http://www.jambonews.net/actualit%C3%A9/20121015-m23-un-nouveau-rapport-dexperts-onu-maintient-les-accusations-contre-le-rwanda/ M23 : Un nouveau rapport d'experts ONU maintient les accusations contre le Rwanda     15. oct | Par Jeph Mboneye | Catégorie: A la une Un rapport définitif établi par un groupe indépendant d'experts des Nations-Unies affirmant que le Rwanda continue de soutenir la rébellion M23 dans l'Est de la RDC a été présenté ce vendredi 12 octobre au comité des sanctions du conseil de sécurité de l'ONU. Malgré la confirmation de ces accusations par les ONG telles que le Human Rights Watch(HRW), International Crisis Group(ICG) ainsi que la condamnation par la communauté internationale de son implication dans ce conflit, le Rwanda continue à nier les allégations contenues dans ce rapport en affirmant qu'il a été établi sur base de rumeurs et des ouïes-dire. La rébellion M23 Ce rapport, qui est plus accablant que celui rendu public en juin 2012, indique que le Rwanda n'a pas cessé d'entrainer et recruter des troupes pour le M23, tout comme il n'a pas cessé de fournir des armes et de l'aide logistique. Comme il ressort de ce rapport, ce M23 serait composé d'environ 1250 soldats qui auraient déserté l'armée nationale congolaise et qui continuent de gagner du terrain. Des accusations sans fondement, selon le Rwanda Le Gouvernement rwandais dénonce et condamne ce rapport définitif le qualifiant de sans fondement et prétextant qu'il est basé sur des rumeurs; ceci en dépit de la confirmation des faits par des rapports similaires établis par Human Rights Watch et International Crisis Group. Le Gouvernement rwandais a chargé le cabinet d'avocats Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, basé à New York, pour l'aider à contrer ces accusations et défendre les autorités rwandaises devant le comité des sanctions des Nations-Unies. Ce cabinet d'avocats sera donc chargé d'élaborer un document montrant que le groupe d'experts des Nations-Unies est biaisé et que ces experts n'ont pas accordé au gouvernement rwandais l'occasion de répondre à ces allégations avant de finaliser et transmettre ce rapport. Un officiel du Gouvernement rwandais qui a pris connaissance de ce rapport définitif, a déclaré que le groupe d'experts ont procédé à une « kitchen-sink », stratégie consistant à coller des morceaux basés sur des rumeurs et des ouïes-dire tout en espérant que plus le volume des accusations non fondées sera grand, plus crédible sera le résultat de leur travail. Dans leur contre rapport qui devait être transmis au comité des sanctions ce vendredi 12 octobre 2012, le gouvernement rwandais veut s'attaquer directement aux auteurs du rapport plus particulièrement, au coordinateur du groupe, Steve Hege, l'accusant d'injuste et surtout d'anti-Rwandais. Par conséquent le gouvernement veut démontrer que Steve Hege n'est pas habilité, ni qualifié pour continuer dans sa position actuelle. Il ressort aussi du côté rwandais, que le groupe d'experts ne leur a pas accordé suffisamment de temps  pour examiner les résultats contenus dans ce rapport, avant de le transmettre au comité des sanctions et surtout, le Rwanda accuse ces experts de ne pas avoir incorporé dans ce rapport définitif les points de vue du Rwanda. Le Rwanda a refusé de discuter du rapport Un addendum