Rwanda Re-found

WE ALL tend to envision Rwanda potentially shaking hands with America, Great Britain as well the other powers, influencing global governance at noteworthy levels, that sort of thing… Is it attainable? Well, we sure hope that all the visions and missions we are investing will lead us there.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Natasha Muhoza

WE ALL tend to envision Rwanda potentially shaking hands with America, Great Britain as well the other powers, influencing global governance at noteworthy levels, that sort of thing… Is it attainable? Well, we sure hope that all the visions and missions we are investing will lead us there.However, from a good lot of perspectives on the other side of the equation that I’ve encountered, Rwanda is still pretty insignificant. Besides of course, some bits and pieces of exact knowledge of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, many are merely unaware. What ought to be done? Or if that sounds a bit thrown out in the air, how can we influence that kind of position to our advantage? And why in the first place, is it this way?Could it be that in the larger picture there is a system of power that has been so firmly established it literally ‘runs the world’?Does this issue date back to history’s era of civilisation and revolutions? Is it a system that cannot be matched or contested? Does it dictate that the colonised will forever be ‘the colonised’ and the power forever ‘the power’? Or even that through no other window can the age old views be seen and on no other grounds can age old establishments be challenged?From my own point of view I’d say yes, I do see such or similar connotations in the worlds political, social and economic platforms as well as various other strands of society. Both from my personal experience growing up in my small yet great ‘3rd world’ nation, whatever that turned out to mean, and also my little experience associating with the first world. It is arguable but supposing we agree, it is a disturbing fact.Nonetheless, if all above is the case then there must certainly be a way round it. I want to believe there is a particular way each individual Rwandan can contribute to solving our collective discontent. Direct or indirect, locally or internationally, the work of our hands, the investment of our time and minds in getting ourselves out of customary political and social bondage could set us on the path of REAL independence. This is what the ‘Agaciro’ movement is all about for instance. I’m sure that is something our forefathers would want to stand on a podium and speak passionately to us about if only they could.I’ve come to believe that it is initiative, creativity, drive, patriotism, selflessness, modesty and the utter faith in the potential of talent and capabilities of both young and old alike, that made todays power nations powerful. In who and what we are, say and stand for, my hope is that we continuously recognise that we are responsible for a larger reformation of the world’s order to make Rwanda as globally honorable as we believe it deserves. After all, under WHOSE terms should WE be defined?Cheers!