This past Thursday a French Canadian writer named Robin Philpot continued his quest to scrape the scabs off Rwanda's wounds and make the bleeding continue by holding a conference in Montreal with a number of other genocide deniers.
The conference, called "The Media and Rwanda: The Difficult Search for the Truth", is in reality a platform for those such as French author-journalist Mr. Pierre Pean, Spanish lawyer Mr. Jordi Palou-Loverdos, Belgian journalist Mr. Peter Verlinden and Canadian author Mr. Robin Philpot who have continually questioned facts surrounding the 1994 genocide, accused the current Rwandan government of mass atrocities, and questioned the integrity of former Canadian General Romeo Dallaire and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.
The conference will start as Rwandans prepare to mark the 14th anniversary of the 100-day genocide where Hutu-backed militias led the massacre of Tutsis and Hutu moderates in 1994, killing between 800,000 and one million Rwandans.
If only these opinions were limited to a few crackpots. The sad truth is these ideas have been expressed to me personally on several occasion, and by none other then a leading Christian academic, who served in the Congolese refugee camps following the genocide, and told me that he does not believe what happened in Rwanda constituted a genocide.
This happens while evidence of genocide ideology still existing in Rwandan school classrooms has surfaced. It shows me just how important our work to transform cultural mindsets within Rwandan schools is. It makes me sad that people like Robin Philpot spend so much time and energy digging at Rwanda's wounds instead of working to help the country heal and rebuild. But then again, I guess separatism (Philpot belongs to the PQ) runs in his blood.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Monday, March 3, 2008
The Wounded Healer
In his book, The Wounded Healer, Henri Nouwen describes the great illusion of Christian leadership as the idea “that man can be led out of the desert by someone who has never been there.” “Who can save a child from a burning house,” he asks, “without taking the risk of being hurt by the flames? Who can listen to a story of loneliness and despair without taking the risk of experiencing similar pains in his own heart and even losing his precious peace of mind? In short: Who can take away suffering without entering it?”
I am reminded that in order to bring true healing we must take great risks. Lately I have been "losing my precious piece of mind" about our investment in Rwanda. Seeing headlines in the papers talking about widespread genocide ideology in the classroom doesn't inspire confidence. There are times I worry all our efforts might be in vain. At other times, I wonder if our few "cups of water" will really make a difference, in light of all the devestation in the world. I realize my own limitations, my own inadequacies, my own woundedness.
One powerful message of the Bible is that God uses wounded and broken people to accomplish his purpose. In fact, he often requires our brokeness in order to bring healing. What I see in Rwanda today are hundreds, maybe thousands, of "wounded healers" who are allowing God to use their pain as a healing balm for others who are wounded. They are taking a great risk, a risk they must take if Rwanda will ever leave its brokenness behind.
I am reminded that in order to bring true healing we must take great risks. Lately I have been "losing my precious piece of mind" about our investment in Rwanda. Seeing headlines in the papers talking about widespread genocide ideology in the classroom doesn't inspire confidence. There are times I worry all our efforts might be in vain. At other times, I wonder if our few "cups of water" will really make a difference, in light of all the devestation in the world. I realize my own limitations, my own inadequacies, my own woundedness.
One powerful message of the Bible is that God uses wounded and broken people to accomplish his purpose. In fact, he often requires our brokeness in order to bring healing. What I see in Rwanda today are hundreds, maybe thousands, of "wounded healers" who are allowing God to use their pain as a healing balm for others who are wounded. They are taking a great risk, a risk they must take if Rwanda will ever leave its brokenness behind.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Is the Bill Gates Foundation following Microsoft's monopolizing path?
This morning BBC reported the European Commission imposed a whopping 1.4 billion fine against Microsoft for "defying sanctions imposed on it for anti-competative behaviour". Microsoft has continually has had to defend itself often over the past few years against charges of engaging in unfair and monopolizing business practices.
So it was interesting to open up this week's edition of the Economist and read a story questioning if the Bill Gates Foundation is having a negative influence on research into killer diseases like Malaria by attracting all the best scientists and therefore quashing independent thought.
The main critic of the Gates Foundation is Arata Kochi, the chief malaria fighter for the World Health Organization (WHO). He charged the charity was unintentionally marring the process of peer review because many researches were differing to Gates Foundation priorities in order to compete for funding. A second charge is that the Gates Foundation focuses more on science and technology research than improving actual health systems in developing countries.
It is interesting to see this charge leveled against the Gates Foundation by the World Health Organization, who has a poor record of fight malaria. The Economist says "a big new non-government organization, crashing into the jungle like a young elephant, is bound to cause resentment and perhaps to have unintended ripple effects", but argues the Gates Foundation input of new money and ideas is welcome. I agree. The UN agencies have had years to combat some of the developing world's worst crises with minimal results. Perhaps what some of these issues need is a more entreprenuerial approach, despite how monopolistic it might seem. Better a young elephant ready to empower a whole host of innovative new initatives, than a tired one with a questionable track record.
