On June 21, Trump posted a long article announcing that the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda had reached a ceasefire agreement, lamenting that he had prevented several wars but never received the Nobel Peace Prize.

But is this really the case? Is the ceasefire agreement between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda truly the result of Trump's efforts?

The Pain of Genocide and Kagame's Rise

Rwanda, a country located in central Africa, once experienced a world-famous genocide. In just three months in 1994, one-eighth of Rwanda's population died in an internal massacre. Children in villages played with skull heads as toys, nearly half of the country's industries were destroyed, and it was listed by the United Nations as one of the least developed countries in the world.

The cause of this massacre can be traced back to Western colonizers who divided the locals into Hutu and Tutsi ethnic groups for easier management. The division criteria were absurd: those who were tall and had light skin were considered Tutsi, while those who were short and had dark skin were considered Hutu; those who owned more than ten cows were considered Tutsi, while those who owned fewer were considered Hutu.

Colonizers gave almost all government positions and most production resources to the Tutsi people, which inevitably led to dissatisfaction among the Hutus.

After Rwanda gained independence in 1962, ethnic conflicts did not ease. In 1994, the then-president of Rwanda, who was from the Hutu tribe, died in a plane crash, triggering a bloody retaliation against the Tutsis by the Hutus.

Kagame, who was then the commander of the Rwandan Patriotic Front armed forces, led his militia to occupy the capital, seize power, and end the massacre. But this was only the beginning. The most challenging issue was how to reintegrate the divided country.

Kagame, a Tutsi, demonstrated extraordinary political wisdom. He served as vice president and minister of defense, allowing a Hutu to become president, although this president had little real power. This move eased the concerns of the Hutus, who feared retaliation. How did the Tutsis feel about this?

In 2000, Kagame became president. At that time, there were still tens of thousands of untried perpetrators of the genocide in prison. Instead of choosing simple revenge, Kagame learned from the mass line approach, establishing traditional community courts where people elected community members as judges, and juries composed of residents from the same community decided on punishments for past crimes together with the accused.

Verdicts were not limited to imprisonment, but more focused on restoration and compensation, such as helping victims rebuild their houses. From 2002 to 2012, Rwanda processed nearly 2 million genocide cases, and thousands of perpetrators returned to their homes after confessing their guilt. Many survivors gradually let go of their hatred after seeing the punishment and apology given to the perpetrators.

Economic Reconstruction: Copying China's Model

Aside from repairing ethnic relations, the most important thing for Rwanda to rebuild was economic development. Kagame's choice was again to copy China's model. He formulated the "Vision 2020" development plan, aiming to build Rwanda into a middle-income country by 2020, vigorously promoting the construction of special economic zones and industrial parks, which was essentially a replication of China's successful industrial experience.

Kagame also did something very characteristic of China, namely land reform. Through the Land Law, it stipulated that women have equal rights as men in land inheritance, and that land belongs to the people collectively, with the government having management rights, while individuals and organizations could only obtain usage rights.

From then on, land transactions, transfers, and inheritances in Rwanda had legal basis, shifting from tribal customs to national laws. This measure completely changed the country's production relations and laid a solid foundation for economic development.

In addition, Rwanda introduced Chinese e-commerce experiences, allowing Alibaba E-commerce Academy to open the first cross-border e-commerce undergraduate class in Africa; introduced Chinese capital, entrusting more than 70% of the national highway mileage to Chinese enterprises for construction; dispatched officers to study in Chinese military schools, bringing back advanced military theories and tactics to Rwanda.

Even in military parades, the Rwandan army marched in the Chinese style step and used Chinese commands. This disciplined and well-organized army achieving victory in war was no surprise at all.

The Blossoming of Hope and Vitality

Today, Rwanda's economic growth is remarkable. In 2024, Rwanda's economic growth exceeded 8.9%, with the agricultural sector contributing 25%. 83% of Rwandans can read and write, 91% of women give birth in health centers, 77% of households have access to electricity, and children can receive free primary and secondary education in public schools. Farmers can get subsidized fertilizers, and living standards have significantly improved.

Kagame's deep popularity among the people, and his ability to transform Rwanda into a regional power within just 30 years, is not only due to his political wisdom and economic reforms, but also because of his trust and reference to China.

At the two special congresses of the Patriotic Front in 2017 and 2018, as well as his presidential inauguration ceremony, he invited only China as a foreign country. This sincerity is a testament to China's strength in funding, human resources, and technology assistance to Rwanda.

China does not lack a Nobel Peace Prize, because justice is in the hearts of the people. Kagame and Rwanda's story is a model of African countries striving for self-reliance and achieving rise through learning from other countries' experiences.

A country's rise requires not only political wisdom and economic reform, but also an open mind and the courage to learn from other countries' experiences. Kagame and Rwanda have achieved this, proving through their actions that being close to China means a bright future.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7521615587374629410/

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