rwanda has been listed as one of the states where freedom of press is heavily hampered by authorities.

Our discussions varied with some supporting the government and others accusing it of heavy-handedness and authoritarianism. But, one thing that became apparent was that censuring of who said what and what they said was wrong. Several outspoken supporters of the current regime were banned from the Ingabire page, and they complained about in as much as supporters of the two tabloids did when the government announced their suspension.

A number of supporters of Ingabire cried afoul of the banishment of anyone from the group when all they are accused of is speaking their mind. Around that time, I paused a question on April 18, 2010 on Ingabire's group page asking whether that page was managed by her or someone delegated by her to that duty. My question was not answered but I was encouraged to ask whatever question I had in the discussions section. I posted my question that same day and it went as such:

"What is Ingabire and the FDU-Inkingi doing to reach out to those who might feel threatened by her ethnicity and what is perceived to be her views?"

Up to this day, no one has answered my question. I even sent an email to an FDU-Inkingi asking that same question and no one has replied yet. I understand times have been tough with her arrest and arraignment on extremely serious charges, but we, as ordinary Rwandans, also have questions that, if answered, can help us cement our support for her. However, beyond just standing up to the RPF-government, she has to show that she will not replace one form of system for a similar system just for change's sake.
Which brings me to another of my questions: If Ingabire, or her supporters, is intolerant of other's freedom to express their views, what makes us think she, or they, will not do so once in power in Kigali?

If the group is not affiliated with her, her representatives should be wary of someone turning potential supporters into critics.  To those who feel threatened and who feel they have sufficient reason to feel that way, this type of action only adds to their suspicion and mistrust. If we accuse the Kigali government of oppression, we have to make sure we are not committing the same offenses we are accusing it of. Otherwise, it's the proverbial name-calling between the pot and the kettle.

I call that those banned from the group for voicing their views be allowed back in and encouraged to debate in order to reach a middle ground that is beneficial to Rwanda in general without alienating some among our midst, no matter how different and infuriating their views might be. The exception, of course, is if their speech is illegal and exhibits threats against others.

The only way to live together as Rwandans is through dialog. We talk, we listen, we clarify our views, and we empathize. We become better, tolerant, and insightful Rwandans for the benefit of our future and our children's after us. Muze dukore, dusigire abana bacu umurage ababyeyi bacu badusigiye.

Hope

Honestly, much as I don't see her as having articulated specifics as to how she can help Rwanda beyond the so-called truth commission, I fail to see what she has done that warrants arrest. Personally, I don't believe Rwanda's chance for peace and justice lies in political parties; they promote an atmosphere of people thinking "me first" that little is done in the way of helping the average citizen. FDU, RPF, FDLR, PSD are all political parties with labels attributed to them by others or themselves, and, as such, their first instincts is to look out for their own interests and survival.

As such, Rwandans should stand up against Ingabire's arrest without regard to her political or ethnic affiliations because it is simply the right thing to do. What she said at the memorial is the truth... badly-timed and at the wrong place, but still true. 1. Itsembabwoko= genocide, annihilation based on ubwoko (ethnicity). 2. Itsembatsemba= massacre...It is unfair to think that only Tutsi or moderate Hutus were killed during the genocide period or in the chaos of the wars that ensued after. I was in Kigali during the genocide and I remember people from both ethnicities being killed. Is this saying there was no genocide, or downplaying the horrors of the genocide? NO. I am simply saying that people from both sides lost their loved ones and their grief is equal to me. I wouldn't have said it at the memorial of the Tutsi victims it I was Ingabire, but poor choice of venue is not a crime she's been charged with.

Fear is something we need to rid ourselves of before we can all take a step forward. For centuries, dictators and oppressors have relied on people's fear of death as a deterrent against uprisings and they have succeeded in certain ways, but there was always a man or woman in whom was found a willingness to act in spite of the fear they held because they knew the future would feed off their energy. Ingabire, though she might lack qualities to make her the next president of Rwanda, she has proven to be a beacon of hope for many. Many others, here and elsewhere, will disagree with me, but the truth still remains that she has mobilized and encouraged some to speak and dream about equality in their homeland.

A few years ago, some said Barack Obama was inexperienced and unproven in matters of governance, but he had, on his side, a powerful weapon; Hope. He offered a war-weary, economically-battered populace a glimpse of hope for change. When election time rolled around, people voted in droves to usher in a new generation of leaders that could reinvigorate their cause for pursuit of happiness. History remains to judge him, but, in Victoire Ingabire, many Rwandans see their own hope.

