Catégorie : News

dimanche 8 août 2010

The Democratic Green Party of Rwanda was publicly launched on 14th August 2009 at Hotel Laico (Ex-Novotel) Kigali, in presence of Rwandans, local and international media. Several diplomatic missions accredited to Rwanda were also present. The first anniversary is due in just five days ahead. The Government of Rwanda made it very difficult for the party to get registered. It was therefore blocked from submitting a presidential candidate in today’s elections. The chronology of events to be given below are aimed at clearing off any mis-information that has been circulating in diplomatic circles and in the media suggesting that the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda failed to fulfill all the legal requirements in order to get registered. We actually did more than required as indicated below : 14th August 2009, political party launched in Kigali 14th September 2009, the party wrote a letter to the Minister of Local Government informing him of its plans to hold the first founding congress on 20th September at St.Paul Conference Center in Kigali. This was in accordance with the Organic Law N° 19/2007 of 04/05/2007 Modifying and Completing Organic Law N° 16/2003 of 27/06/2003 Governing Political Organisations and Politicians in Rwanda, which is clearly stipulated in Article 5. The new LAW does not require a party to request for permission to hold meetings, so that is why we informed him about our plans to have this congress, five working days in advance. 17th September 2009, the Minister of Local Government responded to our letter and advised us to avoid calling the meeting in the names of the ‘Democratic Green Party of Rwanda’, since the party was not yet recognized. He also advised us to follow provisions of the Law N° 33/91 of August 1991 regarding meetings held in public. That Law requires people planning to hold public meetings to request permission from District authorities. We never urged with the ministry, we followed their advice and started requesting for permission from district authorities, despite the fact that after the ARUSHA Peace accords in 1993-94, most of the laws of the former Government were made irrelevant and replaced by the RPF Declaration and the Constitution. The new Government of National Unity made new laws through the Transitional National Assembly from July 1994 after the genocide. It was strange to refer us to the 1991 laws. 18th September 2009, we wrote a letter to NYARUGENGE District (city district) Kigali City, requesting for permission to hold the first founding congress of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda on 27th September at St.Paul Gardens in Kigali. We also requested the presence of the Public Notary for Nyarugenge District, to come and witness the official signing of Legal documents of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda. Since the Law requires such documents to be certified/notified. 25th September 2009, the Mayor of Nyarugenge District, responded, giving us permission to hold the above mentioned congress, but regretted the absence of the public Notary. It was a Friday and the meeting was supposed to be held on a Sunday. In the few hours remaining before the weekend we tried to get another public notary from other three districts, but it was not possible, since it required an administrative process of sending an official letter requesting the Notary from the Mayor and it was already a weekend. So the meeting was not held on 27th September, though the permission was given. 29th September 2009, we wrote to the Mayor of Nyarugenge District informing him about the postponement of our meeting that was supposed to be held on 27th September, that it had been shifted to 2nd October at CANA Conference Center. We informed the Mayor that we had managed to get another public notary. On 2nd October 2009, as the first founding congress was in progress, having brought about 900 delegates from across the country, even though the law requires the party to have a minimum of 200 delegates, at least 5 from each of the 30 districts we have. We received a phone call from the District to immediately go and pick an urgent communication. It was a letter dated 1st October, informing us that we need to write again requesting for permission to hold the meeting on this date. That meant that the previous permission had been withdrawn. Since we are a party rooted on the principle on of NON-VIOLENCE, we decided to cancel the meeting, the founding president addressed the 900 delegates and informed them of the abrupt changes and promised to call them back another time. We had international Greens Representatives who had come to witness and support this event these were, Mr.Tousaint HINVI, President of the BENIN Green Party and Ms. Ana Marie BIHIRABAKE, Committee member of the BURUNDI Green Movement. Several diplomatic missions accredited to Rwanda were also present. We had the option of protesting the District’s new decision and would have called for an immediate demonstration. We did not do this. The police later came to make sure that we had complied with the new decision and went back peacefully. 6th October 2009, we wrote to the Mayor of Nyarugenge District requesting him to grant us permission to hold a founding congress on 30th October 2009 at St.Paul Conference Center in Kigali 10th October 2009, the Mayor of Nyarugenge District, responded granting us the permission to hold the said meeting on 30th October 2009. 