Hungry for Truth, Peace and Justice

PRESS RELEASE FROM DEMOCRATIC GREEN PARTY OF RWANDA

Founding President,
Democratic Green Party of Rwanda
December 24, 2009



The Democratic Green Party of Rwanda would like to inform the media, international community, representatives of foreign diplomatic missions, Embassies in Rwanda, and the general public that the government of Rwanda has continued to commit actions against democratic principles and human rights.

According to what happened on 30th October 2009 in Kigali at St Paul at our party Congress aimed at approving the party constitution, we faced extraordinary circumstances where our members were beaten by people who entered the conference room by force and clandestinely and started the chaos, shouting, “RPF Oyeee, RPF Oyeee!”. We would like to say something about what has been happening to us and our members since that time.

After the Congress, some of the people who caused the riot were caught by the police and taken for interrogation, but sadly, none of them stayed in police custody for more than an hour. They were immediately released and continued on with their normal life even though some of our members were wounded, hospitalized, and others lost their valuables.

Something else which is strange is that nobody summoned us-as Party representatives- to give explanations on the people who caused the chaos. We were again surprised to hear the explanations of the Police Spokesman on Radio Rwanda and Contact FM during the evening of that same day, confirming that what happened at St Paul was caused by Green Party members themselves.

We would like to emphasize the following three issues:

1. Our members have continued to be threatened and harassed by local government authorities.

2. Party members are oppressed by the National Police who deny us permission to hold a peaceful congress.

3. Newspaper articles in UMUVUGIZI Vol. 66 and UMUSESO No. 386, showing a list of people alleged to be Green Party members.

1. About our members who have continued to be threatened and harassed:

After the sabotaged Party Congress of 30th October 2009, many of our members have continued to be threatened and harassed in different ways. Below are some examples:

Ø After the Congress of 30th October 2009, a member, named Isaac KARANGWA, a resident of Nyagatovu cell, Kimironko Sector, was interrogated by village authorities (Umudugudu) and was advised not to join the Green Party when it is his right as a Rwandese to belong to any political party.

Ø On 2nd November 2009, Melisiyana NZAMUKOSHA, also from Nyagatovu, was threatened by her neighbor and when she went to village authorities, who refused to receive her complaint because she is in the Green Party.

Ø On 4th November 2009, Daphrose MUSABYIMANA was suddenly called to Kimironko Sector by Mr. HABIMANA Robert, the Executive Secretary, where she was asked why she became a Green party member;

Ø On 15th November 2009, BIHIBINDI, Gaston who is a former soldier in the R.D.F. (now demobilized) and resident of Nonko cell, Nyarugunga Sector, Kicukiro District, was kidnapped by unknown people and later imprisoned in the basement of the Ministry of Defense. He was detained for three days without food and asked why he joined the Green Party. He was also accused of recruiting fellow demobilized soldiers for the Green Party. He was severely beaten and threatened not to tell anyone what happened to him.

Ø On 21st November 2009, in a meeting that took place after public activities commonly known as “umuganda”, Innocent BAYITO, the President of GOBOKA Coperative in collaboration with the Executive Secretary of Kimironko Sector, and General RUTATINA questioned the husband of Daphrose MUSABYIMANA (Green Party member). He was accused of having a Green Party member as his wife.

We have so many other cases from different provinces where people have been threatened by local authorities for being party members. We have always advised them to be patient, remain calm, and inform us so that we can make a peaceful follow up.

Ø The Green Party 1st Vice-President, Mr. RWISEREKA André, resident of Huye District in South province, has been threatened by different and unknown people claiming his commercial activities in the NEW SOMBORERO CLUB are going to be stopped without any reason apart from being in the Party's administration.

2. Oppression from the Rwanda National Police

On 5th November 2009, we respectfully wrote to the mayor of Gasabo District, requesting her permission to hold another congress. This was the fifth time we were trying to hold a congress in the process of registering our Party. We recieved the response within two days. In this response, we started being accused -in writing- of having caused the chaos in our own congress held at St Paul.

The Mayor requested us to look for the clearance certificate from the National Police certifying that what happened at St. Paul will not happen again in Gasabo District and also showing how the ‘so-called conflicts’ were resolved by the police.

