Twenty-five years ago last night, the Rwandan genocide began. A plane carrying the presidents of Rwanda and Burundi was shot down on the night of April 6, 1994, and this was the trigger point for almost 100 days of the worst violence the world has seen. My thoughts go out to the survivors, the friends and relatives of those slain, and the millions of victims of this genocide, 800 thousand dead in 100 days, and many more since.

Sadly, we have not learned much from this genocide, and even the facts of the genocide and life in Rwanda since are clouded. As in most conflicts, the victorious Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) and President Paul Kagame have done their best to rewrite history, make themselves out as the heroes, and place all of the blame on the other side. The truth of the conflict is much more complex, and the current story told in Rwanda hides a brutal tale of repression and poverty.

Rwanda has a long history of ethnic elites dominating everyone else in the country (regardless of ethnicity) and striving for control. From Tutsi kingdoms before Euro-colonialism, to Tutsis working with the colonizers, followed by a Hutu led revolution and 35 years of semi-authoritarian rule, and now culminating in a return of a Tutsi dictatorship since the genocide. This genocide was the culmination of a four year civil war, with many deaths and atrocities caused by both sides.

Now, the RPF-Tutsi akazoo (small house, or ruling elites in Kinyarwanda) has ruled for 25 years, with Paul Kagame at the head of that party. Kagame has consolidated control over those years, and what might once have been described as an authoritarian system is now clearly a one-man dictatorship. Kagame is the end-all/be-all of Rwanda. He has “won” three elections since the genocide, all with 94-96% majorities. In 2017, the constitution was changed to allow Kagame a third term – he said that he would not run again without popular approval, and in a plebicite that year only 5 human beings voted against allowing him a third term. He is either the most popular ruler in history, or one of the most efficient dictators. Kagame’s rule is famously all about control and elimination of dissent. Anyone who dissents against his rule, or disagrees with his version of history and current reality, is treated harshly. “Genocide denial” is illegal in Rwanda, and the definition of that term is effectively whatever President Kagame wants it to be on any given day.

So what is happening in Rwanda? On the good news side, Rwanda has seen limited public violence in country over the past decade, and has record-breaking macro-economic growth (as measured in GDP growth) since the genocide. The capital city of Kigali is one of the most prosperous, cleanest, and orderly capital cities in Africa. And Paul Kagame’s Rwanda is a darling of the development community, with major institutions recommending continued and increased investment in the country.

And what’s wrong with all of that? The problem is, Kagame’s Rwanda is better than almost any other country in the world at hiding harsh and increasing repression and inequality. All economic benefits go to the ruling akazoo. The vast majority of citizens, including almost all Hutus and many Tutsis outside of the capital, are living in worse conditions than they were before 1994. Freedom of speech, association, the press and economic liberty are virtually non-existent for anyone who is not in the “in” group with the ruling Tutsi party. Control is sometimes overt, with harsh punishments, including reeducation camps, torture, imprisonment, exile and sometimes even extrajudicial killings for those who speak out against the government. More often control is subtle, with Local Defense Forces constantly watching Rwandans in cities, town and villages to report and deal with any dissenters. Rwandans are forced to grow certain crops, and sometimes even forced to give up their dead relatives so they can be moved to genocide memorials, which are essential to the tourist economy. Rwandan Tutsis are not safe either – if they are not a part of the ruling group, they may also face mistreatment. In addition to the above, this may include forced recruitment into Rwandan supported militias fighting in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Year after year, Kagame’s Rwanda has one of the worst human rights records on the planet.

In addition, the Rwandan government has fostered a civil war in the DRC that is now entering it’s third decade. After supporting the overthrow of the Zairean government, Rwanda has since supported a variety of “rebel” groups in the DRC. These groups are responsible for even worse human rights abuses, including torture, slavery, and the largest number of rapes on the planet since 1998. This conflict is almost exclusively being fought over conflict minterals – Coltan and other precious metals used in modern cell phones, laptops and games. The ore is taken by force in the DRC, shipped over the border to Rwanda, and then “legally” sent to market from there — all of which is a significant part of Rwanda’s economic “miracle.” As with the rest of the economy, a small number of Tutsi elites surrounding Kagame are the only beneficiaries. And as of this year, over 8 million have died in the conflict in Eastern Congo.

The government of Rwanda just declared a 100 day period of commemoration and remembrance of the genocide, and this is good. It is incredibly important to remember the conditions that led to this horrible conflict, and to learn about the aftermath. But the true story is not one that Paul Kagame and his government want told.

Rwanda is in a new period of elite rule, with everyone else suffering for it. It began with a civil war brought on by Kagame and the RPF, where many atrocities were committed by both sides. Then a genocide, in which 800,000 people died, both Tutsi and Hutu. The Rwandan government denies the Hutu dead, the rest of the world must not. This was followed by several  years of intense violence in Rwanda, with another 4-500,000 killed as Hutus were massacred by the new Tutsi government and military. The next 20+ years saw a consolidation of dictatorship in Rwanda, with ever increasing repression, oppression, and near-complete control of dissent within the country. And of course, sponsorship of a war in neighboring DRC with millions dead, all for access to minerals.

We need to remember those killed in the horrific genocide, but not in isolation. We also need to remember where Rwanda is now, and how the intense violence of the genocide did not lead to peace and prosperity for all, but rather to more hidden oppression and extreme minority rule.

I cannot personally visit Rwanda because of statements like those made above. In exercising my free speech, I have violated the constitution. In bringing out this very brief remembrance of the facts, I have spoken inconvenient truths that Paul Kagame does not want the world to think about. But we NEED to speak for those Rwandans who cannot speak for themselves, and bring out all sides of this ongoing conflict.

There is a parable in Rwanda that the dances may change, but the song remains the same. There are new dancers now, but the Rwandan people are far from free of oppression.