Hungry for Truth, Peace and Justice

MEMORANDUM ON THE LOOMING POLITICAL CRISIS IN RWANDA TOWARDS AUGUST 2010 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

UDF-Inkingi Chairperson, Mrs. Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, would like a large diffusion of the following document. Please feel free to spread the word to your friends, your Senators and Representatives, and any media outlet you may have access to. Thanks==MK/HTPJ.

How should democracies balance the hopes and constraints of our society with the architecture of our constitutions and institutions to secure freedom, promote citizenship, and foster prosperity?

In exile, 3 years ago we launched the United Democratic Forces, UDF-INKINGI, with clear objectives:

- To set up a genuine multi-party democratic system;

- To create the right conditions conducive for an all-inclusive national dialogue;

- To put an end to impunity and to create the right social and political atmosphere for the healing of all the surviving victims without any segregation;

- To put an end to discrimination and to guarantee equal opportunity to all the Rwandan citizens;

- To repatriate refugees and to ensure their resettlement and re-integration;

- To reorganize the national economy to suit national aspirations and;

- To put to rest all pretences of expansionism and to contribute towards the restoration of peace and security in the region.

BACK HOME

After 16 long years in exile, I decided to come back home. Empowered by my political party, I took the challenge to fight for democracy. My message is clear: I object to violence. We must put an end to any form of violence, if not, the violence will finish us. Peace is my motto, my guiding principal.

I don't need an army to defeat the dictatorship. All we need is determination, commitment and patience. The sacrifices of all committed people will overcome our misery and this endless crisis in our motherland.

NO POLITICAL SPACE

"The Rwandan government already tightly controls political space," said Georgette Gagnon, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. "These incidents will further undermine democracy by discouraging any meaningful opposition in the elections." The Human rights watch 10th February 2009 report added:

“The Rwandan government and the RPF have strongly resisted any political opposition or broader challenge of their policies by civil society. On several occasions, the government has used accusations of participation in the genocide, or "genocide ideology," as a way of targeting and discrediting its critics. The current RPF-dominated government has been in power in Rwanda since the end of the 1994 genocide against Tutsi”.

Actually when we face the reality of the situation, we are surprised by the way the International community remains distant. Here below are some talking cases:

- PDR-UBUYANJA was banned by the government in June 2000. Its founders have faced repeated harassment from the authorities. Mr Pasteur Bizimungu, the first RPF President of Rwanda, was arrested and jailed for many years. The party co-founder Charles Ntakirutinka, former RPF Minister, is since in Prison.

- Dr. Theoneste Niyitegeka, candidate for the last presidential election was arrested for genocide crimes and is still in jail. The charges were triggered by his political ambitions. Every body seems to be fine with this.

- In 2003, the MDR political party was dissolved by the current regime after 9 years of a difficult cohabitation. Some of its leaders went into exile while those who stayed in country were persecuted. Mr. Pierre Gakwandi, Secretary General of the MDR, remained in prison since, on charges of sectarianism, divisionism and genocide.

- Since October 2009, the party PS-Imberakuri has been threatened. Its founding congress was disbanded by the police. After the registration of the party, secret services fuelled internal divisions. Until to date, the party is under a dissolution threat and the Senate chamber has already started the hearing in this regards.

- Since October 2009, the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda has been denied to register and its leaders are under serious threats.

- The case of UDF-INKINGi is particularly troubling indeed. The founding leaders returned from exile on 16 February 2010, and since then a manhunt order is in place.

UDF-INKINGI AND A CAMPAIGN OF PUBLIC VILIFICATION

Since my return from exile there has been a systematic smear campaign against my person and my political party, acts of intimidation and threats from senior government officials, public media and pro-government papers as well, speeches of incitement to discrimination hostility and violence.

On the 03rd February 2010, along with my aide Joseph Ntawangundi we were attacked in Kinyinya municipal office where we had been called to collect identity papers and documents needed for the party’s registration. Joseph Ntawangundi was severely beaten under the watchful eyes of government officials.

On the 06th February 2010, Joseph Ntawangundi was arrested for alleged genocide crimes. He was detained in Kimironko prison; with no prior information he was transferred to Mpanga detention facility. The government has refused total access to him and even his lawyer has no knowledge of the so-called 2007 Gacaca court trial in absentia.

On the 08th February 2010, in a press conference President Kagame publicly voiced out obvious threats against me.

From the 10th February, the government has devised a new tactic in this war of attrition to wear down my morale by consistently summoning me to the Criminal Investigation Department of the police for endless interrogations and preparing the public opinion for my arrest: 3 summons in less than 2 weeks. Same accusations used for many other opposition leaders are recycled over and over: genocide ideology, divisionism, illegal political activities and collaboration with the FDLR rebellion.

Our national constitutional congress convened in Kigali on 26th February 2010 did not take place. The administration kept us on stand by until the last day and Party members from all over the country returned home empty handed. Instead of responding to our application, the Minister for Local Government issued the same day a hair-raising warning to opposition political parties and hopeful politicians. On 3rd March 2010, almost a week after the planned political meeting, we received fresh instructions from the local administration to discuss terms of our congress with the national police.

TO ALL FRIENDS OF RWANDA: DON’T REMAIN SILENT, DISTANT!

During the genocide, Rwandans went through the worst loneliness, a nation can be. It was only after over a million people were slaughtered and in the aftermath of the bloodshed that the international community slowly came back to Rwanda. The rehabilitation and reconstruction took a steady pace and a lot has been achieved. Next steps should strengthen those achievements with a solid democratic system backup. The genocide occurred partly because of selfish politics. The reconciliation efforts will still be shaky if we don’t have democratic political leaders and stable mechanisms of alternation in power.

Genuine reconciliation tools target both all the victims and all the criminals. They are both a product of our society. It’s a duty to all Rwandan political actors to keep high the reconciliation flag. Lessons from other nations and especially the post-apartheid experience in South Africa are a very powerful reference.

Knowing the recent history of Rwanda, how one can remain silent when another crisis is building up towards the next presidential election?

WE NEED TO MOVE ON FROM THE POST WAR REGIME TO DEMOCRACY

The healing of the Rwandan community should go hand in hand with the democratization process. Lessons in post conflict nation-building are a good hallmark. The western allies of Germany and Japan after the Nazi era or the Second World War implemented comprehensive efforts that aimed to engineer major social, political, and economic reconstruction. Their success demonstrated that political reconstruction and democracy were a solid basis for the future. Rwandans need the opportunity to prepare for the eventual reconstruction of their life on a democratic and peaceful basis. If all the efforts are steadily directed to this end, it will be possible for Rwandans in due course to take their place among the free and peaceful people of this world. We don't need a strong military versus a volatile democracy to be free. We need stable and accountable democratic institutions.

You all know that Rwanda's August 2010 elections, which will, without election monitoring and international pressure, be the re-coronation of RPF and its leader. In this context, the legitimacy of post-election leaders and institutions will be at stake. The wind of change is already here and nothing will stop it. It is in the highest interests of every stakeholder to genuinely embrace and support this democratic change.

Bilateral partners of Rwanda, International organizations, East Africa Community, European Union, the Commonwealth and others are expected to be monitoring Rwanda's August 2010 elections and there is no significant complaint from anybody about political repression in Rwanda. It’s still time to act.

The history will remember the way you will advise your government and your organization in this respect and the Rwandan people will be grateful.

posted by Mamadou Kouyate @ 11:53 PM