Rwanda: RPF totalitarian regime, revealed

The United Democratic Forces - Inkingi quickly reveal the nature of the Rwandan Patriotic Front totalitarian regime in Rwanda: The situation after 2 ½ months of presence in the country.

On January 16, 2010, Mrs. Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, a political opponent and Chairperson of United Democratic Forces UDF-Inkingi, returned to Rwanda after 16 years of exile in order to register her political party and participate in forthcoming presidential elections scheduled for August 2010.

The decision to return home, it should be recalled, was made after thorough analysis of the political context, challenges and issues at stake, as well as different scenarios of political actions and the risks associated with each action. It appeared for the UDF-Inkingi that the challenge of a peaceful struggle for democracy was best able to support our policies and build a hospitable country for all Rwandans.

This perspective was not only addressed to the people of Rwanda but also to its current leaders. We expected they would show their good will, open up political space; allow an open debate on different political programmes so that the people can make an informed choice especially during the elections. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Instead, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) regime gradually erected impassable obstacles, thus demonstrating, within less than two months, its totalitarian nature. Some examples clearly support this finding:

1. Refusal to grant passports to exiled members of UDF-Inkingi

Upon announcing their intention to return to Rwanda, a dozen prospective members designed to lead the political struggle inside the country have applied for passports. Their requests have remained unanswered until now except for two passports, including one for UDF-Inkingi’s chairperson. This is incomprehensible since the Government of Rwanda multiplies operations to the UNHCR and African countries hosting Rwandan refugees to repatriate them by force in Rwanda.

2. Remote reports aimed at falsely accusing the opposition political

On November 23, 2009, a UN report was published on the Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR) rebel group operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Without providing any evidence i.e. the content of conversations, the report accused some leaders of the UDF-Inkingi of collaboration with such an armed opposition. The Chairperson of UDF-Inkingi was accused of having met in Spain in 2006, some leaders of the FDLR. The report fails to mention that government officials and survivors of the genocide in Rwanda also attended the meeting that was devoted to peace and was facilitated by the Foundation Solivar.

The timing of the publication of the said report with the announcement of the decision of UDF-Inkingi to participate in the Rwandan presidential elections of August 2010, the lightness of the evidence against our political organization and the instantaneous use of this report by the Rwandan government, to prevent the Chairperson of UDF-Inkingi to exercise her political rights, make people suspect interference of the RPF regime in the production of this report. It should also be recalled that such a report was rejected by all the countries of the African Great Lakes region accused in the report i.e. Burundi, Uganda and Tanzania.

3. Media lynching by the public and private media under the yoke of the regime in power

On January 16, 2010, the day of her return to Rwanda, the Chairperson of FDU-Inkingi visited the genocide memorial in Gisozi. Answering a question from a journalist, she reminded the Rwandan people that unity and reconciliation will only be fully achieved when all those who are guilty of genocide against the Tutsis and those who committed war crimes and crimes against humanity against the Hutus are brought to justice. The day after this statement, the pro-government daily The New Times launched a campaign of hatred and dehumanization against Mrs. Ingabire who was falsely accused of genocide denial. This campaign of lynching was followed by other newspapers and state media, including state radio and national television. The highest authorities of the state such as ministers and heads of political parties allied with the RPF took part in this lynching and called for punishment against the Chairperson of UDF-Inkingi. This intimidation campaign reached its climax when the President of the Republic himself ordered the justice to prosecute Ms. Ingabire.

4. Physical assaults, another form of intimidation

When Mrs. Ingabire and her assistant went to the Administrative Office of Kinyinya sector following a phone call by the Executive Secretary of the sector to collect administrative documents, they were attacked inside the offices of public administration by juvenile mob likely prepared for the cause. The assailant mob snatched Mrs. Ingabire’s handbag which contained her identity papers and personal belongings. No investigation has been conducted to find and punish the culprits.

5. Police and judicial investigations, another strategy to criminalize opposition

Following the orders given by the President of the Republic, the Criminal Investigation Department of the Rwandan police almost instantly summoned UDF-Inkingi’s Chairperson to inform her about the charges against her. They include security breach of State, divisionism, genocide ideology, minimization of genocide, collaboration with the FDLR, and the icing on the cake, the disturbance of public security by grenade attacks and plan to overthrow legal government. It will be recalled that another opposition politician, Mr. Deogratias Mushayidi as well as senior military officers, dissident with the regime, are also accused of the same offenses.

These accusations were followed by police invitations and interviews which have become repetitive in order to break the morale of Mrs. Ingabire. Some of these interviews could last up to 10 hours straight.

6. Prohibition to hold the constituent congress of the party

The fact that Mrs. Victory Ingabire Umuhoza, has not been convicted by any court, she is automatically entitled to a presumption of innocence. But it was a big surprise when the Mayor of Nyarugenge, after using all tricks in previous requests, refused to grant her permission to hold a public meeting on the pretext that Mrs. Ingabire was under police investigation. This prohibition is also justified, according to the Mayor, by the fact that the administration would not know the message UDF-Inkingi’s chairperson might deliver to the public, thereby confirming that only those who speak the same language as the RPF have the right to political space in Rwanda. This position was repeated and confirmed by the Minister in charge of the political parties and local government, all of which is in blatant violation of all applicable laws.

7. Action of fomenting coups and divisions within the opposition parties

The three opposition parties namely the PS-Imberakuri, only opposition party approved to date, the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda and UDF-Inkingi, two organizations that are still trying to register, have created a Permanent Consultative Council of Opposition Parties in Rwanda to mutually reinforce each other by sharing some political and diplomatic actions. The Council had therefore become a headache for the regime that decided to move up a gear to block its path. While non-legal barriers are erected before the political opposition in order not to hold their meeting, it is disconcerting to see how docile dissidents obtained easily the necessary permits to hold their extraordinary congress to oust the legal and legitimate Chairperson of PS-Imberakuri, Mr. Bernard Ntaganda.

8. Obstacles to the freedom to travel within Rwanda and abroad

After more than 16 years of exile, Mrs. Ingabire sought to explore the country. But all her movements were monitored with a magnifying glass to prevent contact with the population, which was beginning to show some enthusiasm to her encouragement to get out of fear that she lavished on them and to the idea of a peaceful change of government. On March 23, 2010, while Mrs. Ingabire was not subject to judicial review forcing her to remain in Rwanda, she was prevented from boarding the plane at Kanombe International Airport to visit her family.

Mr. Bernard Ntaganda, Chairman of PS-Imberakuri, has also been prevented on several occasions to install the statutory offices of his party in the provinces.

Conclusion

The obstacles that the regime mounts against its political opponents, obstacles that UDF-Inkingi’s entry on the Rwandan political scene has openly exposed, reveal the nature of a power that seeks to interpret the law and procedures at will, which has enormous difficulties to tolerate an open debate, is experiencing serious difficulties in accepting the political opposition and is considering the use of force as the only argument that counts in the management of power. All of these actions are the hallmarks of a totalitarian power that must be seriously monitored as they may derail the political process under way for presidential elections in August 2010.

This exposure of the RPF totalitarian nature surprisingly occurs quickly and shows once again that it is high time that the regime understands that democracy is indubitable and that it will come about sooner or later. With much more noticeable people’s determination nothing will stop it.

Done in Kigali, March 31, 2010
The United Democratic Forces-Inkingi