publié récemment par les mêmes experts indique que le groupe a fourni des efforts afin de pouvoir discuter avec le gouvernement rwandais du contenu du rapport, mais sans succès notoire. Ils ajoutent que durant une visite officielle effectuée à la mi-mai à Kigali, le gouvernement rwandais n'a pas voulu les recevoir pour discuter de ces questions. Toujours pas de solution pour combattre le M23 Lors d'une réunion tenue récemment à Kampala en Ouganda, par la Conférence internationale pour la région des Grands Lacs, les chefs d'Etats ont accepté d'aller en avant en ce qui concerne le plan de déploiement  d'une force neutre de 4000 hommes sous l'égide des Nations-Unies et de l'Union africaine pour combattre les groupes rebelles dans l'Est de la RD Congo. Au cours d'une réunion convoquée par l'ambassadeur de la France auprès de l'ONU  sur la RD Congo tenue le 10 octobre 2012, l'Ambassadrice des USA, Susan Rice a confirmé les déclarations faites par le sous-secrétaire d'Etat des USA pour les affaires africaines, Mr. Johnnie Carson, qui demandent au  gouvernement rwandais de condamner officiellement le M23. L'Ambassadrice Rice a aussi insisté qu'une solution régionale soit trouvée. Cependant après 3 réunions avec échec à Kampala et un mini-sommet à New York sous les auspices de Ban-Ki-Moon terminé en chaos, il est difficile de s'imaginer  comment une solution régionale pourrait être trouvée. A Kinshasa, le sommet de la francophonie s'est clôturé  ce 14 octobre 2012 et il est prévu que tous les participants signent une résolution condamnant les exactions commises dans le Kivu la région Est de la RD Congo. Curieusement le Rwanda représenté par sa ministre des affaires étrangères Louise Mushikiwabo, selon TV5, n'a pas l'intention de signer cette résolution. Ces réserves observées du côté du Rwanda sont considérés par autres participants au sommet comme un aveu de culpabilité. Plusieurs centaines de milliers de déplacés Le M23 qui aurait été créé par le Gouvernement et les autorités militaires rwandais depuis avril 2012, a déjà causé plusieurs centaines de milliers de déplacés et est responsable d'innombrables morts et blessés dans le Nord-Est de la RD Congo riche en minerais. Ces accusations contre le Rwanda de créer et soutenir le M23 ont fait qu'un groupe de certains pays occidentaux ont suspendu leurs aides envers le Rwanda d'environ 90 millions de dollars américains, depuis le mois de juin, lorsque le rapport provisoire des experts de l'ONU ainsi que celui de Human Rights Watch avaient été rendus publics. Ce rapport définitif peut rendre difficile l'élection du Rwanda par l'Assemblée Générale, comme membre non permanent du Conseil de sécurité des Nations-Unies pour la période 2013-2014. Cette élection devrait avoir lieu au courant de la semaine prochaine. Jeph Mboneye Jambonews.net

Ese koko byaba ari impamo: Kagame ashobora kuba ashakishwa n’Ubushinjacyaha bw’Urukiko mpuzamahanga Mpanabyaha rwa La Haye

