Hungry for Truth, Peace and Justice

Rwanda: "Interahamwe” blamed after 3 grenade blasts (Details)

By RNA Reporter
February 20, 2010

Kigali: Police is holding two men alleged to be behind the three grenade blasts in Kigali on Friday evening – and already knows which group exactly is behind the blasts, the “Interahamwe”. The development will clearly indicate a new twist in the rebel war, as the entire government is in Rubavu district for the annual closed-door retreat, RNA reports.

At around 19:40, three blasts rocked three different but very busy areas of Kigali leaving one person dead and more than 30 others injured, according to medical sources at the Kigali Central University Hospital.

The first grenade exploded at the Rubangura area close to a new magnificent skyscraper under construction.

Another grenade went off just minutes later at the popular Chez Venant restaurant, about 400 meters from the first blast scene. Chez Venant is popular with foreigners and the local rising income class. As news started flowing about the attacks, it emerged that another grenade had gone off in Nyabugogo bus and taxi park.

All the three places attacked in the simultaneous grenade blasts are busy at the time the blasts happened, because ungazetted public taxi parks are located there. Residents of Kigali board taxis to different places around these areas – which probably explains the large number of the injured.

Ten of the injured are said to be in critical condition but damage on property was relatively minor. Medical sources said most of the injured have been discharged.

The National Police is already pointing fingers. “There is no doubt that the interahamwe are behind this terrorist act targeting innocent people”, said Police Spokesman Superintendent Eric Kayiranga. “They are continuing with their plan from 1994 to kill innocent people.”

He said in a prepared statement that two men had been arrested immediately at one of the scenes, adding that “all the evidence” shows the interahamwe are behind. He said frantic efforts are under way involving the whole security hierarchy to bring all those responsible for the blasts to book.

The Interahamwe are the Rwandan rebels fighting in DR Congo, under the name of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR). Some of the rebels are accused by government of having executed the 1994 Tutsi massacres.

However, asked on state radio what makes the Police so sure that the interahamwe carried out the attack, Superintendent Kayiranga simply said “there is no doubt” they are to blame. In the brief statement, Kayiranga did not mention the FDLR in particular, just referring to the suspects as “Interahamwe”.

The accusation if true will indicate a new development in the FDLR war on the territory of Rwanda after a lull of more than 10 years. The rebels, who also include the ex-government military, were forced out of the country by the current government in 1994. In the proceeding years, the rebels took the fight to eastern DR Congo – with regular incursion in the northern Rwanda.

Massive troop deployments and the eventual invasion of DR Congo in 1996 – and then in 1998, changed the dynamics of the rebels’ ability to attack Rwanda. For the period since 2000, the rebels have not carried out any attacks inside Rwanda – leaving the country with stability unseen before.

Government in Rubavu

Despite the latest blasts, the country’s entire leadership hierarchy, up to President Paul Kagame, is in Rubavu district – to the north, bordering DR Congo for the annual closed-door retreat. At this usually tense and tough-talk meeting among officials, they take the opportunity to throw blame and counter-blame on different issues.

Mr. Kagame opened the retreat Saturday morning, with the usual tough-talk, firing hard at different departments. His speech indicates he is becoming wary of the continuous meetings held by officials but with questionable results on the ground.

He accused officials of never being sure of what they will attain from any programs implemented. “You implement programs with the feeling that somehow you will reach the objectives – which are sometimes not even clear,” he said.

The President today used the word “somehow” about a dozen times, suggesting he is clearly not happy with what is going on. However, the blasts in Kigali came when all officials were already in Rubavu. Usually, the hundreds of officials arrive for the retreat a day earlier – which opens the next morning.

Rwanda is due to hold presidential polls in August at which President Kagame is widely expected to seek and secure re-election. He told a press conference recently that his government had achieved all the programs it promised in the 2003 elections – in which he scooped more than 95% of the votes.

Guarded anxiety in Kigali

Several other grenade blasts have happened in the Southern Province. Early this week, a six-year old boy was killed and the 12-year old brother lost his arm from a grenade they were playing with. Two teenagers also died last month in eastern Rwanda from similar arms. Kigali was also rocked by small blasts last year.

Police says all these have been isolated incidents. The grenades have been thrown in bars or homes. Some have gone off as children played with them.

Last week, following the explosion in Musanze district, Police repeated calls for people to hand in all weapons. There is already a tough law which criminalises illegally having weapons among civilians. Police said the grace period granted to people to hand any weapons in was running out.

On the streets of Kigali, people continued Saturday with low key shopping and outings. In public transport, people can be heard discussing the latest grenade attacks. Some indicating they are thinking of starting to avoid crowded public places.

As news of supposed “Interahamwe” involvement in the blasts continued to flow on state radio during the day, in public mini-buses, people could be heard reacting with disbelief that the rebels have been able to reach Kigali. But Police Spokesman Kayiranga said the security of everybody and property remained the paramount preoccupation of the security apparatus.

He said there was no cause for alarm and panic, but urged the public to be vigilant. Report any suspicious cases, he said.

Related Materials:
Rwanda News Agency reports arrests for Kigali bombing; government blames interahamwe

Rwandan opposition parties condemn grenade attacks in Kigali

Kagame desperate to hold on to power, resorts to more severe domestic terrorism tactics

posted by Mamadou Kouyate @ 8:43 PM