Hungry for Truth, Peace and Justice

Rwanda: A Weekly Open Letter to Paul Kagame-July 4, 2010

By Aimable Mugara
Rwanda Human Rights and Democracy
July 4, 2010

H. E. General Paul Kagame
Office of the President
Republic of Rwanda
P.O. Box 15 Urugwiro Village
Kigali – Rwanda
Fax: +250 572431

Copy:

Prosecutor General
Martin Ngoga
National Public Prosecution Authority
BP 1328
Kigali – Rwanda
Fax: +250 589501

Commissioner General Emmanuel Gasana
Rwandan National Police
Kigali – Rwanda
Fax: +250 586602

Chief Executive Officer
Editor-in-Chief
The New Times Publications SARL
Immeuble Aigle Blanc
P.O. Box 4953
Kigali – Rwanda

A Citizen’s Weekly Open Letter to General Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda

Dear General,

There are 6 weeks left before the elections. This is my sixteenth letter and there are 6 letters left. One more week and unfortunately the extreme abuse of power in Rwanda continues in an effort to disenfranchise the Rwandan people. The deadline for presidential candidates to submit their nomination has passed, and in the process many Rwandans have already been disenfranchised because your government has continued to deny legitimate opposition parties from registering as parties. The leaders of these parties are therefore not able to have their parties participate in the presidential elections. In addition, opposition party members continue to be arrested by your police forces. People who disagree with you continue to be afraid for their lives after last week’s killing of independent journalist Jean Leonard Rugambage as well as the assassination attempt a few days earlier on General Kayumba Nyamwasa’s life. General Kayumba being the General who fled your regime to South Africa a few months ago.

Your government’s spokesperson, Ms. Mushikiwabo has been admonishing anyone who dares think that your government could have been behind the killing of this journalist as well as the failed assassination of the General. Unfortunately, the list of people who have worked with you and ended up dead soon after there were any disagreements with you or perceived disagreement is extremely long. The following are just some of the names:

1. The Late Colonel Charles Ngoga
2. The Late Colonel Lizinde
3. The Late Colonel Augustin Cyiza
4. The Late Lt Col. Wilson Rutayisire (alias Shaban)
5. The Late Major Rachid Mugisha (alias Kyojo)
6. The Late Captain Serwanda
7. The Late Major Alex Ruzindana
8. The Late Major John Birasa
9. The Late Captain Eddy
10. The Late Captain S. Kavuma
11. The Late Captain David Sabuni
12. The Late Lieutenant Aloys Rupari
13. The Late Second Lieutenant Dan Ndaruhutse
14. The Late Lieutenant Karegeya
15. The Late Lieutenant Rwagasana
16. The Late Lieutenant Dan Twahirwa
17. The Late Lieutenant Fred Gatumbura
18. The Late Second Lieutenant Peter Sempa
19. The Late Lieutenant Jean-Claude Ruraza
20. The Late Sergeant Nyirumuringa
21. The Late Interior Minister Seth Sendashonga
22. The Late Bank CEO Pasteur Musabe
23. The Late Deputy Chief Justice Vincent Nsanzabaganwa
24. The Late Your former presidential advisor Assiel Kabera
25. The Late Parliamentarian Leonard Hitimana

Therefore, looking at this list above of your former friends and colleagues that ended up dead soon after, it is not unreasonable for anyone to think that all these people are being killed by your regime.

Another disturbing action that has been taken by your government is the recent arrest of opposition leader Mrs. Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza’s new lawyer after you freed her American lawyer Prof. Peter Erlinder. The new defense lawyer, Me Theogene Muhayeyezu, the 46 year old father of two, is a member of the Rwandan Bar Association. He previously worked as Chief Registrar of the Court of First Instance since 1982 and as Deputy Public Prosecutor since 2001. He was arrested by your police forces on June 24th, 2010 and has been detained incommunicado and many fear that he continues to be tortured. This apparent attempt to scare any lawyer in Rwanda from representing opposition leader Mrs. Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza and her political party is a slap in the face of the principle of justice.

Mr. President, as I mentioned last week, your regime’s violent attacks against opposition parties only show one thing: you are not confident about your support among the people. Why else would you prevent real challengers from having their names on the ballot? Why else would you violently crack down on the opposition parties instead of letting the people of Rwanda deliver the verdict at the ballot? There is only one explanation: the people of Rwanda do not want to be led by you or your party. Therefore, unfortunately it appears that the only way for you to stay in power is by oppressing the people.

Aimable Mugara

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

posted by Mamadou Kouyate @ 1:29 AM