France “condemns with the utmost firmness” the killing of Andrew Kagwa Rwisereka, Senior Vice-President of the Democratic Party Green Rwanda, said Thursday, July 15 the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. France “calls on the Rwandan authorities to shed full light on the circumstances of this heinous murder and bring those responsible to justice,” he said during a press briefing the spokesperson of the Quai d’Orsay, Bernard Valero. “Beyond this necessary duty of justice, it is up to the Rwandan authorities to ensure a pre-election context that respects fundamental freedoms and democratic rules,” he added. The body of Andre Kagwa Rwisereka was found Wednesday in a marsh south of the country. The Democratic Party Green Rwanda was launched in August 2009 by defectors from the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), currently in power. The party is not officially registered and accused the regime of President Paul Kagame for having refused to accept the sole purpose of preventing him from participating in the presidential election on 9 August. Request international investigation Three opposition parties in Rwanda on Thursday demanded “an independent international investigation into the murder of Andre Kagwa Rwisereka. The three formations, grouped within the Collaborative Council permanent opposition parties in Rwanda (CPC), “ask an independent international investigation into the murder of Andre Rwisereka Kagwa, a key figure in the opposition” in a statement received by AFP in Nairobi. The text was signed by Victoire Ingabire, President of United Democratic Forces (UDF), Frank Habineza, chairman of the Democratic Party Green Rwisereka which was the first Vice-President, and Theobald Mutarambirwa, Secretary General of the Socialist Party (PS) IMBERAKURI. The UDF and the Democratic Party Green are not yet recognized by the Rwandan authorities. The Socialist Party, meanwhile, is officially registered, but its original chairman, Bernard Ntaganda, was recently expelled from the party, and imprisoned. The Rwandan lawyer who, like Victory Ingabire, announced his decision to run for president of 9 August was accused of “terrorism”. Under judicial review, it is Victory Ingabire prosecuted for aiding and abetting terrorism and negation of the Tutsi genocide of 1994. The three also are demanding that the June 24 murder of independent journalist Jean Leonard Rugambage be likewise subject to “an independent international investigation. They also demand the release of Mr. Ntaganda and the abandonment of the proceedings against him.” We urge the government of Rwanda to use all means possible to ensure that peace and tranquility prevailed before and after the presidential election of August, “the statement added. http://beforerumors.com/france-stro
17 July 2010, 11:46 CET (BRUSSELS) The European Union condemned on Friday the murder of a senior opposition official in Rwanda and urged authorities to clarify the circumstances of the horrific killing. The European Union firmly condemns the brutal murder of M. Andre Kagwa Rwisereka, Vice President of the Rwandan Democratic Green Party on 13 July, the office of EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton said in a statement. The European Union urges the Rwandese Authorities to clarify the exact circumstances of this horrific killing and bring the perpetrators rapidly to justice, the statement said. Three Rwandan opposition parties on Thursday called for an independent international investigation into the murder of Rwisereka and independent journalist Jean Leonard Rugambage. Rwisereka’s nearly decapitated body was found dumped by a river on Wednesday. Rugambage, who was critical of Kagame’s government, was shot dead near his home on June 24. The European Union also wishes to express its deep concern that three assassinations of public figures have now taken place in Rwanda within the last month, the EU statement said. These assassinations have contributed to the deterioration of the political climate and to the emergence of a feeling of fear among the Rwandan citizens. The European Union urges the Rwandese authorities to ensure that the investigations and judicial proceedings regarding these murders are carried out with full transparency and as rapidly as possible. http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/r
