This was a devastating blow to their morale. Within a month all the top commanders had been killed, the rebels repulsed, and the nation secured. On the second day of invasion, its legendary commander, Maj. When RPF invaded Rwanda in 1990, it suffered a humiliating defeat. The RPF, therefore, exhibited unusually superior organisational capabilities. Indeed the RPF could have captured power a year early but was literally stopped by Uganda under pressure from the French thus forcing it to the negotiating table in Arusha. The RPF secured a military victory in less than four years. The RPF fought in a resource scarce environment without rich minerals from which it could expect to generate revenues to finance the war.įinally, the average length of civil wars since 1945 has been over ten years. This was the case with Angola, DR Congo, Sierra Leone and Liberia. Rebels rush to take control of such resources to finance their military operations. The French supplied weapons, trained the Rwandan army, and in some cases directly provided command or instruction to government troops on the frontline.įourth, other rebel movements fight in areas, which have rich minerals like diamonds and gold. RPF’s military victory was secured when French military assistance to the government of President Juvenal Habyarimana was at its peak. Thirdly, regime collapse to rebels in Somalia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Ethiopia took place only after foreign support government had dried out. RPF was financed by poor Uganda with President Yoweri Museveni providing minimum support and insisting it develops internal organisational capabilities for self-sustenance. Secondly, many African rebels survive because of the patronage of a foreign power like the Americans did in Mozambique and Angola during the Cold War. Because of Rwanda’s ethnic configuration, the RPF fought in areas where it had little or no popular support. In Ethiopia, Eritrea, Uganda, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, Angola, Somalia, Ivory Coast, this factor held. Popular support is critical because civilians provide recruits, intelligence, food and morale to the rebels. What defines this discipline that has made this party successful in politics, military, and business? RPF is very unique.įirst, all of Africa’s rebel groups survive politically because they largely conduct their military operations from territories where the local population – largely for ethnic reasons – identify with them. The party headquarter complex looks like a five star hotel resort not a usual feat for political parties anywhere in the world. Mwenda | This year, the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) celebrated its 30th birthday in a magnificent conference hall at its headquarters in Gasabo, 15km outside of Kigali. How the struggle to liberate Rwanda has shaped the character of post genocide reconstruction
0 kommentar(er)
