Beleaguered Habyarimana did not shut down border

 By Robert Atuhairwe

About the ongoing stand-off between Uganda and Rwanda with the border point at Katuna shut down by the Rwandan authorities, let us look back in time and consider the issues roundly! 

There was a time when Rwandans in exile since the 1959 ethnic pogrom forced them to take flight decided they wanted to return home and they were not going to plead to be allowed back in by the government of Juvenal Habyarimana (R.I.P).

Habyarimana had expressed reluctance at admitting them back, reasoning that his country was too small to accommodate the returnees.

They decided to return by force of arms. They organized under the Rwandan Patriotic Front/Army (RPF/A), which had some of its leaders in Uganda and others in Europe, among other cells.

The story of Maj. Gen. Fred Rwigyema and deceased Majors Peter Baingana and Chris Bunyenyezi , plus Charles Kabanda and his team, that were the leaders based in Uganda, and what it took to execute and finish the four year war will be told over and over again but the facts will remain the same.

The background to the October 1, 1990 invasion by the main group led by Rwigyema (who was to die on the morning of the next day, felled by a single bullet) involved considerable subversive work; clandestine meetings, mobilization of resources and spiriting away weapons to use later. 

On several occasions, they infiltrated agents deep into Rwanda to gather intelligence about the strength of the regime whose army was called the Rwandan Armed Forces (FAR). Some RPF agents were embedded in the Akagera national park where they created a front before the 1990 full invasion.

While such underhand activities were going on, Habyarimana's apparatus had got wind of the RPF plans. According to several sources, Kigali was well of their preparations. They knew that it was a matter of time before they launched an attack. But Habyarimana did not act hostile to Uganda.

That's how he came to accept an invitation to be the chief guest when NRA was handing out formal ranks during which ceremony held at Lubiri in 1988, his would-be nemesis was decorated Major General.

I believe he made several other cordial visits. At no single time did his government stage a blockade either at Gatuna or Kagitumba over RPF paranoia.

Not even when it became apparent that the Rwigyema's were hell bent on abandoning whatever business they had in Uganda and return home. What Kigali did was to stage several attempts on Rwigyema's life.

On one occasion, they sought to assassinate him by shooting him along Entebbe road as he drove back to Kampala in a Mercedes Benz after one of his meetings with his boss and mentor, President Yoweri Museveni. Another method considered was to poison him but he escaped those attempts and others. This account is credible and has been hinted on by Mr. Muwonge Magembe, a researcher who has been publishing his findings in Sunday Vision. 

When the rebels eventually made their foray in Rwanda, there was still no blockade but obviously, there was beef up of border security.

During subsequent fighting between FAR and RPA, some shells would land on the Ugandan side in areas of Ntungamo, Kabale and Kisoro.

Villagers were hurt and property was destroyed. If it was deliberate action on FAR's side, there was a body of justification since the truth about the RPA's was all out in the open- that RPA had its bases in Uganda even when monitors took long to establish the facts. 

Twenty nine years on, for the Rwandan government to take such far-reaching measures in fear of the unknown (on unseen) defies progressive logic. The precedent, if applied indiscriminately, would freeze the world.

The brutality and discourtesy are particularly bad for the region due to the vulnerable security situation which begs for an extended period of time to fully stabilize.

It would be highly regrettable if those who took out Habyarimana conducted themselves worse than him and it would signal, as well as invite, a repeat of history with all the odious motivations that we don't want to go through again. Let us grow up, please!

Email: atuhairwe_robert@yahoo.com