Category: Opinion

Two regional events triggered my mind over the last weeks as I was getting my daily dose of news; one good, one bad! Allow me to start with the ‘bad news’. In the past weeks, newscasts the world over reported on the defection of General Jean Bosco Ntaganda from the DRC Army.

It was said that he was heading back to the bush which prompted all kind of thoughts on the consequences of such an action and a lot more questions about the “why” of such a decision.

Why, indeed, would the Congolese authorities want to take such a leap backward in time to the scenes of sheer horror and desolation of wars from the past?

Why would they run the risk of jeopardising the fragile but promising balance obtained by the integration of Gen. Ntaganda and the CNDP soldiers in the Congolese Army?

This balancing act which had proved to be to be fruitful in the long run is now hanging by a thread. It seems rather clear to me that the pressure of some western ‘lecturers’ has something if not everything to do with this current predicament; once again, a case of the west knows best and their one size fits all solutions.

In other words, we, the west, are telling you, the DRC, how to best solve you own problems.There has been, of recent, a recrudescence of calls to bring in Ntaganda to The Hague after Thomas Lubanga was convicted for war crimes.

Any right minded person could tell you that the atrocities committed in the DRC conflict could not be the work of two people alone, however these two might actually be.

Doesn’t it strike anyone as odd that none of the ‘friends of the DRC People’ ever consider the effectiveness of having the people of Congo to try and solve their problems of Justice by themselves? To capture the general and send him to the ICC would be to open Congo’s Pandora’s Box all over again.

Chances of the CNDP reorganizing an independent military force to take on the National Army are bigger than ever. This would have as an unfortunate consequence the regaining by the FDLR of some lost territory, notwithstanding other armed groups. The probability pulling other countries in the region back into a quagmire of violence is sadly very high. I hate to be a prophet of doom but this looks to me like Africa’s World War all over again!

Now unto the good news; the East African Law Assembly (EALA) just recently passed a resolution urging the EAC Council of Ministers to implore the ICC to transfer the case of the four accused Kenyans facing trial at The Hague to the East African Court of Justice (EACJ).

“With that, EALA has resolved that the Council of Ministers further submits the resolutions to the 10th Extra-Ordinary Summit of the EAC Heads of State sitting on 28th April, 2012 to amend Article 27 of the EAC Treaty. Amendment of the Article shall provide jurisdiction to the EACJ giving it retrospective effect, the Assembly stated”, could be read in the news.

The resolution received overwhelming support during the debate on the floor of the House. Some argued that Partner States needed to be wary of the content of future agreements before ratifying them. At the same token, Rwanda was hailed for not appending its signature to the Rome Statute. The Community was urged to find home grown solutions for East African problems; the AU would be the next level to seek assistance in case the EAC couldn’t provide suitable solutions.

This was really good news, the vision of taking on our own problems for the sake of our people. We have a long way to go and one has to start somewhere, sometime. Let’s not wait for tomorrow ; today is the day to go back to the “lecturers” and ask for their support in building our capacity rather than them trying to solve our problems out of context.

So maybe this is an opportunity to remind them about their own loopholes in their lecture; it would be interesting to assess the performances and the deliveries of the different international judiciary institutions such as the ICTR, ICTY or the ICC. And the fact that some European countries remain a safe haven for renowned criminals is worrisome.

Why is it that those lecturers do not pressurize countries like France for hosting and supporting Callixte Mbarushimana who is until this very day one of the FDLR leaders? France is also a sanctuary for genocidaires such as Wenceslas Munyeshyaka, Agatha Habyarimana and many others.

Can our stand reverse this ethnocentric logic that the West remains the ultimate reference for the organization of Civil Society and State? Can we have the lecturers from donor countries understand that we need balanced interests for both sides of the counter?

That context needs to be taken in consideration when defining those interests and priorities? Can we remind them that the Alms Dealers are also the biggest Arm Dealers? Isn’t it time to amplify our voices and ask them: “why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye, and do not you see the plank in your own eye?”

In just 100 days time, the 2012 Olympics will open in London – a spectacular start to the greatest show on earth. We want to share these fantastic Olympic and Paralympic games with the people of Rwanda and that’s why my message to you today is this: “welcome”.

These games – and this summer – will be a proud moment for Britain. We will not only be staging what we’re determined will be the best Olympics ever, but also celebrating the 60-year reign of Her Majesty the Queen–the second longest-serving monarch on the planet. It’s a very special time for our country and we want to share it with the people of Rwanda.