http://rwanda-in-liberation.blogvie.com/2012/10/06/ese-koko-byaba-ari-impamo-kagame-ashobora-kuba-ashakishwa-n%E2%80%99ubushinjacyaha-bw%E2%80%99urukiko-mpuzamahanga-mpanabyaha-rwa-la-haye/   Ese koko byaba ari impamo: Kagame ashobora kuba ashakishwa n'Ubushinjacyaha bw'Urukiko mpuzamahanga Mpanabyaha rwa La Haye Posted on octobre 6th, 2012 par rwanda-in-liberation  Amakuru akomeje guhwihwiswa ariko ataragira gihamya aravuga ko Ubushinjacyaha bw'Urukiko mpuzamahanga Mpanabyaha rwa La Haye ngo rwaba rurimo gukora iperereza ku byaha Kagame amaze iminsi ashinjwa na Loni hamwe n'imiryango mpuzamahanga itegamiye kuri Leta iharanira uburenganzira bwa muntu cyane cyane ariko igihugu cyatewe ari cyo Repubulika iharanira Demukarasi ya Kongo nk'uko byanagaragaye mu nama ya Loni aho perezida wa Kongo Joseph  Kabila Kabange yatangaje ku mugaragaro ko mu bihugu icyenda byose bihana imbibe na Kongo bibanye neza uretse u Rwanda ari narwo yise umwanzi w'abanyekongo. N'ubwo perezida Kabila yise u Rwanda umwanzi wa Kongo njye siko mbibona ahubwo nemera ko Atari abanyarwanda bateye Kongo ahubwo ari agatsiko ka Kagame bafatanya guteza umutekano muke mu karere kose k'Ibiyaga binini by'Afurika. Iri perereza ngo ryaba rije nyuma y'uko ibihugu by'ibihangange bishyize igitutu ku mushinjacyaha mukuru w'urwo rukiko umunyagambiya  Madame Fatou Bensuda ngo akurikirane Kagame ku byaha bikorwa n'umutwe wa M23 ashyigikiye ndetse no ku byaha by'intambara n'ibyaha byibasiye inyoko muntu byakozwe na leta ya Kagame nk'uko byagaragariye muri raporo ya Loni yasohotse taliki 1 Ukwakira 2010 isohowe n'Ishami ry'Umuryango w'Abibumbye rishinzwe iby'uburenganzira bwa kiremwa muntu mu ijwi ry'uhagarariye iryo shami umunyafrika y'Epfo Madame Navy Pillay. Iki gitutu ngo cyaba kije nyuma y'aho mu nama ya 67 y'Umuryango w'Abibumbye Kagame ananiriwe kumvikana na mugenzi we Kabila ku ihagarikwa ry'ubwicanyi mu burasirazuba bwa Kongo ahubwo Kagame akaba yarahisemo kwisohokera mu nama yari yateranijwe no kwiga kuri icyo kibazo ndetse na nyuma y'aho akaba yaratangaje ko aho kwamagana M23 azabanza kwamagana abatumye ibaho aribo bazungu. Kagame akaba amaze iminsi aca amarenga ku byaba birimo bitegurwa na ruriya rukiko aho mu nama ya Loni iherutse yatangaje ko rubereyeho abanyafurika b'abanyantege nke akaba yaranabigarutseho mu nama yo gutangiza umwaka w'ubucamanza yo kuwa 4 Ukwakira 2012. Kagame rero bikaba bigaragara ko ahangayikishijwe n'uko bishobora kumugendekera ukundi kuko binaboneka ko ahanganye imbonankubone n'amahanga nk'uko bimaze iminsi byigaragariza mu mvugo ze ndetse no mu myitwarire y'abo bahoze bakundana aribo bazungu banamumwimitse ku butegetsi. Abamushyigikiye nabo (niba bamushyigikiye koko batamushora) bakamukomera amashyi igihe avuga ko azahangana n'amahanga. Nyamara ababikurikiranira bugufi bemeza ko Kagame abo yita ko yashyize mu butegetsi bwe bamutinya bikabije ku buryo habura uwemera kumubwiza ukuri ahubwo bagahitamo kumuha amashyi ngo ashyekerwe akomeze atuke abazungu bityo bazashyire imbara mu kumubakiza kandi bazi ko babishoboye nk'uko byagendekeye Kadafi wari waragerageje kwigura kuri Sarkozy ariko akaba yarabaye uwa mbere mu kohereza indege n'abasirikari bo kuvanaho no kwica Kadafi. Ni iyihe nama umunt u ureba kure yagira Kagame? Kagame ni umunyarwanda ukwiye kwemera kugirwa inama nk'abandi. Mu by'ukuri ubanza nta muntu n'umwe wishimira gutegekwa nab a mpatsibihugu ariko nanone Kagame siwe muperezida wenyine uba muri Afurika. Ashobora kwiyemeza gukurikiza inzira za Robert Mugabe wa Zimbabwe ariko hari utuntu nka tubiri Kagame yibeshyaho: Kwa Robert Mugabe igihe yari ahanganye n'abazungu abasirikari be bari bamuri inyuma ariko kuri Kagame