By Trésor Rusesabagina
THEY ARRESTED MY FATHER – and I don’t know if I will see him again. But one thing is for sure, I am going to fight and fight and fight until I do! I need all of you. I don’t usually do this but here I go.
Anyone who has ever known me and my family, anyone who knows who my Father is and what he has done -this is for you. Many of you know him as the inspiration for the acclaimed film Hotel Rwanda, you know that he has alway been a voice for the voiceless, a man who relentlessly was always ready to help and put his own life in danger to do so without need for any compensation.
My father has always spoken against one of the most criminal and oppressive regimes, the Rwandan Government and the President. He spoke against them when everyone was afraid to do so. This is a regimes that has the blood of MILLIONS upon millions of people on their hands. He has always scared the hell out of that criminal government.
At the first – knowing how powerful my father’s voice was, they wanted him on their side.They would offer him these important powerful roles, like ambassadorship and high political office, he has denied them time and time again. He didn’t want to be associated with murderers and people who would kill their own to enrich themselves. When they realized he was corruptible, they quickly turned to smearing him, diminishing his accomplishments and his name; that didn’t work.
Next, they broke into our house and they tried to kill him, that didn’t work either. Well, today I found out that my Father was arrested by that same crooked, criminal murderous regime. I need you all to know that some of what you will read on him is not true, it is propanganda. They always feared my father for what he was and what he could do to them. This is a common tactic in countries like Rwanda to smear who you deem threatening to your political power, my Dad was incredibly threatening to their power.
He was a powerful voice against their oppression and knowing he was wanted by these killers, he still never coward into silence, IT’S JUST NOT WHO HE IS !! Sometimes I wish he was a coward just for a few years, because maybe he wouldn’t be locked up right now, but no… if there are people suffering, he must answer the call. It has always been like this, it is what got him UNJUSTLY arrested….
They called him a terrorist, a gangster, a traitor, all because HE DIDN’T SHUT UP. Guys, I need you… I need all of you. This is when we see who is real and who is fake. You know me, most of you know my Dad is a fighter, he is unbreakable, but still, I NEED YOU. I need your contacts, your help, your love, and your prayers. I am shaking as I write this because – I don’t know if I am ever going to see my father again.
I truly don’t know if I will hug him or touch him again but damnit, I am going to do exactly what he would have done….. I AM GOING TO FIGHT UNTIL HE IS IN FRONT OF ME AGAIN. I AM NOT BACKING DOWN, JUST LIKE MY DAD – IT’S JUST NOT WHO I AM !!!!! I know I am not alone, please people, I am asking all of my friends and all who know me, who love me, who met me even for a minute, imagine if this were your father in the belly of the beast – Pray for my family.
