After ten years I closed my web site and have transferred the text from it to here. Unfortunately, I can not figure out how to post photographs to the blog. The following material highlights my three published books - my Rwandan memoir, and two novels one set in the Central African Republic and another in Kenya. Read them all and enjoy.
Rwandan Genocide Revisited
-What happened afterwards?
(Washington, D.C.)— In his new book In the Aftermath
of Genocide: The U.S. Role in Rwanda Ambassador Robert E. Gribbin
recalls standing in an eerily quiet overgrown church court yard while a
survivor described the methodical murder of thousands, whose desiccated
moldering bodies were stacked like cord wood only feet away in Sunday school
rooms. A crunch underfoot revealed a human jawbone that was quickly and reverently
added to the macabre collection. Against this grim background, Gribbin throws
new light on why the U.S. (and the West) failed to respond to Rwanda’s
genocide. He goes on to tell how guilt for inaction generated an outpouring of
assistance in years afterwards.
Stating
that Rwanda’s saga did not end with the terrible genocide itself, Ambassador
Gribbin said, "Imagine the hatred, pain and guilt that Rwandans felt and the enormous difficulties the people faced in putting their lives and their society back together. How to half impunity for genocide crimes? How to fairly reallocate land for returning refugees? How to structure and government so that it promoted peace rather than threaten reconciliation?" Sent to Rwanda ans U.S. ambassador just after the genocide, Gribbin said, " These were the substance of my tenure in Kigali. I believe I had a unique responsibility to write about them."
In this gripping story, Gribbin takes us into claustrophobic prisons where tens
of thousands of accused patiently awaited trials on charges of genocide. Run by prisoners themselves,
the mob of men cautiously welcomed the U.S. ambassador and quietly parted like a sea before
him as he made the rounds. Outside the prison walls, an insurgency, still inspired by unrepentant
genocidaires, operated clandestinely to murder Tutsi survivors and Hutu officials of the new
government. Yet the new government’s heavy-handed response to such violence, risked renewing the cycle
of conflict and despair. Fears of renewed conflict, fueled by the looming destabilizing
presence of over a million uprooted Hutu refugees just across the borders, diminished when over a million
people, once the camps were broken up by Tutsi-backed rebels, trudged home to an uncertain
future.
Drawing on inside information and conversations with policy makers, especially
Rwandan military genius (then-Vice President) General Paul Kagame, the author describes how the
U.S. responded to the unfolding crises in Rwanda and in the region. The ethnic conflict that
began with the genocide, spilled over into neighboring Zaire/Congo, not once, but twice. First, in a
dramatic chase of the remnants of the militia group responsible for genocide, that coincidently
swelled into a grass roots ouster of long-time dictator Mobutu; and secondly, when Kabila, Mobutu’s
successor, failed to honor his commitments regarding ethnic tolerance.
In the Aftermath of Genocide is essential reading for those
seeking to understand the complexities,agony and violence of contemporary Africa. Furthermore, it is crucial for those
who ask what can we Americans do about such problems?
Robert E. Gribbin lived and worked as a U.S. diplomat in Africa for thirty-five
years. He served in Rwanda twice, once before and once after the genocide. He was U.S. ambassador
from 1995 to 1999. Now retired, in addition to consulting, writing and teaching about Africa, he
undertakes short-term diplomatic postings to the continent he knows so well.
In the Aftermath of Genocide: The U.S. Role in Rwanda, ISBN
0-595-34411-9, $23.95, is sponsored by the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training (seven former
Secretaries of State sit on the board) as part of its “memoirs and occasional papers” series and was published
in March 2005 by iUniverse, Lincoln, Nebraska. It is available from ADST, www.iUniverse.com or
on-line bookstores.
Acclaim
"Ambassador Gribbin applies the keen insight he
developed over a long career in Africa to U.S. - Rwandan relations. He outlines clearly the failure of the U.S. and the rest of
the world to stop the genocide, and places blame where it is deserved, yet manages to inject humor
into this otherwise unremittingly grim story. "
H. Roberts Melone, former U.S.
Ambassador to Rwanda.
"Not a traditional diplomatic memoir or a diary but a frank account of a
life and career, centered on service in a volatile Rwanda. Ambassador Gribbin doesn't mask his values,
views, or mistakes. He lets the record tell you about his successes. One of the least egotistical career
retrospectives I have read and a great contribution to African and diplomatic scholarship. A remarkable
book by a distinguished diplomat, who invites the reader to comprehend the challenge ad agony of
decision-making by the "man of the spot.'" Robert G. Houdek, former U.S. Ambassador to
Uganda and Eritrea.