Brussels 14.07.2010 Assassination of Rwandan Green Party Vice-President : Green MEPs demand investigation into the murder of André Kagwa Rwisereka http://www.greens-efa.org/cms/press Rebecca Harms, Co-Chair of the Greens/EFA Group Eva Joly, President of the Development committee Heidi Hautala, President of the sub-committee on Human Rights Isabelle Durant, Vice-President of the European Parliament We are shocked and deeply saddened by the death of André Kagwa Rwisereka, first Vice-President of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda and express our sincere condolences to his family. The assassination of André Kagwa Rwisereka is a tragic event that requires a strong reaction from the Rwandan authorities. We call for an immediate, thorough and independent investigation into the circumstances and the reasons for his assassination. The Rwandan authorities cannot ignore a human rights violation of this gravity and must work to ensure that those responsible are identified and that this case does not go unpunished. Recognising that the international community has been somewhat quiet recently about the Human Rights situation in this country, the Greens in the European Parliament believe that this event is only the tip of the ice-berg. Therefore the Greens and the international community must urgently seize upon this nagging question in this part of the world. To this end, the Greens will present an urgency resolution demanding political monitoring and a thorough investigation into the murder of André Kagwa Rwisereka and the Human Rights situation in the country. For further information, please contact : Helmut Weixler Head of Press Office The Greens/EFA in the European Parliament Tel : (Bxl) +32 2 2844683 Fax : 0032 2 2844944 Mobile : 0032-475-67 13 40 Email : helmut.weixler@europarl.europa.eu
EUROPEAN UNION Brussels, 16 July 2010 A 138/10 Statement by the spokesperson of HR Catherine Ashton on the murder of Rwandan politician The spokesperson of High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice President of the Commission Catherine Ashton issued the following statement today : The European Union firmly condemns the brutal murder of M. André Kagwa Rwisereka, Vice President of the Rwandan Democratic Green Party on 13 July 2010 in Butare, Southern province of Rwanda. The European Union urges the Rwandese Authorities to clarify the exact circumstances of this horrific killing and bring the perpetrators rapidly to justice. The European Union also wishes to express its deep concern that three assassinations of public figures have now taken place in Rwanda within the last month. These assassinations have contributed to the deterioration of the political climate and to the emergence of a feeling of fear among the Rwandan citizens. The European Union urges the Rwandese authorities to ensure that the investigations and judicial proceedings regarding these murders are carried out with full transparency and as rapidly as possible. The European Union calls on the Authorities of Rwanda to restore a secure political environment conducive to an open, public and democratic debate, and to ensure the free expression of opinions. http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedo
http://europeangreens.eu/menu/news/ [tt_news]=2064 tx_ttnews[backPid]=1 cHash=acd2e1152e The First Vice-President oft the Rwandan Democratic Green Party, Mr Andre Kagwa Rwisereka, who went missing early on Tuesday 13th July, has been found dead near the town of Butare in the south of Rwanda. Mr Rwisereka’s body had been badly mutilated and his car had been dumped close to where his body was found. His body was identified by his brother. The Co-Spokespersons of the European Green Party, Monica Frassoni and Philippe Lamberts, have expressed their deepest sympathy for Mr Rwisereka’s family, friends and colleagues and called for a thorough and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death : “This is extremely shocking and distressing news .We would like to send our most sincere condolences to the family and friends of Andre Kagwa Rwisereka and his colleagues in the Rwandan Democratic Green Party. We call on the Rwandan authorities and police to launch a thorough investigation into his death and for its findings to be published. We also reiterate our call to the Rwandan authorities to do much more to protect the freedom and safety of opposition politicians. “ “We also urge the EU to look into this case as a matter of urgency and to inform the Rwandan government about its concerns. We will be contacting the Rwandan embassy in Brussels to obtain more information about this terrible situation. “ NOTES FOR EDITORS : The Media Release of the Rwandan Democratic Green Party can be found here : http://rwandagreendemocrats.org/spi The Statement by the Spokesperson of the EU’s High Representative Catherine Ashton on the murder of Andre Rwisereka can be found here : http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedo
