Rusesabagina Congratulates Senator Feingold, Hopes for Change

CHICAGO - June 24, 2013 - PRLog -- Contact: Kitty Kurth     Phone: 312-498-9279 or 312-617-7288

CHICAGO  -- Paul Rusesabagina, President of the Hotel Rwanda Rusesabagina Foundation today offered his “most heartfelt congratulations to Senator Feingold on his appointment to serve as the United States’ Special Envoy to the Great Lakes Region of Africa. I cannot imagine an individual better prepared to serve in this position. Senator Feingold’s background and expertise in promoting freedom and democracy in Africa make him an ideal candidate.”

Feingold, in the past, has been passionate about civil rights regardless of public opinion. He will face many issues in the Great Lakes Region including the M23 rebel forces and the 16 Rwandan students seeking asylum in Uganda. With a history marked by violence and inequality, much can be improved in that region. Feingold, fortunately, is a “tireless proponent of democracy and human rights, regardless of the political costs” as Rusesabagina puts it.

The M23 rebel forces have been active in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since March of 2009. They have displaced many citizens during their armed conflict with the Congolese government. The rebel army recruits its soldiers from the neighboring countries as well as inside of the DRC, and the Rwandan government has recently been accused of forcing students to join M23. 16 of these students are now in Uganda seeking asylum, but the Ugandan government plans to deport them soon because the Rwandan government is negotiating their return. The Hotel Rwanda Rusesabagina Foundation hopes that Feingold will address these issues immediately seeing as these student’s lives are at risk if they return to Rwanda.

Paul Rusesabagina said, “From our past meetings, I know that Senator Feingold is aware of the terrible human rights situation both in my home of Rwanda, and in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo. Your advocacy against conflict minerals

gives me great hope that you will work toward a true and honest solution to the problems in the region. As we both know, politicians do not always represent their people, and sometimes the truth must come from external advocates who speak for those with no other voice.”

The Foundation hopes for great improvements in the Great Lakes Region of Africa through Feingold’s work. Both Paul and the Hotel Rwanda Rusesabagina Foundation would like to congratulate Special Envoy Feingold and wish him success in his peace campaign.

The Hotel Rwanda Rusesabagina Foundation, www.hrrfoundation.org, was founded by Paul Rusesabagina, the real life hero of the acclaimed film Hotel Rwanda. Rusesabagina, portrayed by Don Cheadle in the film, saved the lives of more than 1200 people during the Rwandan genocide and has been honored internationally for his heroism. The Foundation works to prevent future genocides and raise awareness of the need for a new truth and reconciliation process in Rwanda and the Great Lakes Region of Africa.