So it was interesting to open up this week's edition of the Economist and read a story questioning if the Bill Gates Foundation is having a negative influence on research into killer diseases like Malaria by attracting all the best scientists and therefore quashing independent thought.
The main critic of the Gates Foundation is Arata Kochi, the chief malaria fighter for the World Health Organization (WHO). He charged the charity was unintentionally marring the process of peer review because many researches were differing to Gates Foundation priorities in order to compete for funding. A second charge is that the Gates Foundation focuses more on science and technology research than improving actual health systems in developing countries.
It is interesting to see this charge leveled against the Gates Foundation by the World Health Organization, who has a poor record of fight malaria. The Economist says "a big new non-government organization, crashing into the jungle like a young elephant, is bound to cause resentment and perhaps to have unintended ripple effects", but argues the Gates Foundation input of new money and ideas is welcome. I agree. The UN agencies have had years to combat some of the developing world's worst crises with minimal results. Perhaps what some of these issues need is a more entreprenuerial approach, despite how monopolistic it might seem. Better a young elephant ready to empower a whole host of innovative new initatives, than a tired one with a questionable track record.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Teachers have an essential role in overcoming ethnic differences.
For the past month I have moved between inspiration and agony. In Rwanda, our new teacher trainers have bonded together, despite ethnic and cultural differences, through our Peace and Reconciliation training. Meanwhile, in Kenya, my beloved homeland, a formerly peaceful nation explodes with hatred, frustration, and ethnic based violence. The comparison could not be more chilling, especially considering the scenes of violent young men wielding machetes which dominate new headlines in Kenya were the dominant scenes of the Rwandan genocide nearly fourteen years ago.
Tribalism plagues Africa and too many power hungry politicians are seemingly happy to exploit these differences, even if it means the loss of innocent lives. Teachers play an essential role in raising the next generation of young people in Africa with an entirely different mentality and unless teachers are healed and reconciled themselves, they can never hope to be a healing agent in their classrooms. We take our responsibility to help teachers heal extremely seriously at Wellspring. We have the opportunity to work in schools where ethnic differences and ideology previously created the seeds of violence. We have the opportunity to speak an entirely different message and to model an entirely different reality.
One of my favorite Wellspring trainers is a man from Northwestern Rwanda named Ernest. Ernest is quick to laugh and has a wonderful sense of humour despite the hardships he has faced in life. He hams it up in staff pictures and constantly refers to his "beauty gap" (gap in his teeth) as his greatest asset. Prior to the December 2007 holidays, Ernest began peace and reconciliation training with Wellspring, and then returned home for his holidays. He was dramatically impacted and said for the first time he began to understand fully that the week of mourning in Rwanda was a week of mourning for everyone, not just those who had seen their families killed in the genocide.
Ernest was so impacted by the difference this realization made that he spoke to hundreds of people about it, including the provincial governor, during his Christmas holidays. He said people came up to him afterwards and thanked him for being willing to boldly approach such a difficult subject. In a short period of time, Ernest went from sitting on the sidelines, to addressing some of the root causes of hatred and violence in his society. Imagine what type of impact Ernest and his colleagues will make as they mentor other teachers and school leaders!
We need to pray for teachers like Ernest in Rwanda, Kenya, and other places which experience ethnic division. Their role is essential and they will either breed division and hatred or unity, forgiveness, and openness. The people who promote violence in the streets of Nairobi, Naivasha, Nakuru, Eldoret, and Kisumu today needed teachers who modeled an entirely different way. If the cycle of hatred is ever going to end, teacher must help change the way an entire society thinks about itself.
So I sit here praying for violence to end in Kenya and thankful God has given us a serious role to play in combatting ethnic division in Rwanda. My hope is that God will raise up thousands of teacher like Ernest to be "salt and light" in their communities. One day I pray we will look back on these years as the ones when Africa finally turned the corner and ethnic violence became a thing of the past.
Tribalism plagues Africa and too many power hungry politicians are seemingly happy to exploit these differences, even if it means the loss of innocent lives. Teachers play an essential role in raising the next generation of young people in Africa with an entirely different mentality and unless teachers are healed and reconciled themselves, they can never hope to be a healing agent in their classrooms. We take our responsibility to help teachers heal extremely seriously at Wellspring. We have the opportunity to work in schools where ethnic differences and ideology previously created the seeds of violence. We have the opportunity to speak an entirely different message and to model an entirely different reality.
One of my favorite Wellspring trainers is a man from Northwestern Rwanda named Ernest. Ernest is quick to laugh and has a wonderful sense of humour despite the hardships he has faced in life. He hams it up in staff pictures and constantly refers to his "beauty gap" (gap in his teeth) as his greatest asset. Prior to the December 2007 holidays, Ernest began peace and reconciliation training with Wellspring, and then returned home for his holidays. He was dramatically impacted and said for the first time he began to understand fully that the week of mourning in Rwanda was a week of mourning for everyone, not just those who had seen their families killed in the genocide.