13th October, we wrote to the Minister of Justice, requesting the presence of the Public Notary of the Ministry of Justice to come and witness the official signing ceremony of legal documents regarding the formation of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda on 30th October 2009. This Notary is the highest authority in that field. Other Notaries from different Districts had declined to come, clarifying that they cannot work outside their district territorial boundaries. So we had to request for the last resort. 27th October 2009, the Minister of Justice responded to our request and informed us that the presence of the public notary does not require the Minister’s consent as the law does not require the Minister to give such consent. That it is the duty of the Public Notary to act always in accordance with the Law. However, he mentioned that by copying that letter to the Public Notary, he was asking the public Notary to do what the Law provides and stick to the provisions of the law in exercising the functions of the Public Notary. This was good news. Our Constitution had already been submitted to the Public Notary, final corrections were submitted and the Constitution with all other founding documents were ready for official signing on 30th October 2009. 30th October 2009, it was our D-Day. Over 1500 delegates had been mobilized from across the country. The delegates were seated district per district. The Congress started. The Public Notary came. People who were not our members, forced themselves inside. One of them suddenly stood up and seemed to be traumatized, he started shouting our party slogan, ‘Igihe kirageze’ meaning The Hour Has Come and then switched off to ‘RPF Oyee’ meaning Hail RPF. In a matter of seconds, he lifted the chair he was sitting on threw it across the hall of seated delegates, and continued the same by lifting an throwing up several chairs. Our First Vice President, Late Andre KAGWA RWISEREKA immediately moved from the high-table and got hold of him. In that process a stampede broke up, people started fleeing the room. All over a sudden about 4-6 strong men pushed themselves inside the hall. The door had been closed. Meanwhile the Vice President was still struggling to take this saboteur out of the hall, then those 4-6 men came to the rescue of their colleague, now it was in the middle of the hall and immediately police which was outside the hall came in through a small door and arrested these strong men. Eye witnesses, including our Secretary General then, recognized that these men had GUNS-Pistols behind their back. This was confirmed to the Party President by the diplomats who were around, whom after seeing the guns immediately came to the high-table and requested the Party President to move away from there to a certain corner. The Party president was very shocked and had remained seated at the high-table. The American and Netherlands Embassy had sent representative to witness this event. Immediately after the police had taken those strong men outside the hall, the meeting was called to order and some delegates came back and were seated again peacefully. The Public Notary had already vacated the place. We started again the process to resume the meeting, then soon after a senior police officer grabbed the microphone from the Party President and declared that the meeting has been canceled due to security reasons. He immediately asked all participants to vacate the place. About 40 police men had come to support the 5 police officers who had been overwhelmed with what was happening. Police took the saboteurs in police custody, though all of them were later released in less than ONE HOUR. Our members were also arrested in this process, we followed them up. Other members were injured and police had rushed them to Kigali Central Hospital (CHUK). We followed them up and paid their medical bills. Other members lost their handbags, phones and other belongings. Mothers who had carried babies to the meeting suffered a lot. All our members were released a few days later. On that day, we immediately after held an abrupt press conference, since many local and international media houses including the BBC and Voice of America were present. The Party President, when asked who was behind that, he confirmed that it was the Ruling Party-RPF, because such a thing can never happen in Rwanda. No one in Rwanda can dare fight with the National Police. No one in the post-genocide Rwanda had ever done such a thing. The Government denied this and instead said that it is members of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda who fought due to some disagreements. Everyone around that day including diplomats know very well, that the meeting was sabotaged when the Secretary General was peacefully reading articles of the Internal Rules and Procedures and no discussions had started. UMUVUGIZI Newspaper published the photos of the saboteurs and made a lead story that it was State Security Agents who had sabotaged our meeting. UMUSESO Newspaper also run a story that it was agents of the National Security Services who had sabotaged the founding congress. Both Newspapers have been suspended and banned in Rwanda. The UMUVUGIZI Sub-Editor who wrote the said story ; Jean Leonard RUGAMBAJE, was gunned down recently in Kigali. 