ntawe utazi ko igisirikari cyacitsemo ibice ku buryo kuzahangana n'amahanga bishobora kutazashoboka. Icya kabiri ni uko icyo Mugabe yapfuye n'abazungu cyane cyane ni uko yabambuye amasambu akayaha abanyazimbabwe bityo kuba abanyagihugu barashoboraga kumurwanya kandi ari bo yahaye ayo masambu ntibyari koroha ari nayo mpamvu Morgan Tsvangirai yananiwe kuvanaho Mugabe nyamara kuri Kagame siko bimeze kuko n'ubwo akomeza kubeshya ko ubutegetsi bwe ari bwo bwa mbere ku isi bukunzwe n'abaturage sinzi igipimo yabipimishije. Niba yarakurikije uburyo bajya kumukomera mu mashyi aho yagiye azabanze amenye neza igituma abaturage baba bagiye kumukomera amashyi n'uburyo bahagejejwe n'intore n'inkeragutabara nab a local defense n'abandi nabo umuntu atahamya ko bemera ubutegetsi bwa Kagame ahubwo ugereranyije n'ibyo bavugira ahiherereye basaba ko Kagame yarara avuye ku butegetsi. Kagame rero uwamugira inama yabanza kwita ku byo mu gihugu imbere: ubuzima bw'abaturage, uburenganzira bwa kiremwa muntu, uburenganzira bwo gutanga ibitekerezo, gufungura imfungwa zapolitiki n'ibindi abantu babona ko byatuma Kagame adahangana n'amahanga ngo nacika intege abanyagihugu bamuhirikishe urutoki.  Ibi byaba igisubizo cyiza kuri Kagame mu kubona umuti mwiza wo guhangana n'abazungu naho ubundi abavuga ko arimo agana inzira za Kadafi ntibaba bibeshya cyane. Ese koko birashoboka ko Kagame ashobora gukurikiza izi nama? Abazi Kagame kuva kera bemeza ko ukurikije imico n'imiterere ye byaba bigoye ko yakurikiza izi nama kuko akenshi ngo ahora ashaka kuba ari we ufata ibyemezo wenyine abandi bagakurikira butama kandi ngo ntashobora kwihanganira uwamunenga cyangwa uwamugira inama. Ibi ngo byanagaragariye mu nama ya Loni igihe yikubitaga agasohoka mu nama kubera ko ngo hari abari bamutunze agatoki. Abazi Kagame bakaba bemeza ko iyo agira ubushobozi abamuvuze batari kurara cyane cyane minisitiri w'ububanyi n'amahanga w'Ububiligi Didier Reynders dore ko ngo ari na we wakomye rutenderi yatumye Kagame agira umujinya agasohoka (http://www.lalibre.be/actu/international/article/763270/kagame-s-en-va-pendant-l-intervention-de-didier-reynders.html). Undi uvugwa mu kuba yarasonze mu ry'uyu Mubiligi ni umukuru w'Ubufaransa Francois Hollande na we watangaje ko Umuryango w'Abibumbye barimo ugomba gukora ibishoboka byose ukabungabunga uburenganzira bw'ikiremwa muntu ndetse ukanarinda ko bamwe mu bashaka guteza akavuyo mu isi batabigeraho. Aha yakomoje ku bihugu bitandukanye aho uburenganzira bwa muntu buhonyorwa anavuga muri Repubulika iharanira Demokarasi ya Kongo aho yatunze agatoki umutwe w'inyeshyamba za M23 n'abaziha imfashanyo bose. Kagame rero ubu watangiye kugaragaza integer nke noneho aranemera ko niba atayobora abanyarwanda uko bikwiye ngo bazamusaba akareka kubayobora kandi ngo azahita abikora, umuntu yakwibaza abazabimusaba abo aribo mu gihe afunga akanica buri wese ugerageje kugaragaza ibitekerezo bitandukanye n'ibye. Icyakora niba ashaka kuvuga ko bazabimusaba babinyujije mu nzira nk'iza Tuniziya, Misiri, Libiya n'ahandi ashobora gutegereza wenda yazabibona ariko akanitegura kwerekeza aho abayoboraga biriya bihugu birukanwe n'abaturage bagiye. Gusa Kagame mu kuvuga ko bazamusaba akegura ashobora kuba ari inzira yaciyemo ngo atabaze abadepite n'abandi bategetsi bari aho ngo bamufashe kwegura ariko bo