Août 2011

vendredi 26 août 2011

Frank Habineza s Acceptance Speech : African leader in Innovation Sustainability Award from Pilot International Representative of the Office of President Republic of Uganda, Representative Office of Vice President, Republic of Gambia, Hon. Ministers, Hon. Presidential Advisors, Excellences, President and CEO Pilot International, Members of the Award Committee, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen First of all, I wish to recognize all the people to whom an especial reference is due and that is all of you dear ladies and gentlemen gathered tonight. I am humbled and honoured to receive the award of African Leader in Innovation and Sustainability . I accept this award on behalf of all the African Greens and more especially the Rwandan Green Democrats. I would also like to take on this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to, Mr.Charles Lwanga Bbaale, President, Ecological Party of Uganda for having nominated me for this prize. Special thanks also go to Pilot International Award Committee. The African Greens Federation is a peaceful movement which is moving with determination in risk and danger to establish a green and democratic society in Africa using non-violence. This award which I receive on behalf of that movement is a profound recognition that nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral question of our time the need for man to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to violence and oppression. The process to establish a continental federation of all African Green Parties and political movements has not been any easier. There were a lot of stumbling blocks on the way : language barriers, un-democratic regimes, long distances, and so on. We were very encouraged by our green brothers in Tunisia, who had to struggle for five years to get party registration. This was only possible one week after the January 2011 Tunisian revolution. We are very grateful to the Government and people of Uganda for having enabled us establish the African Greens Federation in April 2010. This was during the African Greens Congress, held in Bwebajya, Kampala, Uganda. This would not have been possible if the Government of Uganda had not officially registered the Ecological Party of Uganda, and to that we would like to register our sincere gratitude. That African Greens Congress had originally been planned to be held in Kigali, Rwanda, but it was not possible because the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda, had tried several times to get registered but was un- successful and one of its founding congresses, like that of 30th October 2009, was sabotaged violently and thereafter denied permission to convene once again. The worst happened on 14th July 2010, when it s Vice President ; Andre Kagwa RWISEREKA was found decapitated. The journey is still very long, but we are determined to continue the struggle for democracy. We reject revenge, aggression and retaliation. We must find a way to live together in peace. This Prize gives us more energy to prepare for the upcoming third Global Greens Congress, which will be held for the first time in Africa. It will be hosted in Dakar, Senegal in March-April 2012. I would like to request the CEO of Pilot International to convey to this respected gathering, my solemn and heartfelt thanks for this unique distinction, which will always be proudly remembered by all African Greens. Thank you so much and God bless you all. Frank Habineza President, Democratic Green Party of Rwanda and African Greens Federation

mercredi 17 août 2011

Pilot International, A Global Private-sector driven organization based in Uganda, whose purpose is to promote global sustainable development for the benefit of humanity and the Planet, has announced 3 Global icons in innovation and sustainability as the winners of the 2011 Global Pilot Awards. Frank Habineza, the President of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda and President of the African Greens Federation emerged as the winner of the African leader in Innovation Sustainability Award . This is in recognition of his tireless efforts to organize and lead a process that led to the official launching of the African Greens Federation, during the African Greens Congress held in April 2010, Kampala-Uganda and to strengthen cooperation between African Greens, by conducting exchange visits to West and North Africa. As a true Pan Africanist in the green revolution, he was behind the revival of the Central African Greens network, which reinforced green activities in Chad, Central Africa Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola and Gabon. In his home country, Rwanda, he was part of a climate change campaign organized by Rwanda Green Society that planted 50,000 trees. The 2011 Global Pilot Award winners, will have their awards bestowed upon them by the Office of the President -Republic of Uganda, during an awards ceremony, on the evening of 27 August 2011 at Fairway Hotel Kampala. The award ceremony will follow the closure of the Innovation and sustainability Conference Expo 24-27 August 2011 Kampala Uganda. More details on the 2011 Global Pilot Award winners are available at : http://www.pilotinternationalconfer