Ernest was so impacted by the difference this realization made that he spoke to hundreds of people about it, including the provincial governor, during his Christmas holidays. He said people came up to him afterwards and thanked him for being willing to boldly approach such a difficult subject. In a short period of time, Ernest went from sitting on the sidelines, to addressing some of the root causes of hatred and violence in his society. Imagine what type of impact Ernest and his colleagues will make as they mentor other teachers and school leaders!
We need to pray for teachers like Ernest in Rwanda, Kenya, and other places which experience ethnic division. Their role is essential and they will either breed division and hatred or unity, forgiveness, and openness. The people who promote violence in the streets of Nairobi, Naivasha, Nakuru, Eldoret, and Kisumu today needed teachers who modeled an entirely different way. If the cycle of hatred is ever going to end, teacher must help change the way an entire society thinks about itself.
So I sit here praying for violence to end in Kenya and thankful God has given us a serious role to play in combatting ethnic division in Rwanda. My hope is that God will raise up thousands of teacher like Ernest to be "salt and light" in their communities. One day I pray we will look back on these years as the ones when Africa finally turned the corner and ethnic violence became a thing of the past.
A creative solution to Kenya's political problem
Originally written on January 31st, 2008 at the height of violence in Kenya.
Dear Kenyan Politicians:
Congratulations!
Finally, after all these years you have truly succeeded in creating real results through ethnic based politics. It must be satisfying to sip cocktails in five star hotels, make outlandish statements, and blame the very people you were in cahoots with last year, the year before, or even ten years ago, while Kenya burns. In the past, you merely managed to create small skirmishes, a few isolated killings here and there. Now you've got the big Kahuna...even CNN is finally paying attention!
The sad thing is most of those young people out there creating chaos in the streets actually believe they are going to be rewarded for it. Luos killing Kikuyus in the slums actually think their man Odinga is going to be there to back them up when Kikuyus start fighting back and Kikuyus killing Luos in Naivasha think the same thing about Kibaki. Instead of a steady parade of would be negotiators groveling at your feet so they can be the one to finally break the impasse, I wonder if you would consider another solution.
It has to do with an island in Lake Victoria. Since you like to play games, even with people's lives, how about we start a new one, and save the lives in the process. How about every politician who has been in politics more than twenty years, switched parties more than once, or created a new political party more than once in five years get to play. You all get to move to this island...a very nice one mind you...and run endless elections. Just think! As soon as one of you wins, you get to form new parties, make new alliances, and run again. You don't actually have to stand for something and you can even get bonus for the most creative party names.
There would be no term limits. In fact, if one of you can keep rigging the elections, a highly desirable Island trait, you could eventually become Dictator for life. It is truly a win-win situation. You get to keep doing what your doing but no ones life is ruined but your own. So how about it? The Banana Democratic Coalition could go up against the Party of National Division. That would have appeal! The Kenyan African National Onion Party could go up against FORD. The Nation newspaper could even run a weekly column so all Kenyans would know you still exist but not actually have to live under your rule. Of course, you could also get off your high horse, humble yourselves and admit your failures, and actually get onto putting the people who elected you ahead of yourselves. But that sounds a lot more difficult than the Island solution, doesn't it?
Not that I'm upset or anything!
Dear Kenyan Politicians:
Congratulations!
Finally, after all these years you have truly succeeded in creating real results through ethnic based politics. It must be satisfying to sip cocktails in five star hotels, make outlandish statements, and blame the very people you were in cahoots with last year, the year before, or even ten years ago, while Kenya burns. In the past, you merely managed to create small skirmishes, a few isolated killings here and there. Now you've got the big Kahuna...even CNN is finally paying attention!
The sad thing is most of those young people out there creating chaos in the streets actually believe they are going to be rewarded for it. Luos killing Kikuyus in the slums actually think their man Odinga is going to be there to back them up when Kikuyus start fighting back and Kikuyus killing Luos in Naivasha think the same thing about Kibaki. Instead of a steady parade of would be negotiators groveling at your feet so they can be the one to finally break the impasse, I wonder if you would consider another solution.
It has to do with an island in Lake Victoria. Since you like to play games, even with people's lives, how about we start a new one, and save the lives in the process. How about every politician who has been in politics more than twenty years, switched parties more than once, or created a new political party more than once in five years get to play. You all get to move to this island...a very nice one mind you...and run endless elections. Just think! As soon as one of you wins, you get to form new parties, make new alliances, and run again. You don't actually have to stand for something and you can even get bonus for the most creative party names.
There would be no term limits. In fact, if one of you can keep rigging the elections, a highly desirable Island trait, you could eventually become Dictator for life. It is truly a win-win situation. You get to keep doing what your doing but no ones life is ruined but your own. So how about it? The Banana Democratic Coalition could go up against the Party of National Division. That would have appeal! The Kenyan African National Onion Party could go up against FORD. The Nation newspaper could even run a weekly column so all Kenyans would know you still exist but not actually have to live under your rule. Of course, you could also get off your high horse, humble yourselves and admit your failures, and actually get onto putting the people who elected you ahead of yourselves. But that sounds a lot more difficult than the Island solution, doesn't it?
Not that I'm upset or anything!
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