The stakes are different and she stands to lose more, but the prize is all the same. Though she is imprisoned, it is, by no means, a conviction- that decision lies with the courts of the land- and it might end up being a distraction to keep her from running in the scheduled August presidential elections. So, the best option is to sit back, think about what you base your opinion of her on (be honest with yourself), and see what happens.

History is a fair judge and we will all have to face its impartial gavel. It is entirely up to it to make someone a martyr-not us- so we sit and wait. Let her case be heard and judged. Don't be afraid to form an opinion, but do so with as much knowledge and insight as you can garner so that you make the best decision for all of Rwanda and not just you. When it's all said and done and the smoke has cleared, Rwanda will still be there longing for all its sons and daughters to join hands in building up the inheritance of  our ancestors without fear, prejudice, and malice.

Radio

Recently, I took a trip to a local park to shoot some photographs and I decided, for a change, to turn on my car stereo and listen to the radio. I'm a big fan of radio programs, but I find myself annoyed by the commercial advertisements which all seem to be done by the same three or four people with the most annoying voices you could find in any creation. On this particular day, I decided to turn to a Christian station and I am glad I did for the program transported me back to my young days in my native Central African country of Rwanda.

Rwanda, in the late eighties and early nineties, was a place lagging behind...okay, faaaar behind...technologically as we had one national radio station, which did not operate twenty-four hours a day. Later on, around nineteen-ninety-three, if I'm not mistaken, a second radio station was created. About a year or so earlier, a television station had been created also, but this was a luxury many people, including us, did not have the pleasure of indulging in. So, the radio - our dear radio - was the link that connected the whole country. News, music, death notices, soccer matches, all came to us through the radio and it was not unusual to find the whole household - and a few neighbors who were unable to afford one of their own - seated around a single, mono set cheering on their respective soccer teams or just listening to some program the way people in advanced countries gather around the television. For these people, imagination was the greatest gift bestowed upon them by a benevolent God...okay, maybe second greatest after the radio.
One of our favorite programs was broadcast theater. Every Tuesday night around nine o'clock, we would all be done with our chores and assembled in my grandfather's living room with our eyes fixated on the stereo perched on the fireplace mantle as the sounds emanated from it and gave us a high few addicts are able to top. For as long as the program ran, we sat there...hearts pounding, hands clasping armrests in anticipation, sweat dotting foreheads...captivated until it finished.
When we gather to reminisce about our childhoods, we never fail to finish without talking about "ikinamico," the Kinyarwanda name for theater, loosely translated into "cultural play." Sad to say, but I remember more of the occasions than what the plays themselves were about. What is mostly ingrained in my memory is the feeling...the ambiance...of  it all.
So, as I turned on the radio and listened to the program they had on, my memory took a few steps back in time and I was reminded of those times when we would gather around the radio and listen to stories not unlike the one I was now listening to. They both tackled issues of contemporary concern such as marriage, jobs, and, in the case of the one I was recently listening to, identity theft. It would be an understatement if I claimed to have enjoyed it.
Maybe we need more programs like that to counter the effects of television. Television rarely, if ever, excites one's imagination into compiling an entire set of scenes based on oral stimulation. Instead of us painting our sets, the director and the set designer set it up for us visually so that all we have to do is use our eyes and nothing else...okay, maybe hands and mouth to stuff ourselves with some unhealthy snacks. No name for a television set could be more appropriate than the oft-used "idiot box."
Listening to the radio program, I was transported with the subjects to the cafe where they worked, the used car lot where they hoped to find clues about the identity thief, and other locations that were often highlighted by simple sounds enough to evoke the image in my mind. More programs like these can benefit today's children who grow up accustomed to being shown everything they want to see in order for a scene to have complete meaning to them. For example, you see movies with elaborate special effects such as a car blowing up on the expressway, causing a pileup and the main character barely escaping - sometimes, barely scathed. They show you the minutest detail so you don't have to do any thinking, or wondering, on your own as to what else could have transpired.They give you no opportunity to work on your creativity, which might extend to other areas of life where creativity might aid you, such as career advancement.
I hope there are more theatrical programs on the radio and, if you know any, please bring them to my attention.