dimanche 14 août 2011

On the occasion of the second anniversary of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda, a global network of concerned citizens launches Friends of Rwandan Greens (FoRG) in Australia. FoRG is aimed at supporting democracy in Rwanda and the right of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda to campaign as an opposition party without fear of violence or repression. FoRG has been launched on 15th August 2011, also in time to participate in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Perth, Australia. The Australian Spokesperson for Friends of the Rwandan Greens, Amy Tyler, explains that whilst many of the members of FoRG share no history or common language with Rwanda, they have united under the Commonwealth values of democracy, freedom, peace, the rule of law and opportunity for all. FoRG was established after I spoke with the President of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda, Frank Habineza and learnt of the difficulties his party was having in participating democratically in Rwanda, Ms Tyler said. We decided to establish a Facebook and Twitter site so as to provide a measure of global oversight on the Rwandan situation. As can be seen by the Arab Spring democratic uprisings, social mediums like Facebook are increasingly being used as global tools to strengthen democracy Ms Tyler said. Facebook and Twitter are not just online forums to chat with friends. They also provide rapid unfiltered information, document abuses and connect members from all over the world in fights for social and political justice. FoRG will provide up to date information about the Rwandan Greens as well as remind the Rwandan government that there are people all over the world watching and documenting their actions. This year, FoRG is a focusing their attention on ensuring that the Commonwealth steps up the plate and ensures that political and democratic rights are upheld in their member states, such as Rwanda. Despite suspicions of human rights abuses, Rwanda was allowed to join the Commonwealth Nations in 2009. Since then, however, we have seen no progress in Rwanda for political freedom, and in fact things have probably got worse for those struggling for political freedoms in Rwanda, said Ms Tyler. The Commonwealth has roots as far back as the 1870s and one of its core principles is to strengthen civil society to build stronger democratic institutions and procedures. Leader of the Australian Greens, Senator Bob Brown is supportive of Friends of the Rwandan Greens taking action through the forum offered by the Commonwealth Nations. I have been concerned about political freedom in Rwanda for several years, and in 2009 I raised this issue in the Australian Senate before the admission of Rwanda to the Commonwealth. This was when there was an opportunity to review Rwanda s record on human rights according to the standards agreed to by the Commonwealth s 1991 Harare Declaration. The Australian Government should have insisted upon this before supporting Rwanda s Commonwealth membership. I and the Greens will continue to work for this worthy cause, Senator Brown said. Grass-root social organisations like Friends of Rwandan Greens need to take action because our governments are failing to fulfil their duty to the Commonwealth principles. Friends of Rwandan Greens are calling on the Australian and other Commonwealth governments to use the forum of the Commonwealth Nations, to take constructive action and investigate these crimes so as to ensure the political freedom of opposition parties in Rwanda and the next parliamentary elections in 2013 to be free, fair and democratic. said Ms Tyler. Our second anniversary has been a time of reflection and encouragement. The past two years have been very hard, we remember our founding congress of 30th October 2009, which was sabotaged violently and thereafter denied permission to convene again, we remember our First Vice President, Andre Kagwa RWISEREKA (RIP), who was decapitated on 14th July 2010-a few days to the August 9th presidential elections, we remember all the difficulties that our members have had to endure : those who have been imprisoned and those who had to go out of the country. We are determined to move on and will participate in the 2013 parliamentary elections. Democracy will finally take base in Rwanda. Keep strong my people, never lose hope, we shall overcome. We warmly welcome the launch of Friends of Rwandan Greens. Frank Habineza said. BRIEF BACKGROUND The Democratic Green Party of Rwanda was launched on 14 August 2009. However, the government made it impossible for them to register for the 2010 elections and they were unable to run for government. Then, on the 14 July 2010, their first Vice President, Andre Kagwa RWISEREKA was found decapitated, in a manner reminiscent of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide. For further details, please contact : Amy Tyler, Spokesperson for Friends of the Rwandan Greens