After a week of embarrassment, followed by hesitation and deafening silence, the United States Government has finally given its opinion on the results of the latest Rwandan presidential elections: condemning the dictator while encouraging the people.

Another surprise: instead of the State Department, the US National Security Council, through the its spokesperson Mike Hammer, gave the official statement.  This is rather odd, as this kind of statement should have come from the State Department.  The National Security Council (NSC), an organ attached to the Whitehouse, is the “President's principal forum for considering national security and foreign policy matters with his senior national security advisors and cabinet officials.”

In fact, in the Daily Press briefing of Monday August 9, 2010, Philip J. Crowley Assistant Secretary of State held the following exchange:

QUESTION: The elections today in Rwanda, do you have any confidence in them given all these reports that Kagame is intimidating his opponents?

MR. CROWLEY: I think we are encouraged that the elections appear to have come through peacefully and in an orderly fashion. We have expressed concerns in the run-up to these elections regarding what appear to be attempts by the Government of Rwanda to limit freedom of expression. But we’ll await the results of the elections before commenting further.

While the media impatiently awaited further comments from the State Department, the issue was being escalated to the National Security Council (NSC) . 

The statement from the NSC was swift and unequivocal. The United States has expressed concern about a series of what it calls “disturbing events” that happened in the period leading  to Monday’s presidential election in Rwanda, where incumbent Paul Kagame won 93 percent of the votes, in what really was more of  reality show that a political exercise.

Today, Friday August 13, 2010, National Security Council spokesperson  Mike Hammer  expressed Washington’s deep concerns about the “disturbing events” that happened in the period leading to Monday August 9, 2010’s elections.

“We remain concerned, however, about a series of disturbing events prior to the election, including the suspension of two newspapers, the expulsion of a human rights researcher, the barring of two opposition parties from taking part in the election, and the arrest of journalists,” Mr Hammer said.

Mr. Hammer appears to have forgotten the assassination of journalists and opposition leaders and the attempt assassination on dissidents in foreign countries.

However, instead of congratulating the winner, Paul Kagame,  he let in known the displeasure of the US Government:

"We have expressed our concerns to the government of Rwanda, and we hope the leadership will take steps toward more democratic governance, increased respect for minority and opposition views, and continued peace.”

In the statement, Mike Hammer outlined what the US Government expected:

"Democracy is about more than holding elections.  A democracy reflects the will of the people, where minority voices are heard and respected, where opposition candidates run on the issues without threat or intimidation, where freedom of expression and freedom of the press are protected."

Hence, for the US Government: Yes to the people, No to the dictator. This kind of language is typical of when the US wants to condemn rogue governments without alienating the people, or seeks the demise of governments by supporting the opposition.

Perhaps, that is why the State Department has escalated the issue.

David O’Brian

AfroAmerica Network.

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