On 11th November 2009, we wrote to the Commissioner General of Police requesting the certificate. We informed him that the people who caused chaos in our meeting were caught by the National Police and are not our members. We reminded him that, if they were our members, the police would have called us to give some clarifications and nobody called us. Unfortunately, all those who were in police custody were released in only an hour.

The Commissioner General responded to us after twelve days. He said that he couldn’t give us the requested permission because the police are not yet sure what caused the chaos/conflicts was resolved. He informed us that they are still carrying out investigations and requested us to provide any information about the people who caused the chaos.

What was surprising is that the National police requested us to make investigations when it is one of their responsibilities and yet they released those they caught in action on short notice.

The same day we received that response, 23 November 2009, we wrote another letter to the Commissioner General of the National Police. In that letter we presented him two names: KAYISIRE Emmanuel, resident of Kimironko Sector, Gasabo District who works as a business broker at Gicement, in Remera, and KIMENYI, Jean-Claude, a resident of Nyamirambo who works as money changer in Kigali.

From that time we wrote the letter naming those two people, none of them have been arrested because they have been seen doing their business as usual. We have patiently waited for a response.

On 22nd December 2009, we phoned the secretariat of National Police headquarters in order to see if there was any response. They recommended us to be patient because the response was not yet ready. A whole month has passed and still no reply.

There appears to be no other purpose than delaying to complicate our situation.

3. Newspaper articles in UMUVUGIZI Vol. 66 and UMUSESO No. 386, showing a list of people alleged to be party members

UMUSESO Newspaper, No. 386 of 14th to 21st December 2009, pg.2 has an article saying that there exists an intelligence report written by Gen. Jack NZIZA (Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defense) showing that Colonel and Senator Joseph KAREMERA and Patrick MAZIMPAKA are behind the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda, a Party still seeking legal registration. UMUSESO says that the report is aimed at ‘chopping off the heads’ of both Col. Joseph KAREMERA and Patrick MAZIMPAKA.

UMUVUGIZI Newspaper, Vol.66 of December 18th – 27th. 2009, also writes on the existence of the Report and it claims that RPF-Inkotanyi historicals have the sole objective of overthrowing H.E. President Paul Kagame’s regime. It is alleged that these historical/senior members are the ones behind the new political parties being born in Rwanda. It goes on to say that the report has linked all of them to be behind the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda (DGPR).

Details of those mentioned:

1. MAZIMPAKA Patrick (Former vice-chairman of the African Union Commission, and former Minister)

2. Ambassador RWAMASIRABO (former Rwandan Ambassador to Japan, and former Rector of National University of Rwanda)

3. Senator Joseph Karemera (former ambassador and minister)

4. Colonel Mudenge (current Director General of Rwandan Regulatory Agency)

5. Sam NKUSI (Former Minister of state for Energy in MINIFRA).

6. Commissioner General of Police Brigadier General Emmanuel Gasana (current Police Chief)

7. Commissioner General RWIGAMBA Andrew (former Police chief)

8. Ambassador NGOGA Pascal (former Rwandan ambassador to Ethiopia)

9. Dr. Maj. Ben KARENZI (Former permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health)

10. General and Ambassador FAUSTIN KAYUMBA NYAMWASA (former Rwandan Army Chief of staff, now Ambassador to India)

11. Senator INYUMBA Aloysie (former minister and Treasurer of the RPF party)

12. Brigadier General Richard RUTATINA (Presidential Advisor on security)

13. Colonel Zigira (who was a commissioner in the commission for the demobilization of soldiers.)

14. Dr. BIHOZAGARA (former Rwandan Ambassador to Brussells, former minister as well)
15. NKONGORI John (former Director General of Civil Aviation Authority)

We would like to respond to these articles. The Democratic Green Party of Rwanda seriously refutes all the allegations stated in these newspapers. There is nobody in the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda who wants to overthrow the RPF government.

UMUVUGIZI newspaper says that the report contains the names of people whose objective is to overthrow H.E. President Paul Kagame’s government. The Democratic Green Party of Rwanda has absolutely no intentions of destroying and overthrowing the Rwandan government.