30th October was a sad day for democracy in Rwanda. 5th November, we wrote to GASABO District (it is the same district hosting the President’s office and several ministries), requesting for permission to hold another founding congress on 20th November 2009 at CASABONITA Hall in Kimironko. This was planned to coincide with the opening ceremony of the COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF STATE MEETING in Tridad and Tobago, where Rwanda’s application to enter into Commonwealth was being accessed. We had expected that since Rwanda was very much interested to enter the Commonwealth, it would do everything possible to let democracy take root in Rwanda and let our party be registered. 5th November 2009, we wrote to the Minister of Justice, requesting for the presence of the Public Notary. 6th November 2009, the Mayor of GASABO District, responded to us, saying that they cannot give us the required permission to hold the founding congress. He informed us, that since we had problems and our members fought on 30th October and police rescued the situation, we should first get a POLICE CLEARENCE showing how our problems were resolved by the National police, such that the District would have assurance that what happened in Nyarugenge District does not happen again in Gasabo District. 11th November 2009, we wrote to the Commissioner General of the National Police, requesting a police clearance but also informing him that none of our members caused any trouble on 30th October, that the people who caused trouble were not known to us. Officially we never accused the RPF or the Government. 13th November 2009, the Minister of Justice responded to our request and regretted to inform us that the Public Notary will not be available for the 20th Nov 2009 meeting, since she has other official commitments, the Minister advised us to contact the District Public Notary for the same service. 15th November 2010, Party member Gaston BIHIBINDI-Ex soldier was pushed into an army car and rushed to the Ministry of Defense ; he spent three days in an under-ground detention center in the basement of the Ministry of Defense, without food and was mistreated. These details were published by the media. 23rd November 2009, the Commissioner General of the National Police, responded to us, saying that he cannot give us the required police clearance, because he is not sure that what caused conflicts between our members on 30th October has been resolved, such that it cannot happen again. He also requested us that if we know more information on the people we say were not our members but caused the trouble, to give it to the police. 23rd November 2009, the same day, we responded to the Commissioner General of the National Police and once again requested him for the police clearance and gave him two names of the people we had seen in the photos published by UMUVUGIZI Newspaper : Mr.KIMENYI Claude, resident of Nyamirambo Sector, Nyarugenge District, who is also the President of all money changers in the city, Mr.KAYISIRE Emmanuel, resident of Kimironko Sector, Gasabo Distct, who was as a commission agent at KISEMENTI in Remera. 22nd January 2010, the Commissioner General of Police, responded to us, but the Letter was received on 26th January 2010, in a very brief Letter ; the Commissioner General said that it is not in Police’s roles to grant permissions to hold meetings, but to ensure security for people and their property. That, permissions for holding meetings are given by District Authorities, where a meeting is going to be held. We were very astonished ; the Police never mentioned anything on the said investigations of the people who caused the trouble, though we had helped by giving some names. The Police never responded on the question of the required Police Clarence but rather talked about permissions for meetings, yet we had not written to the police asking for permission but clearance. 2nd February 2010, we wrote once again to GASABO District and informed them that the police was ready to ensure our security, so we once again requested for the permission to have our congress 4th February, Frank HABINEZA, Party Leader was physically threatened by a stranger at Hotel Leprintemps in Kigali. The man, said he they were monitoring very closely the Party Leader and told him of the people he was going to meet that evening (BBC) and those he had met two days ago ( Dutch TV) and when even the emission will be aired out (before world cup). This was enough evidence that indeed someone was watching the Party Leader very closely. He was asked why he is with Ms.Victoire INGABIRE. He was also asked why he is fighting people who paid for his school fees ( University Government Sponsorship) 5th February, Frank HABINEZA reported the matter to Remera Police station. No results of the investigations till now. 10th February 2010, the Mayor of GASABO District, responded and once again referred us to his Letter of 6th November 2009 and requested us to go back to the police and bring a clearance that we shall never have conflicts again. We did not go back to the police, we portioned the Minister of Local Government, who is also in charge of political parties. 