http://greenparty.ca/statement/2010 15 July 2010 2:45pm OTTAWA — A full investigation is needed into the actions of the Rwandan Government, political violence and the ongoing Presidential elections. The Green Party of Canada wishes to convey our deep concern over the news of the death of the Rwandan Greens’ Vice President Mr. Andre Kagwa Rwisereka who went missing yesterday on July 13th. Mr. Kagwa Rwisereka was found dead this morning near the River Mukula. This follows a series of actions by the Kagame government to harass and arrest opposition leaders and political rivals. The Green Party of Rwanda has been consistently stymied by the actions of local government officials who have repeatedly interfered with the Party’s ability to register as an official party. Two of these attempts involved violence that broke up the meetings. In the fall of 2009, Rwanda became a member of the Commonwealth with the backing of Canada, Britain, and Australia, among other nations, despite a report in July, 2009, by the Commonwealth’s own Human Rights Initiative which expressed deep reservations over the country’s human rights record. In particular, it noted that Rwanda needed to “Tackle a lack of political freedom and harassment of journalists…” Harassment of journalists and newspaper agencies has increased dramatically during this past election year and since Rwanda was admitted to the Commonwealth. The Canadian government has been silent on the elections in Rwanda and the actions of President Paul Kagame’s government. The Green Party of Canada wishes to reiterate its support for founding President Mr. Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda and the President of the African Greens Movement. The Green Party of Canada also remains in solidarity with the aspirations of the peoples of the continent of Africa to have their nations and communities embrace and build democratic societies which can live free from violence and environmental degradation. We strongly encourage the government of Paul Kagame, the President of the Republic of Rwanda, and all other government officials to reverse its recent descent into undemocratic practice and turn its energies towards a fully democratic, inclusive and peaceful society. We recognize that Rwandan society can and should be among the leading societies on the African continent in the efforts to combat climate change and environmental degradation which remains the greater overall threat to the future of all Africans. We are disturbed by this recent news and once again, respectfully petition His Excellency Paul Kagame, the President of the Republic of Rwanda, and all other government officials concerned to do the following : [a] To conduct a full investigation into the death of Mr.Andre Kagwa Rwisereka and all other acts of political violence ; [b] To do or perform any other act that is politically and legally conducive to the successful registration of democratic political parties ; [c] To continue to adhere to internationally accepted democratic principles so that the culture of multiparty democracy is entrenched in Rwandan society. 30 Contact Information : Debra Eindiguer Press Secretary C : 613.240.8921 media@greenparty.ca
http://www.greenparty.org.uk/news/1 Commonwealth urged to act over Rwandan election unrest 16 July 2010 Caroline Lucas, with other Green Party leaders in the Commonwealth, is urging action after the killing of the deputy leader of the Rwandan Green Party, Andre Kagwa Rwisereka. In the lead-up to Rwanda’s presidential vote on the 9th August, the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda has been subject to harassment, intimidation, and death threats. Police have broken up party meetings, and the party has been barred from registering or putting up candidates for the election. (1) A letter was sent yesterday to the Commonwealth’s Secretary-General, Kamalesh Sharma, co-signed by Green Party leader Caroline Lucas, Sen. Bob Brown (leader of the Australian Greens) and Russel Norman (leader, New Zealand Greens). It calls on Sharma to take urgent steps to enforce the Commonwealth’s standards of human rights and democracy in Rwanda. (2) In part, the joint-letter from Lucas, Brown and Norman reads : The death of Green Party Vice President, Mr. Andre Kagwa Rwisereka, who was found dead on 14th July 2010, is a tragic event and we are extremely concerned for the other members of the Rwandan Green Party. Mr. Rwisereka’s death follows on from a series of events in the last few months that suggest that the Rwandan government is creating or allowing an extremely hostile environment for opposition political parties in the run up to Presidential elections on 9 August. Rwanda’s membership of the Commonwealth requires that it honors and complies with the Commonwealth’s fundamental political principles which include respect for civil society and human rights. We urge you to immediately send a team of Commonwealth representatives to Rwanda to ensure the Government is taking all steps possible to ensure respect for rights to freedom of expression, freedom of association and peaceful assembly of opposition parties. Notes 1) 15th July 2010, The Independent 2) This week, Reporters Without Borders also called on the European Union and other donors to suspend financial support for the election because of a series of grave press freedom violations.