UMUVUGIZI newspaper continues on to say that in the leaked intelligence report some of those people mentioned in connection to the allegations stated in the above paragraph have close relational ties with, or are friends to, KABANDA, Charles and HABINEZA, Frank two of the eleven people in the Executive Committee that governs the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda.

The leadership of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda, wishes to inform all people living in and outside of Rwanda that those people listed in the report do not belong to our party. Those people allegedly mentioned to be hiding behind the Green Party, cannot do so, because our party members do not hide behind anyone or anything else.

Our party members are very well-known, attend party meetings regularly and make contributions openly. If someone wishes to join our party, the door is open. The Democratic Green Party of Rwanda has a clear strategy and program to welcome all Rwandans, both inside and outside of the country, to join the Green Party.

Writing a report of this nature, which contains lies, such as claiming we plan on overthrowing a government, is something we condemn vigorously. We are making it categorically clear, in no unmistakable terms, that these actions (such as overthrowing the government) are in stark contrast to Green Party principles all over the world.

We know very well that the people mentioned in the report are high-profile personalities, experienced and not cowards. If they belonged to the Green Party, we would say it openly without fear. Nobody should be allowed to make them say something they are not. We would like to confirm they are not members of our party.

The news in Umuseso and Umuvugizi indicate that the report lists names of relatives and friends who have connections to HABINEZA, Frank and KABANDA, Charles.

Being a relative or friend of someone does not make them share the same political opinions or be a member in the same political party. Even if they were in the same political party this would not mean that it results from a friendship or close relationship. It could just as easily be agreement with the good political program of the party.

Our political party does not harbor any nepotistic tendencies. Anyone who would like to know more about us should come and examine the composition of our members in the current Executive Committee.

The newspaper UMUVUGIZI states that the report says there is a connection between the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda and Mr. John NAGENDA, a Senior Advisor to President Yoweri MUSEVENI of Uganda. This is a lie.

The Democratic Green Party of Rwanda does not have any intentions of destroying or overthrowing the present government. Our party has a peaceful political program which will represent all Rwandans. It will be up to the Rwandan people to choose for themselves what type of political program they want through democratic means.

All such things are being done in order to make people hate us. These tactics are well known to the Rwandan people and we shall continue to speak the truth.

The Democratic Green Party of Rwanda, would like to request international organizations promoting human rights and democracy, the international community, representatives of foreign diplomatic missions and embassies in Rwanda and member states of the Commonwealth to closely follow our problems and carry out an investigation on the violence unleashed against us on 30th October 2009 at St.Paul.

We would like to request the friendly nations/countries of Rwanda to make an appeal to H.E. President KAGAME and the ruling RPF party to let the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda be accorded legal status in Rwanda.

We also would like to conclude by requesting all religious leaders in Rwanda and all over the world, to request H.E President Kagame and the ruling RPF party to accept the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda and let democracy take root in Rwanda.

CONCLUSION

After all this, and other things that may be planned against us, we shall continue to project the truth, among the Democratic Green Party Principles, we have that of non – violence, we shall continue to use it as one of the main pillars guiding us.

We have the faith that RPF will come to a point, when it will realize the truth, and stop basing on false reports; we shall continue expressing our grievances and the call to address our plight, be it in Rwanda and among the international community.

Having different views/ideas from that of the current Government does not automatically turn one into an enemy of the country.

Our objective is to build a country free from oppression of any kind, nepotism, corruption, and all other evils, so that our children will live in a good country, where everyone will have an equal say and can exercise his/her democratic rights freely.

Done in Kigali on 24th December 2009

Frank HABINEZA,
Founding President, Democratic Green Party of Rwanda/
President, African Greens Movement ( AfGM)/
Co-Africa Representative to Global Greens Coordination (GGC)

Mob: + 250 78 85 630 39
Email: fhabineza@africangreens.org
http://www.rwandagreendemocrats.org/
http://www.africangreens.org/
http://www.globalgreens.org/

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Rwandan Green Party fear oppression from the undemocratic Rwandan government as mysterious "leaked" report appears

posted by Mamadou Kouyate @ 8:17 AM