Date: Tue, 5 Nov 1996 14:15:39 +0200 (SST)
From: RICHARD PITHOUSE <pithouse-AT-pixie.udw.ac.za>
Subject: Re: M-G: South African guns to Ruanda!


On Mon, 4 Nov 1996, Rolf Martens wrote:

> Are both (or all) sides in this Rwandan conflict essentially bad?
> So that it's correct to stay out and not support any of the
> parties, making propaganda instead that they should stop fighting
> and come to terms?
> 
> Rolf M.


The reporting on this issue has been fairly sketchy here in South Africa. 
The ANC's argument is that by selling weapons to the Rwandan government 
they are blostering a legitimate force which can maintain order.

The original Hutsi/Tutsi conflict seems to have been a rebellion against 
an  feudal structure which is perhaps analogous to the Indian caste 
system. ie Hutsi and Tutsi appear to be less like ethnic groups and more 
like classes ossifed into castes. There are for example apparently 
certain ceremonies and rituals which allow one to change caste if one's 
economic circustances have dramatically changed.

However the situation now appears to be more indiscriminate and somewhat 
anarchic. The Ziarean army have long been a bunch of looters answerable 
only to themselves and terrorising their own population. Their role in 
the conflict will, it seems, only exacerbate it's anarchic character.

My knowledge is limited and comes from the local press which is very 
much focused on the West. We know all about Michael Jackson, OJ Simpson 
etc and very little about Africa. The coverage is probably better in Europe.

However what I do know is that a large number of Rwandan fighter pilots 
are being trained in South Africa at great profit to South Africa. I 
can't imagine that Rwanda needs this type of airforce and it seems 
suspiciously like the typical African curse on money being spent on 
"prestige" projects which have no relevence to the needs of the people. 
It's sad that South Africa is taking over so many of the roles of the 
European powers.

However as I said I am certainly no expert on the Great Lakes Region.

Cheers
Richard

PS Speaking about ridiculous prestige projects I recently met a Malawian
at a jazz club in Durban who told me that since Banda (he's the one who
had apartheid South Africa build his cities and who banned dreadlocks and
mini skirts) has been thrown out the new government has spent all their
energies begging money to erect electric lights all the way from the
airport to Lilongwe (about 40 KM) Apparently these were obtained but the
wooden poles were promptly cut down and used as fuel. After more begging
money was obtained to purchase metal telephone poles but these too have
been destroyed and have been turned into hoes. Apparently a new plan is
now being worked on. The really sad thing though is that Malawi apparently
has no night flights at all. If this story is true it seems that Malawi's
new democratic leaders are degenerating into Mugabe style rule.

In both countries there appears not to be any opposition at all. In fact 
in Zimbabwe the leader of the puny and wimpish opposition is presently 
being tried on a (ridiculous) charge of plotting to assisinate Mugabe.



     --- from list marxism-general-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---