I know Britain will be looking its best. We’ve built brilliant new venues – on time and within budget. We’ve got our city ready, our transport systems in place, and we are looking forward to welcoming the world.

What will London 2012 offer? My view is that these games are about two things. Yes, sport will be at the heart of this great competition. We will see world records broken, memories created and new friendships begun during the games themselves.

But when the events are over and the medals handed out, I am determined that these Olympics will go on changing lives for the better.

This legacy is vital. When we won our bid, Jacques Rogge, the President of the International Olympic Committee, talked about the “distinctive magic” that the UK will breathe into the 2012 Games – and we’ve been making sure it happens.

As the only city to be awarded the Olympics three times, we’ll be holding the games in a great tradition.

In 1908 the modern Olympics came of age in London – the city where Olympic athletes paraded under their national flags for the first time. The route of the marathon – 26 miles, 385 yards – was set so that the race would start at Windsor Castle and finish in front of the stadium’s Royal Box, and that is the distance that has been used worldwide ever since.

Then, in 1948, the Games took place in the shadow of a devastating world war. Yet London succeeded in bringing countries together to celebrate the Olympic ideals of friendship and international community. More than that, they created new opportunities for women in sport, pioneered the Olympic volunteering movement, and laid the foundations for the modern Paralympic Games.

And this summer, when athletes and visitors arrive, they’ll find a whole new quarter of London around the Olympic Park, in the east of the city. It’s been a powerhouse of regeneration, and when the games are over it will be the site of new homes, business and jobs.

We’ve led the way with new methods of design and construction, using low-carbon technologies to make London 2012 the first truly sustainable Games.
And by investing in new sporting facilities and establishing a new ‘School Games’ competition in schools all around the country, we’re inspiring new generations of young people to experience the joys and benefits of sport.

But the legacy of London 2012 is not limited to the Britain. The International Inspiration programme is creating opportunities for more than 12 million people in 20 countries around the world.

Not only is it allowing more young people to enjoy sport today, but it is also helping to change the way these countries promote sport in schools and across society for the long term. It’s a great example of how determined we are to ensure that every nation, and not just the UK, can share in the inspiration of 2012.

So I want these games to be about more than just welcoming athletes to London for a single summer. We want to build new and lasting links between Rwanda and Britain.

If you are a student or academic, is a chance to find out more about a country which has four of the top ten universities in the world, and more than 75 Nobel prizes for science and technology alone.

If you are an entrepreneur or investor, London 2012 is a chance to discover new opportunities in a country which has the fewest barriers to entrepreneurship in the world.

And if you are a tourist or visitor, it is a chance to experience Britain’s unique blend of the old and the new – the history and heritage of our castles, landscapes and royal houses alongside the cutting-edge culture of our music and art, our theatre and fashion.

Great sport. Great business. Great culture.

Hosting the London 2012 Games is a tremendous honour. We want to make it a great moment for Britain, and we are looking forward to welcoming the world to be part of it.

The Author is UK Prime Minister

Does it suddenly seem like everyone has a degree and is scrambling for the same jobs you want, and worse, a few have an edge of experience over you? One of the biggest problems is that most applications look and sound the same.

Most internship applications start with ‘Please offer me a placement in your reputable organisation’ and then go on to say nothing about this organisation, and to list 10 areas of interest, way beyond the organisation’s scope.

This, according to job placement and human resources experts, demonstrates the applicants’ lack of knowledge of the work of the company/organisation they are applying to, which is very unattractive, especially in the internet age when a lot of the information about various companies is either a click or button press away even on your most basic mobile telephone if you don’t have a computer.

There is need to tailor your applications in order to stand out from the crowd. The fact that you have a degree or diploma is not a sufficient weapon in the competition; everyone else has one. So what is different about you?
Why should you be the one they call and not any of the other applicants?

Read job advertisements carefully!

This sounds simple but is often ignored, and is evident in irrelevant cover letters and resumes. These adverts contain the correct name or acronyms of the organisation, who to address the application to, and most importantly, what qualities and skills they are looking for. Internalising these enables you to

tailor your cover letter and resume to showcase the skills that the potential employer is interested in.

The cover letter

This is your introduction to the employer, and is your first chance to impress. If you have a ‘common’ one that demonstrates apathy to the organisation and job advertisement, it is not likely that they will go on to see your resume.

Make use of the cover letter to demonstrate your knowledge on the organisation, front-load the skills sought and demonstrate your ability to pay attention to detail. Misspelling your own name in the first line will make the
Human Resource personnel doubt your ability to write accurate reports.

If a position of administrative assistant is advertised, your first paragraph should talk about similar experience and with the appropriate qualification (name it) you believe you are able to fill the post.

