We Don’t Need Your Message’ – Rwandan Tweeps Knock US Secretary Of State Blinken
Angry Rwandans have taken to X platform to knock U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, over his message to the country on the 30th anniversary of a 100-day massacre that claimed the lives of 800,000 people, largely Tutsis and moderate Hutus.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame on Sunday while paying tribute to victims of the 1994 genocide, 30 years after Hutu extremists tore apart the nation, said that the international community “failed” his country during the genocide.
The Rwandan genocide, also known as the genocide against the Tutsi, occurred between 7 April and 15 July 1994 during the Rwandan Civil War.
During this period of around 100 days, members of the Tutsi minority ethnic group, as well as some moderate Hutu and Twa, were killed by armed Hutu militias.
On Sunday, Blinken in a message on his X handle wrote, “The United States stands with the people of Rwanda during Kwibuka 30 in remembering the victims of genocide.
“We mourn the many thousands of Tutsis, Hutus, Twas, and others whose lives were lost during 100 days of unspeakable violence.”
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But the Rwandans who implied that the US and other Western nations had been trying to twist the narrative of the genocide against Tutsis, asked the US Secretary of State to keep his message to himself, saying that they did not need it.
They questioned Blinken for failing to identify that Tutsis were largely the victims of the genocide and commiserate with them.
An X user, @HeritierRW said, “That’s distorting and disregarding the truth. In Rwanda, there was a genocide against the Tutsis in 1994. It’s better not to say anything.
“Rwandans will be okay, as they always have been. No country is powerful enough, even when they think that they are, to change the facts.”
Another X user, @dr_dash250 said, “Can we proceed to remember all the Jews Germans and Polish who were killed during the Holocaust? Or does this only apply to Africans?
“On behalf of all Rwandans, I reject your ‘Standing with Rwanda.’”
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Another Rwandan X user, @RwandaisOpen said, “Those who are struggling to properly name the Genocide against the Tutsi, it is better not to send us any message today. We will be okay, as we always have been!”
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Also, @Nammari said, “How rich when a war criminal feigns human emotions.”
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@FelixMugenzi said, “Rwandans will never understand why USA would remain intentionally vague about who was targeted in the Genocide.
“Such ambiguity is in fact a form of denial which is a crime in and of itself and #Rwanda will always challenge it.
“Dear @SecBlinken keep your message, Rwandans are and will be okay.”
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For @r_rukaka, “The US is the ultimate principles-free foreign policy practitioners, though they never stop to consider how the rest of the world view their unceasing and hypocritical lecturing on human rights they themselves don’t practice.”
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@JewswithRwanda said, “It’s an embarrassing failure of the most simple task. But no one should be surprised,” adding, “He (Blinken) has been a terrible US Secretary of State.”
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Attached with a video clip of President Kagami’s speech, @Dachronica said, “Here is the people of Rwanda’s response to your degenerative diplomacy dear @SecBlinken, and entire @StateDept @StateDeptSpox make sure you take notes.”