19th February 2010, we wrote to the Minister of Local Government, asking him to intervene in our situation and use his good offices to impress upon the Mayor of Gasabo District to solve our problem. After one months period we received a phone call from a Ministry official in charge of Good Governance, who requested to meet with us. We met on 24th March 2010, and the Ministry officials showed interest in resolving our problems, but mentioned that we need to agree on the strategies, which can help us to have a peaceful congress. The Ministry official requested for a List of our Members, detailing their particulars, so that it can be shared with all security organs to make sure that people who are not our members never intrude again in our meetings. The security would make sure that it is only the people on the said Lists who will only attend the meeting. We did not refuse or accept, we needed to think about several strategies. We agreed to have another meeting soon and share the strategies. The next three agreed dates for a second meeting were not honored by the Ministry official, since they had other emergencies. The meeting never happened and the Minister never responded to us till now. 22nd February 2010, UMUSESO Newspaper, published a lead story saying that FRANK HABINEZA WILL BE KILLED IN 60 DAYS 25th February 2010, Frank HABINEZA, Party Leader, wrote to the Minister of Internal Security, Requesting for Protection and mentioned the UMUSESO article and the security threat at Hotel Liprentimpes. The Letter was copied : H.E, the President, Prime Minister, Commissioner General of Police, National Security Service, National Human Rights Commission and All Embassies in Rwanda. TILL NOW THERE IS NO RESPONSE, though the police CID invited us for further details. 22nd April 2010, Senior members of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda : Secretary General, Mr.Charles KABANDA, Communication Secretary, Mr.Vincent NSHIMIRIMANA and Deputy Treasurer Ms. Jean Marie Vianey KANTENGWA, defected from the party. They disassociated themselves from the party and called for an abrupt press conference, where even the National Television and Radio came for the first time to our office. They did this when the Party President, Frank HABINEZA, had travelled to Netherlands the same day. They made very serious allegations about him, which might have ended him in prison. He cut his stay short and returned two days after and took control of the situation, those officials were later replaced and the party activities went on. 7th May 2010, we wrote to the Minister of Local Government, informing him of our new strategies for registering the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda, we mentioned that we had considered that we met with MINALOC officials on 24th March 2010 and considered that due to several emergences on the MINALOC’s side, three other appointments were cancelled, we were unable to meet again to find a common solution to hold a peaceful congress. We informed him that we had examined the Organic Law, No.16/2003 of 27/06/2003, governing political organizations and politicians, and Organic Law No. 19/2007 of 04/05/2007, which modifies and completes Law No.16/2003 of 27/06/2003 and found out that, actually in order for a party to get registered, it does not need to have a party congress, but rather to have its founding documents notified/certified by a public Notary. We had therefore planned to bring very few people as required by the law and at separate occasions, to the Notary, and thus be able to avoid big crowds and be sure that we don’t get any intruders who may become a security threat. We informed the Hon.Minister that the Law normally requires at least 5 people from each district. We planned to bring people province by province and this would at least require 5 working days, since we have 4 provinces and the City of Kigali to complete the process successfully and peacefully. Once the activity of signing the party documents is complete, we then planned to submit officially our dossier to MINALOC, this way, we hoped we could have a peaceful process and it would be a win-win situation. We also informed the Minister that we had been able to re-organise the party Leadership after some of our members defected and we had no problem internally, we are attached on that Letter two of our recent press-releases, one was our official response on the defectors and the second one was about our new executive committee and new party strategies. 7th May 2010, we also wrote to the Minister of Justice, requesting to sign founding party documents in the Public Notary’s office. We detailed our plan as mentioned above and requested the presence of the Public Notary from 17th -21st May. We understood that the Public Notary had a lot of other duties, but we believed that since we shall be bringing very small numbers from the provinces, this activity could not take more than two hours a day. We were e also privileged to note to the Minister that it was the same Public Notary who had also done the proof-reading and corrections of the Party Constitution, before 30th October 2009, so we believed that this activity will go on very smoothly and peacefully. There was no response to both Letters, however the same day, the Minister of Local Government was interviewed on BBC Great lakes and said that whatever the case, a congress was mandatory, that people had to meet and sign at once. 17th May 2010, the Leadership of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda confirmed Frank HABINEZA, as the flag bearer for the party in the Presidential Elections of 9th August 2010, but clarified that he would only stand if the Party was registered. 