http://www.globalgreens.org/stateme Assassination of Rwandan Greens Vice-President Mr. André Kagwa Rwisereka Global Greens demand investigation into the murder Call on the Commonwealth to act 15 July 2010 • Global Greens Statement The Global Greens express their deep shock and sadness at the murder of Rwandan Greens Vice President Mr. Andre Kagwa Rwisereka on 13 July 2010. Mr. Rwisereka was a prominent member of the Rwandan Greens which has been systematically blocked from registering as a political party. The assassination of André Kagwa Rwisereka is a tragic event that requires a strong reaction from the Rwandan institutions. The murderers of André Kagwa Rwisereka must be identified and brought to justice. Mr. Rwisereka’s murder appears to be another sign of the growing repression of Rwandan opposition groups and media as President Paul Kagame prepares for elections in August. There is serious doubt whether the elections will be free and fair. The Global Greens call on the international community to react to the increasing violations of human rights and democratic rules in Rwanda. The Global Greens call on the Commonwealth to act immediately to enforce its standards of human rights and democracy. Rwanda was admitted to the Commonwealth less than one year ago, in December 2009, against the clear advice of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI). If the Commonwealth fails to act, now that the CHRI warnings about Rwanda are being bourne out, it will signal the Commonwealth’s shallow commitment to its values. The Global Greens call on Green Parties around the world to raise the Rwandan situation with their governments and to request they take action to ensure that members of Green and other opposition parties are able to safely pursue their democratic rights The Rwandan government must also guarantee the safety of opposition groups and individuals and their freedom to speak out against the regime. We send our deepest sympathy to Mr Rwisereka’s family and colleagues. The Global Greens Coordination More information : James Tonson, secretary@globalgreens.org.au
http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2010/07/ Rwanda : Allow Independent Autopsy of Opposition Politician Foreign Experts Should Investigate Circumstances of Murder July 21, 2010 (New York) The government of Rwanda should allow independent foreign experts to carry out an autopsy on the body of André Kagwa Rwisereka, vice president of the opposition Democratic Green Party, Human Rights Watch said today. Rwisereka was last seen late in the evening of July 12, 2010. His body was found near the southern town of Butare on July 14. His head had been severed, and witnesses described unusual marks on several parts of his body. This is the second killing of an outspoken critic of the Rwandan government in less than a month, said Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch. An independent autopsy and inquiry are necessary to determine what happened to Rwisereka. Events leading up to Rwisereka’s death indicate that the murder may have been politically motivated. He had long told close friends and colleagues that he feared being killed as a result of his opposition to the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), the country’s ruling party. In recent weeks, Rwisereka had seemed increasingly concerned about his safety. In late June, the former Green Party secretary general, Charles Kabanda, visited Rwisereka at the Sombrero Club, the bar run by Rwisereka in Butare, and tried to convince him to leave the Green Party. Rwisereka had told people close to him that Kabanda, who left the Green Party earlier in the year, had told him that the RPF would never allow Rwisereka to leave the family referring to the RPF and questioned what would happen to members of the Green Party. Rwisereka told people close to him that he interpreted this as a threat. Rwisereka, like Kabanda and many other Green Party members, was formerly a member of the RPF. In previous months, other members of the Green Party had come under pressure to abandon their party activities by individuals believed to be close to the RPF or the government. The police initially stated to the media that Rwisereka had been the victim of a robbery, and that people who had seen him on the night he disappeared claimed that he was carrying a large sum of money. However, further investigations by Human Rights Watch and others revealed that he had left some money with a relative on the evening of July 14, but had been carrying little money and no valuables at the time of his death. The police subsequently changed their explanation, alleging a financial dispute between Rwisereka and Thomas Ntivuguruzwa, the last person to see Rwisereka before his disappearance. Ntivuguruzwa, whom the police are treating as the prime suspect, has been arrested and remains in custody. The conflicting police statements and discrepancies between the police version and those provided by sources close to the victim are creating doubt and confusion about the circumstances of Rwisereka’s death, Roth said. A thorough independent investigation would confirm or dispel these different explanations. The Circumstances Surrounding Rwisereka’s Death Human Rights Watch has established that on July 12, Rwisereka arrived at the Sombrero Club at around 10 p.m. and shared drinks and food with Ntivuguruzwa, a regular customer there. At around 1 a.m., Rwisereka left the bar and drove off in the direction of his house. Ntivuguruzwa retired to the hotel room he had reserved at the Sombrero Club and was not seen to leave the hotel until the following morning at around 9 a.m. Police spokesman Eric Kayiranga told Human Rights Watch that Rwisereka never arrived home. The following morning, an individual living in the area saw Rwisereka’s car, which was approximately three kilometers from the Sombrero Club, and called the police. The police told Human Rights Watch that the windshield was broken but that they did not believe that it was the result of a traffic accident. Rwisereka’s identity papers and keys were inside the car. Kayiranga said that the police conducted a cursory search of the area but did not expect to find Rwisereka near the site. Family