Citation
The rebel invasion prompted accusations that Uganda backed the RPF -- a
claim denied by both Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and Kagame.
Diplomats in the region say Uganda supplies arms to the RPF. But the
allegations have never been substantiated.
Kagame, like many of his lieutenants, is a former Ugandan army officer
who grew up in a refugee camp.
His parents were among hundreds of thousands of Tutsis driven into
exile by tribal massacres as the Hutus seized power from the Tutsis,
Rwanda's feudal rules, in the runup to independence from Belgium in
1962.
The RPF is fighting for their right to return.
Despite the rebels' closeness to Kigali, they seem unwilling to risk an
immediate all-out push to take the capital as the government controls
territory further north, behind their advance positions, military
analysts said.
The rebels may also fear a bloodbath if they attack Kigali, preferring
to wage a slow war of attrition while they try to win the hearts and
minds of the Rwandan people.
The RPF fighters are mainly Tutsis, vastly outnumbered by Hutus, who
form 80 percent of Rwanda's 7.5 million people.
The RPF says it rejects sectarian politics and wants democracy, not
minority rule by the Tutsis.
It has won over some Hutus. But many remain suspicious even if they
oppose Habyarimana, forced to introduce multi-party politics after the
RPF invaded.
Despite the RPF's superficial resemblance to another of Africa's ragtag
guerrilla forces, it is a well-disciplined fighting machine.
Kagame says he wants to end ethnic cleansing.
Habyarimana agreed to
bring the RPF into in a transitional government under last year's
accords.
But Kagame says that if tribal bloodletting continues he will overthrow
Habyarimana by force.
The army's morale is low,
Kagame said after claiming to have killed
250 soldiers in ambush last week.
We would prefer a negotiated solution, but we'll do it by force if we
have to.
dc/hl AFP AFP SEQN-0017
