Editor,

Refer to oseph Rwagatare’s article on human dignity, dated November 28, 2017 (Rwanda to the World - All People Have Right to Dignity).

As a person who has been to Rwanda several times and who knows Africa I would like to add a few words. First, the world seems to have already forgotten what Rwanda went through. The country had to restart from zero (in July 1994 following the Genocide against the Tutsi which killed more than one million people).

I had the honour of meeting President Paul Kagame on several occasions, including at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

He works 24/7 for his country. I remember one day he emerged from a meeting just before midnight and went on to shake hands of tens of people. I said to him, ‘Mr. President, it has been a long day’, to which he replied, ‘I still have two meetings’.

And, the following morning, at 7.30a.m, there he was in a conference; the President had arrived on the dot.

As for me, every time I come to Rwanda, I am met with friendship and warmth regardless of whom I speak to. People are smiling even though many of them lost their loved ones. As a person who lost seventy per cent of my family during the Second World War, I feel a great bond with Rwanda which deserves by far more respect than it is receiving in various parts of the world today.

Once again, I would like to stress that I strongly believe that the great patriot Paul Kagame will not rest until he improves the living conditions of all Rwandans. 

Murakoze.

With kind regards,

Aleksander Schneider