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| Kagame greets the Rwandan diaspora in Boston |
This past weekend marked Rwanda Day, an annual event where the Rwandan diaspora gathers to hear a talk by pro-free-market Rwandan President Paul Kagame about the country's progress. The even has been held in the U.S. for the past couple of years. This year, the event was held in Boston. The Boston Globe (USA) writes: "When Kagame took the ballroom stage in the
afternoon, however, the crowd [of 2,000 people] made its sentiments clear, giving him a
standing ovation and waving tiny Rwandan flags. They applauded as he
talked about how Rwanda has one of the most robust economies in Africa,
drawing international investments and improving the economic lives of
ordinary citizens. 'Progress invites detractors,' he said. 'Still,
that’s fine. I have no problem with detractors. You do your job and
I’ll do mine.'"
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| Protesters also greeted the president outside the event |
The article continues: "The crowd laughed when he called his critics 'empty
drums' that make even more noise the emptier they are. He suggested
that many critics blame Rwanda for problems it cannot control, including
political strife in neighboring Congo. He struck some softer
notes, too, saying that he is not a perfect president, nor is the
country a perfect nation. While pointing to many measures of progress in
the country, he added, 'We are ready to own up to our imperfections.'"
More: "He rallied the gathering of Rwandans living outside their
homeland to do what they can to support Rwanda, build a strong national
identity, and to help others fully understand the complicated history of
the small nation, which is about the size of Massachusetts with about
twice as many people."
