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Thank you for covvering this important situation. I justrecently listened to Colonel Townsend descriving Rwanda. She is focusing on parts of Africa and Asia right now. Two Canadian names came up. One was Mulroney (formerPM). Aug. 2/24

https://rumble.com/v59h85u-the-colonels-corner-book-clubreview.html

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Aug 19·edited Aug 19

Thank you so much for bringing on PD Lawton to highlight the endless horrors being endured by people of eastern DRC. As she made clear, the roots go back to before 1994 and the whole myth we've been told about the "Rwandan genocide" is false. See also Judi Rever's book "In Praise of Blood", and Robin Philpot's "Rwanda and the New Scramble for Africa."

A Congolese friend of mine who had been a refugee in Norway but opted to return to his home region in eastern DRC 15 years ago to support community empowerment and small enterprises underscores everything PD said. He wrote to me in February of this year:

Dear Marilyn,

I hope this message finds you well amidst these challenging times. I am writing to you

with a heavy heart and a sense of urgency that I find difficult to express in words. The

situation we are facing here, as I briefly mentioned before, has escalated beyond our

worst fears, plunging our community into a dire state of despair and hopelessness.

The recent article by Ann Garrison ( https://blackagendareport.com/congolese-journalist-its-time-stop-negotiating-rwanda ), which you shared, barely scratches the surface of the

catastrophic conditions people are enduring. I live and I am directly affected by this ​situation. That is the reason I had to move from Goma, Rugari to Uganda. My own

experiences and the unbearable reality of our lives here underline the severity of the

crisis. The everyday threats and some direct attempts to my physical being was just

unbearable. I am sorry that I did not want to alarm you with this situation earlier

The conflict has forced the whole community to flee their homes in Rugari, seeking

refuge around Goma displaced camps. The threats to our lives were not just imminent;

they are a clear and present danger, leaving them with no choice but to leave everything

behind in search of a semblant of safety. The population in general are revolted, and

many civilians are volunteering for the frontline to help the regular army. A lot of

massacres have been taking place in the occupy territories.

The displacement has shattered our community, scattering them across various camps

around Goma. Rugari, now lies deserted, occupied by M23/Rwanda Special Forces and

mercenaries. Our efforts to rebuild and provide for our people have come to a standstill.

The last of our funding and the one you sent last time, was consumed by immediate

needs for the displaced: medicine, shelter and food, resources that have now been

exhausted.

The arrival of XX and the children next week adds to the urgency, as I find myself

completely with no budget or devoid of resources and solutions. The despair among us is

palpable, and I confess, I share in this hopelessness. Our situation seems insurmountable,

and I am at a loss for what to do next.

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You've reminded me of an extraordinary photographer/researcher I followed on this subject back 30 years ago; Keith Harmon Snow. Just looked him up; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCov3JZnTrI

He launches right in.....1994 a "coup d'etat." In retrospect one finds a language, but the pattern is huge; think also Yugoslavia or looking forward....Well prefer not now, but thanks to the 2 of you for such fertile update and....to be cont.

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