Talk specifically about the organisation and the skills you believe you will be bringing to it, and maybe, the department you think you most fit in. This demonstrates that you understood the advert, invested time in knowing and understanding the organisation. Also, share their mission and goals to a considerable extent.

Your cover letter should consist of three paragraphs: First, the introduction paragraph, which must state the position you are applying for, and why you are applying and how you learned about the position. Do a little research and say something about the company. State your qualifications, education, experience, interests, etc.

Second, the cover letter job-matching paragraph. Now briefly expand on your qualifications, education, experience and interests, especially those that match the employer’s needs. You want to appear as the perfect applicant.

Additionally, cover letters should call out other key parts of your resume that you want the employer to notice. Third, the cover letter “close” paragraph that ends with a bold statement that you are a strong match for the job position.State that you are looking forward to meeting with him/her.

Refining the Resume

Thirdly, treasure and improve your resume often. If your cover letter sets you apart from the thousands of applicants, the resume is the next place to make sure you stick in the employer’s mind.

How? Make sure it has a neat format, is up to date, has no typos and needless to say, speaks to the job advert. In the cover letter you frontloaded your skills and abilities in brief, and how they fit the organisation.

The resume is where you detail these skills and qualifications. And don’t underestimate the impact of citing your volunteer and internship experiences. Be careful to state your duties in your former work place. Proceed to list your special skills; refer to the advert and emphasise those sought after, and more.

For instance, Computer; MS Office, Stata, programming, typing, etc, public speaking, analytical reading and writing, ability to work under minimal supervision, counseling, etc, as necessary.

Qualities may include; ability to stay calm under pressure, beating deadlines, creativity/innovativeness, leadership, commitment to the organisation’s values or whatever others are your own, e.g. social justice, customer satisfaction, etc.

Review Documents

Last but not least, review your documents before submission. A friend can help you look through to make sure they are clear and coherent. Just because the job situation seems bleak for many doesn’t mean we should go around aimlessly dropping off resumes and cover letters that have nothing to do with the jobs we are seeking.

Front-loading an IT degree and driving or listening skills for a job that clearly asked for a law degree and fundraising experience for the position of
executive director, is a sure way to keep you job hunting for long. Yet, your degree and the listening skill are applicable in many other places.

Scrutinise jobs well and apply, purposefully, with outstanding cover letters and resumes that make you desirable.

Finally, after submitting the documents follow up with a humble inquiry email in at least two weeks, about their receipt of the application, not their decision to hire.

And here is something to remember: The purpose of a cover letter is to get your resume read. The purpose of a resume is to get an interview. The purpose of an interview is to get a job.

The Author works with Platform for Labour Action, an NGO.

At a time when Rwandans recall the genocide of 1994 that forever changed their lives, it is important to draw attention to the miracles of post-genocide Rwanda.

The will to live and, yes, to thrive –to create a post-genocide culture that acknowledges the past and yet chooses its future is Rwanda’s important gift to the world.

It speaks to the honor and integrity of its people and its leaders—and reminds all of us that recovery and renewal are the hallmarks of a healthy and hopeful society.

I have been to Rwanda six times in the past four years and have visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center each time. The fact that it records and memorializes not only its own tragedy but the tragedies of all genocides speaks volumes to the humanity and wisdom of the Rwandan people.

Genocides are unspeakable and incomprehensible—and yet they must be put before the people so that they can understand how they happened in order to ensure that they will not happen again. Rwanda has taken charge of its own destiny and therein lays its success.

Through old and new traditions they have shaped the post genocide world, determining to restore normalcy– or more accurately– create a new normalcy—built on the infrastructure of sound judgment with regard to guilt and innocence—delivered in a system at once pragmatic and just. Their unique approach to truth and reconciliation, the Gacaca Courts, serve as a model to the world.

However, dealing with the past is essential but not sufficient. It is the foundation on which the future is built. Rwanda’s future is dependent on self-reliance, education, good governance, entrepreneurship and vision. Vision acknowledges that the nation, as all free nations, is a work in progress—never a finished and closed system.

There is always room for improvement—and that requires the energy and ingenuity of the people—and the sense that the people are the responsible parties.

The people live in two worlds—the private world of family and friends and the public sphere—where they assume responsibility for the public good—for the future of their community and their nation.

That responsibility, I believe, is the greatest privilege a person can have—and informed and engaged citizens are the most important “insurance” a nation can have that it will not slip back into an unacceptable reality, but rather create its own reality—a reality that calls for freedom and justice for all.