and friends also searched the area for several hours, over a distance of nearly two kilometers, without finding any sign of Rwisereka. On July 14, police were alerted to a body that had been found by local farmers and confirmed that it was Rwisekera. His head had been severed almost entirely and his face showed signs of beatings. The police said his left arm was injured and his left leg broken. Others who saw the body reported to Human Rights Watch that it was covered with dozens of marks. In statements to the media, the police spokesman rejected claims by the Green Party that Rwisereka’s body showed signs of torture. A large butcher’s knife was found at the scene, according to police. Human Rights Watch’s investigation revealed that Rwisereka’s body was actually found only one kilometer away from his car, not three kilometers as the police spokesman had said. The police told Human Rights Watch that there was a lot of blood at the scene. However, when Human Rights Watch visited the scene the day after the body was found, there was little blood there. The blood was located in a single spot which roughly matched the size of Rwisereka’s head, and the body was on a steep slope, suggesting that Rwisereka may have been killed elsewhere. The police also told Human Rights Watch that Ntivuguruzwa had given a false identity and had not revealed his name on the hotel register. However, Human Rights Watch has seen the hotel register and confirmed that Ntivuguruzwa provided his full name and identity card number. André Kagwa Rwisereka and the Green Party Rwisereka was a longstanding member of the RPF, the former rebel movement that carried out attacks in Rwanda from Uganda from 1990, overthrew the government that planned the genocide, and ended the genocide in Rwanda in 1994. In July 1994, the RPF formed a government that still rules Rwanda. Rwisereka had worked closely with high-ranking RPF officials in raising funds for the movement while in exile in the Democratic Republic of Congo, but did not occupy an official position in the party or in the government formed by the RPF after the genocide. Over time, Rwisereka became disillusioned with the RPF. In 2009, he left the party to create the Democratic Green Party a new opposition party with other former RPF members. The Green Party has suffered numerous difficulties and has been unable to obtain authorization from the police or local authorities to hold its meetings. In October 2009, one of its meetings was violently broken up by police. Repeated obstacles by district officials have since prevented it from registering as a political party or competing in the presidential elections scheduled for August 9. Several of its members, including its president, Frank Habineza, have been threatened and urged to abandon their political activities. Earlier this year, three prominent members, including Kabanda, defected from the party and denounced its policies in what many observers believe was an RPF-backed attempt to destabilize the Green Party. While Habineza is usually the Green Party’s public spokesperson, Rwisereka had also spoken out on several occasions. In an interview with the BBC in October 2009, he said : It is time for people to act to bring about changes, as the RPF is incapable of having an internal revolution. So it has to accept that others come to its aid. A party that does not renew itself, from the point of view of its ideas, ends up falling. All the parties you have known which have worked with dictatorship, where are they now ? Other Recent Attacks and Intimidation of Government Critics Several other critics of the government have been targeted in recent weeks. On June 24, Jean-Léonard Rugambage, a journalist with the independent newspaper Umuvugizi, was shot dead outside his home in Kigali, the capital. His murder may have been linked to his newspaper’s critical stance and the sensitive investigations he was conducting in the days leading up to his death, including on the attempted murder of former general Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa in South Africa. The police have arrested two suspects, who have allegedly confessed to planning to kill Rugambage, in revenge for a killing they claim he committed during the genocide. Umuvugizi, along with the other main independent newspaper Umuseso, was suspended for six months by the Media High Council in April 2010, effectively preventing it from covering events in the election period. The leader of the PS-Imberakuri opposition party, Bernard Ntaganda, was arrested on June 24 and remains in detention. He is facing several charges, including endangering national security and inciting ethnic divisions. Several other members of his party, and the FDU-Inkingi, another opposition party, were arrested on June 25. They were released a few days later, but the case against them is pending. Like the Green Party, the PS-Imberakuri and the FDU-Inkingi have been prevented from offering candidates in the forthcoming presidential elections. The FDU-Inkingi has been unable to register as a party due to obstacles similar to those encountered by the Green Party. Its leader, Victoire Ingabire, has been formally accused of collaboration with armed groups, genocide ideology and divisionism. The PS-Imberakuri registered as a party, but was then taken over by dissident members who set up a parallel structure and appointed their own president to replace Ntaganda. Neither this new president nor Ntaganda are candidates in the presidential elections. On June 19, a former Rwandan general, Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa, was the target of an attempted murder in South Africa. Once a close ally of President Paul Kagame and a former chief-of-staff of the Rwandan army, Kayumba fled to South Africa in February. In exile, he became an outspoken critic of the Rwandan government and of Kagame. Senior Rwandan officials, including the president, have in turn criticized him publicly. The Rwandan government has requested his extradition from South Africa, accusing him of being behind a spate of grenade attacks in Kigali earlier this year. The South African police have arrested several suspects in connection with the attempted murder of Kayumba.