18th May 2010, we once again wrote to the District of GASABO, requesting for permission to have a founding congress on 4th June 2010 at CASABONITA Hall. We had planned that if the congress was held on that date, it was still possible to register in time and present a candidate for the Presidential elections. THE MAYOR NEVER RESPONDED TO US, TILL NOW. The ball is in Government hands. 24th June 2010, the National Electoral Commission started receiving nominations for presidential candidates 24th June 2010, our opposition partner Parti Sociale Imberakuri had requested for a public demonstration against the National Electoral Commission. In the early hours of the morning the founding President of PS Imberakuri, Me. Bernad NTAGANDA, was arrested from his home while still in bed. He is in Prison till now. We rushed to the US Embassy to request for their intervention, several people were arrested from PS Imberakuri and FDU Inkingi. The Democratic Green Party of Rwanda’s founding President, Frank HABINEZA and First Vice President, Andre KAGWA RWISEREKA were also arrested and held up for one hour. Their National ID’s and telephones had been taken by police, but were later returned. All the three opposition parties were unable to present a presidential candidate. 13th July 2010, the First Vice President of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda, Mr.Andre KAGWA RWISEREKA went missing, his car had been found in MUKULA river wetland, a few miles away from Butare town. His house keys, driving license, car keys and national ID were found inside the car. It was smashed a bit on the front driving mirror, but it was not seriously damaged. The same day we went to Butare and followed up the case. The car was packed at HUYE Police station. 14th July 2010, Mr.Andre KAGWA RWISEREKA was found dead, nearly decapitated, his head was cut and almost completely removed from his body, eye witnesses identified stabs on his chest. It was a very shocking and terrifying way of killing a human being, it reminded us that of the 1994 genocide. 20th July 2010, our First Vice President was buried in Butare where he had lived for the last 16 years 20th July 201, campaigns for Presidential Elections started 9th August Presidential Elections 14th August, FIRST ANIVESARY of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda WAY FORWARD We decided not to contest the process of the Presidential Elections Campaigns We also decided not to contest the results of these Presidential elections We shall once again request for our party to be registered after the new head of state has been sworn in If registered, we shall have two years to prepare ourselves for the 2013 Parliamentary elections We are a NON-VIOLENT PARTY, and we are trying our best to do everything possible to avoid ourselves getting into situations that can lead the country into any chaos. We shall NEVER support war or armed conflict as a means to solve national problems. We shall continue with a peaceful Legal democratic struggle, and lead our country into the final phase of its Liberation Struggle. Indeed The Hour Has Come for the proper democratization process of our country- Rwanda. URGENT CALL FOR HELP We urgently call for the release of our party Coordinator for Kigali City, Ms.Seraphine MUKAMANA, will be released soon, she was arrested after a set-up of a bribery case of 20,000 Frw ( about 40 USD), late November 2009 and was sentenced to five years in Prison in the Kigali maximum prison (1930). Last week, she was seriously hill and hospitalized in the prison medical center. Her family fears for her life. She appealed the sentence and the hearing was programed for 2012, this decision has also been appealed but no new dates have been given. She said in court that her case was politically motivated. They had arrested her husband on assumption that he smokes marijuana, but found out that he does not even smoke tobacco, she was tricked to bring a fine of 20,000 Frw, when she took the money and handed it to a police officer, they said she was bribing a police officer, since then she is in prison. She is a mother of five and was the main bread winner for the family. FOR MORE URGENT INFORMATION : For more urgent information, you can contact the Party Leader, Frank Habineza, who is currently in Berlin-Germany, participating in the Second Global Young Greens Congress. He has a big role to play as the President of the African Greens Federation and also as the Africa Representative to the Global Greens Coordination. In January 2007, during the First Global Young Greens held in Nairobi-Kenya, he was elected East Africa Representative to the African Young Greens Federation Committee, later he was confirmed as the Secretary of the African Young Greens Federation, a position he will handle over soon. He can be contacted on Email : fhabineza@africangreens.org and on Phone : +4915129025311 Issued on 9th August 2010 Frank HABINEZA Founding President Democratic Green Party of Rwanda