"Ambassador Robert Gribbin's book is a very welcome contribution to
literature on Rwanda's recovery after catastrophe. No previous publication has dealt with issues relating to
Rwanda's efforts at rebuilding and its relations with the international community in general. The
author's account of the period of his service in Rwanda leaves no doubt that he was and remains well
versed with the critical issues that faced the new government of Rwanda following the genocide: peace
and security, repatriation and resettlement of refugees, economic reconstruction, national
unity and reconciliation, human rights, justice and the rule of law, democratization, and regional peace
and stability." Gerald Gahima, former Attorney General of Rwanda.
Reviews
A
Benchmark Work on Rwanda, February 10, 2006
Reviewer: Thomas P. Odom "Tom"
I take great pleasure in writing this review as Bob Gribbin was my Ambassador
for the last 3 months of my own tour as the US Defense Attache in Rwanda from 1994-1996. Much
tripe concerning US roles in Rwanda and the Congo War has been offered directly to
the US Congress or in the press, various blogs, and even in some published works.
This book has many strengths. First it offers more than the title implies:
Ambassador Gribbin's previous assignments in Rwanda and Uganda provide critical insights into the
workings of the RPF and Museveni's Uganda. Second it is both concise and personal. I read the book
cover to cover in 2 evenings. The Rwandan Genocide is still a very personal issue to me. Bob
captures its horrors well and yet manages to offer very balanced interpretations of its causes and
its effects. Finally, it is without doubt the authoritative account of the 1996-1998 events in Rwanda
and Zaire (now the DRC). I am proud to have worked for Ambassador Gribbin and I am proud to have
his book in my library.
Sincerely,
Thomas P. Odom
Author, Journey into Darkness: Genocide in Rwanda, Texas A&M University
Press, 2005
Indispensable source on post-conflict Rwanda, June 14, 2005
Reviewer: Larry Lesser (Washington, DC USA) - The world watched in horror as Rwanda descended into hellish barbarism. And
after the violence ended, what then? That is Gribbin's subject, written from the perspective of
the U.S. ambassador -- the embodiment of U.S. policy in the post-conflict period. His book is
filled with exotic names and places, probably more than the non-expert can keep up with. (And the skimpy
index is not much help.) Nevertheless, this pioneering book provides a depth of detail and an
appreciation for the complexities of nation building under mind-bogglingly challenging conditions.
It will be an indispensable resource for the student of the Rwandan tragedy or, more broadly,
as a case study on the death -- and, we hope, rebirth -- of a modern nation-state.
A must-read for Africanists, April 22, 2005
Reviewer: Don Heflin -
An outstanding contribution to the literature on Rwanda.
There have been several good books about the 1994 genocide, but Gribbin's book stands out as the best source on
the post-genocide era. His observations on the 1996-7 war in Eastern Zaire, which drove Mobutu
from power and put the Kabilas in the presidency in Kinshasa, are especially valuable. These times
remain a controversial topic, and it's essential to get the viewpoint of an American
diplomat in the field, which Gribbin ably provides. The book is well-written and an enjoyable read,
even though it deals with serious subjects. No student of Rwanda, the Congo or genocide should be
without it.
Questions
and Answers
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Q.
Is the Rwandan genocide over?
A. Yes, the killings as such took place in April, May, June and
July 1994. About one million people died. Residual ethnic
violence, mostly in the form of an insurgency continued on for several years.
Today Rwanda is at peace. Even so, several thousand Hutu militiamen,
calling themselves the FDLR (Force Democratique pour la liberation du Rwanda)
remain at large in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Q. Have those responsible for the genocide been tried?
A. There are essentially three venues where justice is being delivered.
First is the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in Arusha, Tanzania.
There about thirty-five of the most prominent planners of genocide are being
slowly tried. In Rwanda itself trials continue in the regular courts for tens
of thousands of persons implicated in heinous acts of genocide. Additionally,
another hundred thousand or so persons are/will face Gacaca courts on their
home hillsides. This method of delivering traditional justice has been
modified to handle the less severe genocide related cases. Combined the
three methods of justice are effectively holding those accused accountable
for their crimes.
Q. How democratic is Rwanda today?
A. Rwanda has successfully held multi-party presidential, parliamentary
and local elections. Current President Paul Kagame, who was the military
leader of the largely Tutsi Rwandan Patriotic Army and former Vice President,
was elected to a six year term in 2003 and re-elected in 2009. Even
though observers did not fault the electoral process, it is clear that power
rests with the group that vanquished the genocide. The challenge for
Rwanda is to truly build a multi-ethnic, multi-party democratic society out
of the tragedy of genocide.
