Gen. Karake's Arrest: Another Crack in the Kagame Regime
By Claude Gatebuke and Kambale Musavuli

The British arrest of Rwanda's spy chief on an international warrant issued by Spain is a long awaited and necessary development toward ending impunity for Rwandan government officials accused of war crimes.

The arrest on June 20, 2015, of Emmanuel Karenzi Karake, Rwanda's director general of National Intelligence and Security Services, also highlights a contrast in foreign policies: Spain's unbiased pursuit of justice against Rwandans accused of war crimes and the United States' history of shielding current Rwandan government officials accused of war crimes from prosecution. 

The international arrest warrant on which the British courts acted dates back to 2008 when Spanish judge Fernando Andreu Merelles, acting under the principle of universal jurisdiction,indicted 40 Rwandan military officers on several counts of genocide, human rights abuses and terrorism during the 1990s. Gen. Karake was one of those 40 officials indicted. 

The tide is beginning to turn toward justice. Despite receiving enormous political, diplomatic and economic support from Western governments, Kagame and his Rwandan Patriotic Front-led government have been subjected to increasing scrutiny and pressure for past and current crimes committed on the African continent. Click here to read entire article!

The Telema Uprising in the Congo: Breath of A New Youth Revolution
By Kambale Musavuli

Congolese youth have been organizing to educate their peers and the society at large about what is at stake and the role and responsibility of each Congolese citizen in protecting the constitution and the country's institutions. The Kabila regime has responded to civic education efforts on the part of the youth by arresting a number of youth leaders involved in civic education efforts and driven others into exile where they continue to organize their counterparts inside the country. The government has dubbed these youth as terrorists who are seeking to overthrow the government, in spite of a parliamentary commission report which states that there is no evidence that the targeted youth leaders are involved in terrorist activities.

Ultimately, Congolese youth are organizing for a new society -- one in which the interests of the people are prioritized and protected by their leaders. They are fighting to have a say in the decision-making process of their country, and to control and determine the affairs of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This movement will require continued support from the diaspora and its allies in the global community. Click here to read entire article!

Congo Swim 2015

Congo Swim mobilizes support for Congolese youth in its fourth annual swim for Congo. This year, Congo Swim has added a smart phone drive to its annual fund drive.  A special relay swim team will be crossing the width of Lake Tahoe on Saturday, August 22, 2015. Should you wish to be a part of the Lake Tahoe relay team, contact us here. If you are not able to participate in the Lake Tahoe swim, click here to make a financial contribution and support the relay swimmers.