Diary Prequel Package — page 86

Minister of Health Brian Chituwo. Stayed at the Zambezi Sun Hotel at the evening had a local dinner (open pit outdoor barbecue) at a Boma. Also, walked down to Victoria Falls which was absolutely breathtaking. Looked across the Zambezi River to Zimbabwe. Participated in a World AIDS Day parade through the city center of Livingston. Many locals came out to greet us. Visited a faith-based organization St. Francis Community Home-Based Care Center as well as LISCA Linda Center giving care to children - called LISCA. Rwanda (Dec 2-3) On afternoon of Dec. 2, flew to Kigali, Rwanda and immediately went to the Genocide Memorial. Clearly this was one of the 2 most important parts of the trip. I spoke with many Rwandans who suffered from the genocide and the enormity of it really is not appreciated by the world in general. In 1994, over a 4 week period in April, the majority Hutus slaughtered 800,000 to 1 million Tutsis while the world watched and did nothing. In fact, the French actually came in to protect the Hutus against Paul Kigame's (Tutsi) rebel army that came in from Uganda to stop the massacre. I ultimately had an audience with now-President Paul Kagame in the Presidential Palace. We also spoke with many Rwandans whose families escaped. (Please refer to history books about the massacre). Of not, as in my visit to South Africa in 2002 vis-à-vis Apartheid, the Rwandan Society in dramatically impacted by the genocide. Most ministers are people who fought together with Kagame to stop the genocide. Those who were there said that atrocities were unimaginable. Machete-killing of tens of thousands of people, women, children per day until bodies cluttered the streets and the rivers. Of note, 13% of the population of 8.2 million are infected with HIV and so AIDS potentially will kill more people than the genocide massacre. During visit, met with US Ambassador Margaret McMillion. Visited Kabgayi Hospital 1 hour outside of Kigali. TGT gave a gift of a cow named "Elroy" (after his hometown in Wisconsin). On the previous night (Dec. 2) we had an extraordinary discussion among the delegation. We had just received a high red alert that there would be a terrorist attack against US interests, particularly hotels and possibly ground to air missiles at aircraft in Kenya the next day. There was a frank discussion at dinner at the Milles-Collines Hotel among delegates led by Jay Hodes (chief of DHHS Security) and TGT. Decision was that anyone among government people could opt out and go straight to Uganda skipping Kenya; however, all non-government people were bumped off and sent directly to Uganda except for a very few like Sabin Russell and some others. I definitely wanted and did stay with the group as did Julie Gerberding and Elias Zerhouni. The Milles Collines Hotel was where the Hutu Command post was during the genocide. The next day we went to Kabgayi (see above), then flew to Entebbe Airport Uganda, left off about 70 people and the remaining 25 - 30 went back to Kenya. We were flying on a German Charter (same one as last year with German pilot Chris who formerly was a Luftwaffe Major). On the approach to Nairobi airport, Chris slowed down for about 15 minutes to "cool" the engine ( to decrease chance of hear-seeking missiles) and then dove sharply to the landing field. All went well. Kenya (Dec 3-4). In Kenya, we went to a rather boring Global Coalition Event and then had a reception at the residence of US Ambassador William Bellamy. Security was depressing. From the airport, we were escorted downtown by a truck-load of Kenyan Army soldiers all with AK47s. The entire perimeter of the hotel was blocked off to