Sunday, May 20, 2012

RWANDA: TRANSCRIPT OF INGABIRE’S HANDWRITTEN LETTER TO PAUL KAGAME


Source:

INGABIRE WRITES TO THE PRESIDENT
Friday, 18 May 2012 12:40 
BY THE INDEPENDENT TEAM

TRANSCRIPT OF INGABIRE’S HANDWRITTEN LETTER

On April 26, 2012—the day the prosecution sought the maximum sentence of life imprisonment for Victoire Ingabire on charges of terrorism, threatening state security, divisionism, genocide ideology and denial—the prosecution presented a letter written by Ingabire, which they told the court was a request for a pardon from President Kagame.

The title of the letter written in Kinyarwanda reads: “Explanation, asking for pardon.” After hundreds of pages of evidence produced by prosecutors against Ingabire, this letter was the last document submitted.

“This letter deserves no consideration,” Prosecutor Bonaventure Ruberwa was quoted as saying. “Ingabire was asking for forgiveness in the letter, but pleading not guilty in court. If she was not guilty, then why was she asking for pardon?” The prosecution added that the president could not forgive someone before a court ruling.

Several publications have reported on the letter, however, the actual contents have not been seen up until now. The Independent has obtained a copy of this letter and has translated its contents from Kinyarwanda to English and has printed it below.

When The Independent contacted the President’s Office for comment on the letter, we were told their office hadn’t seen it.

Ingabire’s sentencing date has been set for June 29, 2012.

==

Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza
C/O. Director of Kigali Central Prison
Kigali 06 November 2011
(Signed and stamped 07 November   2011 by the Kigali Prison Authority)

His Excellency,
The highest authority of our country,
Kigali

SUBJECT:  CLARIFICATIONS, APOLOGIES AND PLEA FOR A RELEASE FROM PRISON.

H.E. The highest authority of our country,

During the court proceedings, I was informed that my statements and press releases prior to my detention contained divisive language aimed at fuelling tensions among Rwandans and to make people hate their government. My statements were mostly based on the feedback from the population. That is the reason why I decided to return home and build my country together with all Rwandese.

H.E. The highest authority of our country,

Please accept my apologies to you personally or to any other Rwandan, who could have felt bad in his heart, because of my statements. It has never been my intent to dishonor anybody or to offend anybody’s rights.

H.E. The highest authority of our country,

I am accused as well of having bad intentions and to have created insecurity against my mother country. Your highest authority, after 16 years in exile, I dedicated myself to a peaceful return home, committed to join others inside the country, so we could work hand in hand build a better future for all Rwandans and give assurances of dignity and mutual respect to the current and future leadership of the country.

H.E. The highest authority of our country,

You are the guarantor of the rule of law in this country, and I believe without doubt that you are committed to the right of every citizen to contribute to the development of our country and I have decided to send you this letter to assure your authority that I have no ill intentions against your authority or against any of our citizens. I request from your authority because of the powers bestowed upon you and your wisdom, to order my release from prison so I could recover my total freedom and contribute together with all Rwandans to move our country forward.

H.E. The highest authority of our country,

During all the time I spent abroad I had the opportunity to contemplate the world and the Rwandan people. I came to the conclusion that there are many things we can achieve together regardless of our political affiliations. Should we have unity, we shall have access to everything in this world.

May God’s light guide you!

Madame Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza
==
Note:
Document also available in French.

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