Fund, at Kigali Serena Hotel, August 23)
***
The Kigali 5-star Serena Hotel was the setting of the festive launch
by President Paul Kagame of the Agaciro Development Fund (AgDF) on
Thursday, August 23.
According to Kigali New Times reporter Edwin Musoni, "Agaciro" is a
Kinyarwanda language word "closely translated to mean
dignity or self-worth."
(Page Address: www.newtimes.co.rw/news/index.php?i=15094&a=57454)
The Agaciro, a "solidarity fund," is a brainchild of President Kagame,
who's been mulling it for over a year now.
But its urgency came in full force recently with the spate of aid
cutoffs by Western governments as Rwanda was seen to be embarking in a
another war of pillage of Congo resources.
The idea is that all Rwandan citizens can contribute to the fund to
offset the loss of development aid monies.
At the launch of the Agaciro, $2m was pledged.
President Kagame, who's denying any involvement in the current war in
eastern Congo just as he'd denied it in the past, is now claiming that
Rwanda is a victim of a worldwide conspiracy.
President Kagame told the audience at Serena Hotel:
"The way the whole world descends on Rwanda is a mystery. It is not
understandable.
"This form of injustice you can't find anywhere else."
The Agaciro should give the heebie-jeebies to the Congolese government
as it's a pointer to the fact that Rwanda is in this war for the long
haul.
For, though touted as a development fund, the Agaciro seems to be the
countrywide broadening of war chests Kagame had established in the
past in his military entrepreneurial ventures in the Congo.
One such Kagame's war chest comes to mind: the "Congo Desk," into
which all the Rwandan troops plundering the Congo had to
contribute--in money and minerals.
The "Congo Desk" made the war in and occupation of the Congo a
successful sustainable enterprise.
In an op-ed published in April 2004 in The Guardian titled "Victim's
Licence," George Monbiot wrote:
"By 1999, the 'Congo Desk' of the
Rwandan army was generating 80% of the Rwandan military budget--some
$320 million.
"This is the equivalent of
20% of Rwanda's gross national
product."
(Page Address: www.monbiot.com/2004/04/13/victims-licence/)
I see the same thread running from Congo Desk to Agaciro.
The Agaciro is a further streamlining of the fundraising drive for a
more permanent plunder of Congo resources designed by Kagame for his
Rwandan military entrepreneurs.
***
PHOTO CREDITS: Via: newsofrwanda.com
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