samedi 24 juillet 2010

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

samedi 24 juillet 2010

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

vendredi 23 juillet 2010

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

jeudi 22 juillet 2010

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.

jeudi 22 juillet 2010

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

jeudi 22 juillet 2010

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

jeudi 22 juillet 2010

CHRI condemns the recent wave of killings and suppression of press freedoms in the run up to the Presidential election on the 9 August 2010. In the last two months Jean-Léonard Rugambage, a journalist working for the banned newspaper Umuvugizi, and Andre Kagwa Rwisereka, the vice president of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda, have been brutally murdered. There are allegations of RPF and security service involvement in a number of different incidents. Mr Frank Habineza, Green Party candidate for President, has complained that he has been subject to harassment and surveillance. Lieutenant –General Nyamwasa, the former army chief of staff who is currently living in exile in Johannesburg, was the subject of an assassination attempt on 19 June 2010. The involvement of Rwandan security agents is strongly suspected and two of the individuals originally arrested by the South African police have now been released. Dominique Makeli, a former Rwandan journalist currently living in exile in Kampala, was the subject of an attempted abduction on the 28 June 2010 allegedly by Rwandan agents. Two newspapers Umuseso and Umuvugizi have been banned by the High Media Council after allegations that they had published stories that insulted President Kagame incited the army, caused police insubordination and frightened the public, contrary to Article 83 of Rwanda’s media law. Bernard Ntaganda, the PS Imberakuri candidate for president and currently the only independent registered candidate for President, has been charged with terrorism offences after participating in a peaceful demonstration against the National Electoral Commission. Victorie Ingabire, the leader of the UDF, has been unable to register for the election and members of her party have been imprisoned and subject to abuse. Rwanda joined the Commonwealth in November 2009 at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Port Spain. A few months prior to this CHRI released a report on Rwanda’s human rights record, authored by the leading constitutional expert Professor Yash Ghai. The report cast doubt on Rwanda’s human rights record and its democratic stability and highlighted the increasingly hegemonic nature of the RPF in Rwandan politics and concluded that due its poor human rights record Rwanda should not be admitted to the Commonwealth at the 2009 CHOGM. The rapid increase in violence and the constriction of political space and human rights in Rwanda following their Commonwealth membership has unfortunately proven the report’s predictions correct. Many supporters of Rwanda’s application for membership argued that Commonwealth membership would provide an incentive for the government to improve its human rights record. The actions of President Paul Kagame over the last six months have in fact shown the government to be committed to ensuring their own political survival and suppressing all political opposition to the RPF. The Commonwealth’s silence on recent developments in Rwanda cast grave doubts on the organisation’s commitments to the values that it recently re-affirmed at the 2009 CHOGM in Trinidad and Tobago. CHRI echoes the condemnation voiced by the UN Secretary General and the European Union over political killings in Rwanda and urges immediate independent international enquiry into these incidents and supports the Commonwealth Green Parliamentarians’ call for Commonwealth representatives to be sent to Rwanda to immediately. Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative ICS Senate House Mallet Street London Tel : 02078628857

