Hero of “Hotel Rwanda” Released as Result of Diplomatic Dispute

Paul Rusesabagina was freed from a Rwandan jail late Friday as a result of discussions between Washington and Kigali that lasted months. Both sides wanted to put an end to what they both referred to as a “irritant” in their relationship.

Rusesabagina, a U.S. permanent resident who became well-known through the 2004 movie “Hotel Rwanda,” which focused on his role in saving Tutsis during the 1994 genocide, was not released as a result of any specific concessions, according to two U.S. officials — one from President Joe Biden’s administration and a Congressional aide.

His leadership in the Rwanda Movement for Democratic Development (MRCD), whose armed wing, the National Liberation Front (FLN), has targeted Rwanda, led to his arrest in 2019 and subsequent conviction on eight terrorist counts.

Relations between the two nations were strained by his incarceration. While Rwanda reacted angrily to the criticism and said that it would not be intimidated, the United States claimed that Rusesabagina was wrongfully held.

The United States was Rwanda’s greatest bilateral contributor in 2021, providing more than $147 million in aid.

The official from the Biden administration added, speaking on the condition of anonymity, “The U.S. government made plain to the… Rwandans that this would remain a bilateral irritant until we could negotiate a mutually satisfying settlement.”

A representative for the Rwandan government, Yolande Makolo, described the situation as “an annoyance in both ways.”

Progress, she said, “began to be made after a few false starts, exactly when the U.S. abandoned the ‘pressure’ and threats approach — and chose to engage with Rwanda on the content of the crisis and its context – political violence by armed groups and the security of Rwandans.

When questioned about the U.S.’s involvement in these matters, Makolo cited a remark made by Secretary of State Antony Blinken that emphasised that political change in Rwanda should only occur peacefully.

The U.S. Congressional staffer, who also wished to remain unnamed, claimed that Rusesabagina’s recognition of Rwanda’s viewpoint and actions by Washington and Rusesabagina personally helped to progress the discussions.

The aide cited a letter Rusesabagina addressed to Rwandan President Paul Kagame in October, in which he expressed sorrow for not making sure that MRCD members abstained from violence, as being especially beneficial. On Friday, the Rwandan government made it public.

Getting the boss to move

Getting the complete support of the executive branch was a difficult task for the Rusesabagina family and congressional supporters before the negotiations gathered traction, the aide added.

The assistant said that Rusesabagina’s situation did not “fit neatly in a box” because she was a Belgian citizen with Rwandan ancestry and U.S. residence.

As the Biden administration determined in May 2022 that Rusesabagina had been illegally arrested, momentum increased during the previous year.

When Blinken travelled to Rwanda in August, he visited Kagame, with whom he spoke at length, according to US authorities, about the issue. A further chance for debate arose during the December U.S.-Africa Summit in Washington.

Yet Kigali persisted in taking a tough stance, with Kagame claiming that only an invasion of Rwanda could compel Rusesabagina’s release outside of the December conference.

Less than two weeks ago, Kagame revealed that there had been negotiations about “resolving” the issue in an interview with the online news source Semafor. This was the first significant public indication of softening.

Then, on Friday, word spread that Rusesabagina’s sentence had been reduced. A few hours later, he was transferred from Nyarugenge Prison to the Qatari embassy.

According to U.S. authorities, he would stay in Rwanda for a few days before heading to Doha and eventually the United States.

Reuters