Q. Is reconciliation reality or a facade?
A. Reconciliation after events as traumatic as genocide is indeed
very difficult, both individually and for the society as a whole. The
delivery of justice to those guilty of the crime is seen as a perquisite for
healing on a national level. Even so, there are thousands of efforts, some
organized, some not, aimed at finding ways and mechanisms for people to come
to terms with their pasts, even as they move on with their lives.
Q. How are U.S. Rwandan relations?
A. Relations between our two nations are excellent. Through USAID and
other programs the U.S. is actively engaged in helping Rwanda develop
economically as well as in combating HIV/AIDS.
Q. What is Rwanda's regional role?
A. Rwanda keeps a careful eye on developments in the neighboring
Congo. It has welcomed recent Congolese elections and has largely disengaged
from cross border activities. Elsewhere in the region several thousand
Rwandan forces are critical to the international effort to contain genocide
and ethnic violence in Darfur, Sudan.
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Blood
diamonds, poached ivory, smuggled arms, political intrigue, rebellion.
Ripped from today’s headlines! A fictional
saga of modern Africa.
Rip Roaring
Adventure in Central Africa!
Against
the backdrop of contemporary Africa, political prisoner Jean
Mbaito escapes
from jail. Following his conscience he
sparks a
revolution that attempts to sweep the corrupt blood-drenched tyrant
from power. Clandestine political forces
and even black magic,
cynically observed by jaundiced diplomatic personnel, rally to his
cause. Mbaito joins with a disgruntled professional hunter and a
beautiful English conservationist, who themselves are combating
elephant poachers, in order to further his quest.
Full of intrigue,
political violence, blood diamonds, witchcraft and
poaching,
the tale of Mbaito’s challenge reflects the mysteries of Africa
and the passions of its people.
State of Decay - An Oubangui
Chronicle
published by
InfinityPublishing.com is available for $13.95 from
www.buybooksontheweb.com or on line bookstores.
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Murder in Mombasa
a
novel by Robert E. Gribbin
Rather
than a review as such, let’s do some q's and a’s about Murder in Mombasa.
Synopsis: The tale is recounted by the American Consul when in the aftermath of
a riotous shore visit, a U.S. Navy seaman is accused of murdering a Kenyan girl. But did he do it? His
alibi says no, but Kenya must have someone to prosecute for the crime.
The girl is dead, but who was she last with? Police jump to conclusions
and rush to convict. However, the U.S. consul and his team seek the truth. The
pressure is on. The police, the public and government leaders clamor for conviction, so the
case goes to trial. Not only is the man’s guilt or innocence at stake, but also U.S. - Kenyan
relations. Meanwhile shadowy terrorist operatives and their possible links to
the crime cloud clarity. Will justice prevail or will it be trumped by political expediency?
Ripped from the headlines, this fictional story is based on a real incident. The Mombasa, Kenya
setting is impeccable as are descriptions of police, prison and judicial
procedures. Furthermore, handling of the problem by U.S. diplomats
provides insight into the operations of the consular service.
Available only as an ebook from www.smashwords.com (in kindle and other
formats) or your istore or Nook provider.
Why did you write the book? I enjoy writing and find fiction
a fascinating diversion from non-fiction. It is easier to make up facts
rather than look them up. However, this story is based on a real event. I
was the American Consul in Mombasa in the early 1980s at the time when a U.S. sailor
was accused of murdering a Kenyan prostitute. It caused a big brouhaha in Kenya in
part because several years earlier there had been another death of a prostitute wherein the U.S. sailor had been found
guilty of manslaughter, but not sentenced to prison. That verdict scandalized the populace.
So when another death occurred, the popular cry was for punishment. My book is a fictionalized version of
what ensued. In order to spin the tale I invented personages and added plot.
What makes the story unique? First, a narrator of events is
the U.S. consul, so the reader sees the plot unfold from his perspective. The book paints a realistic portrait of what
American diplomats do overseas when citizens get in trouble. Additionally, the murder troubled
U.S. Kenyan relations more broadly so aspects of international diplomacy are included. Secondly, the setting of
the novel in Mombasa, Kenya is impeccable and the characters realistic, so those who know Kenya will find that
the tale rings true.
So what sort of book is it? It is a murder mystery that evolves
into a courtroom drama all against a backdrop of diplomatic intrigue and maneuvering. The question is did the
sailor kill the girl or not? If not, who did? and why? And even if he did not,
will he be convicted of the crime anyway?
Why did you self publish it? The publishing world is a brutal one.
Self publishing via www.smashwords.com lets me put the book out there quickly for readers to enjoy. Also it’s
inexpensive at only $2.99. Murder in Mombasa is only available in ebook format, also from the
istore or Nook.