jeudi 22 juillet 2010

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

jeudi 22 juillet 2010

GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES http://www.gp.org For Immediate Release : Thursday, July 15, 2010 Contacts : Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, cell 202-904-7614 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 202-904-7614 end_of_the_skype_highlighting, mclarty@greens.org Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 916-995-3805 end_of_the_skype_highlighting, starlene@gp.org Greens urge Obama to press for an investigation, citing obstruction, violence against opposition parties by the Rwanda government Green Party Speakers Bureau : Greens available to speak on foreign policy :http://www.gp.org/speakers/speakers WASHINGTON, DC — The Green Party of the United States expressed shock and sadness over news of the barbaric killing of André Kagwa Rwisereka, Vice President of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda (http://www.rwandagreendemocrats.org). Mr. Rwisereka’s body, discovered July 14 after he was missing for several days, showed evidence of murder. US Greens have joined Green Parties around the world in extending their sincere condolences to Mr. Rwisereka’s family and community and the Rwandan Green Party. Green Party leaders are calling on the Obama Administration to support a full investigation of this murder and the deeply disturbing allegations that André Kagwa Rwisereka’s assassination was politically motivated, tied to the current political leadership of the Rwandan government of President Paul Kagame and his ruling Rwanda Patriotic Front (RFP), which has close ties to the US. The Kagame government has consistently prevented Greens and other opposition parties from freely registering as political parties. Rwanda is portrayed by the Obama Administration as an ’African success story,’ said Marian Douglas-Ungaro, co-chair of the Green Party’s International Committee (http://www.gp.org/committees/intl), member of the Green Party Black Caucus (http://www.gp.org/caucuses/black/in ) and DC Statehood Green Party, and a veteran international elections monitor. “Yet, this same government stands accused of human rights abuses including crimes against humanity and political repression. Five times it has prevented the Rwanda Democratic Green Party from convening, once violently, thereby bureaucratically blocking them from appearing on the ballot for the upcoming August presidential elections. How is this a beacon of democracy in Africa ?†US Greens are preparing a letter to be sent to President Obama urging him to press for a full inquiry into the assassination and for prosecution and punishment of the assassins. See also : Death Announcement : Rwandan Democratic Green Party Vice President Assassinated Democratic Green Party of Rwanda press release, July 14, 2010http://rwandagreendemocrats.org/spi Rwandan Opposition Leaders and members have been assaulted, arrested and hundreds are still missing Democratic Green Party of Rwanda press release, June 24, 2010 http://rwandagreendemocrats.org/spi Global Greens statement on the assassination of Rwandan Greens Vice-President Mr. André Kagwa Rwisereka http://www.globalgreens.org/stateme Greens in the US protest attempts by the government of Rwanda to suppress the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda Green Party of the United States press release, November 2, 2009 http://www.gp.org/press/pr-national Rwandan opposition parties condemn grenade attacks in Kigali San Francisco Bay Guardian, February 21, 2010 http://sfbayview.com/2010/rwandan-o MORE INFORMATION Green Party of the United States http://www.gp.org 202-319-7191 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 202-319-7191 end_of_the_skype_highlighting, 866-41GREEN begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 866-41GREEN end_of_the_skype_highlighting Green candidate database and campaign information :http://www.gp.org/elections.shtml Green Party News Centerhttp://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml Green Party Speakers Bureauhttp://www.gp.org/speakers Green Party ballot access pagehttp://www.gp.org/2008-elections Green Party Livestream Channelhttp://www.livestream.com/greenpartyus Video clips from the Green Party’s 2010 Annual National Meeting, Detroit, Michigan, June 24-27 http://www.gp.orghttp://www.livestream.com/greenpartyus Green Pages : The official publication of record of the Green Party of the United States http://gp.org/greenpages-blog END