The Issue of Language

Much has been proposed about language by writers in exile and two classes, represented by two well-known writers, have formed around these propositions. On one hand, you have Ngugi wa Thiong'o who advocates writing in one's native language and having your work, then, translated to other language. On the other hand, you have Chinua Achebe who represents the class of writers who find it acceptable to write in the language of their former colonial masters even if they might harbor some misgivings about the colonists' deeds. Both of these stalwarts of African literature have valid points and comparing their views is like the proverbial apples and oranges comparison.
Starting with Ngugi, it is imperative to provide literary works to your own people who cannot read colonial languages such as French, English, Spanish, or Portuguese. To him, this was as important as writing and he started writing in his native Kikuyu. This did not stop his work from being translated, but looking at him and trying to emulate him might be dangerous for an aspiring writer.
Ngugi, when he decided to make the radical move, was already a well-respected writer who made a name for himself as a writer, editor, and professor in his native Kenya. He already had a following and a relationship with a publisher who was willing to promote his personal stance as a publicity and marketing ploy. To a new writer, especially one in exile, you might find that your traditional language market is insignificant and repelling to the publisher.
This is something a writer can do after he/she has tackled the larger market and wants to build a fan base among the smaller market of just his/her own people.
Chinua argues that a writer is to find a middle ground in his use of language as a medium for his story-telling. Not only is this more viable to an unestablished writer, but it is also easier for the readers as they don't have to scramble or wait for a translated work.
I would love to be able to put to use the vast vocabulary and wealth of my native Kinyarwanda, but I'm unable to write much in it. I used to enjoy reading Kinyarwanda newspapers and books, but now I only become frustrated as that ability has slowly eroded with the passing years in exile. Writing in it is out of the question for me, but I hope to be able to have some of my work translated into it in the future. For now, I hope to reach more people through English, which is not the language of Rwanda's colonizers, and show them an opening into my people's lives, customs, and traditions.
However, I know that if I was to be be fluent in Kinyarwanda there is absolutely no doubt that I would write in it. I have a memory of its beauty as I read it growing up, and until I can replicate that feeling, I will wait to put my work in it, hoping to safeguard its integrity from a butchery I would subject it to in my current state.

What's in the works:::Joriji's Daughter

There is a road in Kigali (Rwanda) that I used to use often to and from school. Few roads in Rwanda at the time had names, so I don't know if this one had a name or I might have forgotten it. This particular one was no different from the other dozen or so roads and combination of roads that I could use, but it came to mind a few days ago as I sat contemplating what I could write about next. I figured I'd write about a man meeting the woman of his fantasies. I could put him on the road from somewhere...a market...with a load of something on his head...firewood?Sack of beans?...I settled on the sack of beans.
I don't know yet how long it's going to be, or what the specifics are, or how the ending is, but I'm on page 6 and I don't feel like I'm halfway done. This is my first attempt at prose, and I'm having lots of fun with it. It's flowing out of me in the rhythm of the works we were made to memorize in 3rd and 4th grade in Rwanda. Someday, I hope my works will be read by students, putting them to heart same way I did years ago.
Have you written prose before? What pointers could you give that would help me? Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Who Am I and What Am I currently working on?

My name is Eddie and I come from a small country in central Africa with a big, horrendous past. Rwanda is a place of indescribable beauty, where my heart still longs for after all these years outside. It has been 15 years since I crossed into the Democratic Republic of Congo (then Zaire) and left my beloved motherland behind. At the time, I did not look back, but I know I would go about doing it differently were I to be given another chance. I doubt my 11-year old mind even contemplated the possibility of spending so much time away from the only place it had known. that excitement of crossing into another country did not wear off until a decade later, when my heart, at last, began to long for the dusty roads my feet had trod in those bygone days.
I keep alive the memories by recounting my adventures to my friends and colleagues. I tell of the old mischievous doings, the thrashings I received for a milliard of offenses, and I tell of the stories of joy. Visiting my cousins (a welcomed reprieve from staying home as an only child), my first bike, learning to use a photo camera. I tell them all so I can remember. So I can relieve their thrills and terrors through the reactions they receive. I tell them because without them, I would not be the same person.
Now, I'm here blessed with experience of living in 6 countries and countless communities. I have been high and I have been low. I have laughed much and I have wailed much, but through it all I have had the guidance of a higher power, and, for that, I am grateful.
I currently have finished a full-length play "Where Flies Flock" and a 10-minute play "NoGood, NoWhere." I also have finished and am about to submit a couple of lyrics. As for what I'm working on, my biggest and proudest work is a play about my hero, Thomas Sankara. He is the assassinated president of Burkina Faso who worked to make Africa free and dignified. I am also working on a play about smuggling Africans from Africa to Europe, and a prose about a man falling in love on his way home from the market.
I will keep this up and we will stay in touch...please leave your mark, let me know you dropped by.
Thank you.