kubera ubwoba yababitsemo ntibashobore kumva iyo mvugo ijimije ahubw bagakomeza gukoma amashyi aka ba bidishyi na wa mwami wabo watabaje abo yari yarabujije kumuvuguruza kugeze igihe uruhu rumukanyagiye akabura uwamutabara. Iyo atagira amahirwe yo kubona umukambwe wari waracitse ku icumu dore ko abakambwe bo mu gihugu cye yari yarabamariye ku icumu ngo hatazagira umuvuguruza aba yarafumbiye umunaba azize ubutamenya. Iby'aya maperereza y'ubushinjacyaha bwa La Haye kandi bije mu gihe amashyaka atavuga rumwe n'ubutegetsi bwa Kagame ariyo FDU-Inkingi na Rwanda Natonal Congress afatanyije n'imiryango yigenga ashyikiririje ikirego mu bushinjacyaha bwa ruriya rukiko taliki 17 Kanama 2012 arusaba gukurikirana Kagame ariko nanone umuhuzabikorwa wa rimwe muri ariya mashyaka ariwe Nkiko Nsengimana akaba aherutse gushyira ahagaragara inyandiko kuri internet ivuga ngo Kagame na we ni umunyarwanda atagoranye twamuha icyanzu yasohokeramo. Bikaba bigaragara ko aya mashyaka ari mu botsa Kagame igitutu uretse ko nyine ku bamuzi bemeza ko kuriya kutagorana kudashoboka. Ngibyo rero ibya Kagame n'abo batavuga rumwe n'amahanga bamwibasiye bashaka kumuvana ku butegetsi n'ubwo we yatabaje abadepite bakananirwa kumutabara. Nonese badepite uko muzi Kagame mutegereje ko azaza kubasaba ngo yegure? Mutegereje se ko yibwiriza bbugacya yaretse ubutegetsi mutabimufashijemo? Mutegereje se ko azamera nka Kadafi nibyo bizabashimisha? Niba mumukunda koko nk'uko mumukomera amashyi nimumufashe mumutabare yarabatabaje muvunira ibiti mu matwi. Ubwo se muri mwe habuzemo inararibonye ngo ishobore kumva ibisobanuro by'iriya mvugo ya Kagame itabaza? Ngaho nimumutabare cyangwa se mwemere ko apfa urwa wa mwami w'abidishyi. Umusomyi n'umukunzi wa RLP Kanyarutoki C. Nyagatare/East

The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sakharov_Prize   Jump to: navigation, search   For other uses, see Sakharov Prize (disambiguation). Sakharov Prize The 2009 awarding ceremony inside the Parliament's Strasbourg hemicycle Presented by European Parliament Location Strasbourg Country France Reward €50,000[1] First awarded 1988 Last awarded 2011 Currently held by Asmaa Mahfouz, Ahmed al-Senussi, Razan Zaitouneh, Ali Farzat, Mohamed Bouazizi Official website Website   The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, named after Soviet scientist and dissident Andrei Sakharov, was established in December 1988 by the European Parliament as a means to honour individuals or organisations who have dedicated their lives to the defence of human rights and freedom of thought.[2] A shortlist of nominees is drawn up by the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Development Committee, with the winner announced in October.[1] As of 2010, the prize is accompanied by a monetary award of €50,000.[1] The first prize was awarded jointly to South African Nelson Mandela and Russian Anatoly Marchenko. The most recent award, in 2011, was given to five representatives of the Arab Spring—Asmaa Mahfouz, Ahmed al-Senussi, Razan Zaitouneh, Ali Farzat, and Mohamed Bouazizi—for their contributions to "historic changes in the Arab world".[3] The prize has also been awarded to different organisations throughout its history, the first being the Argentine Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo (1992). The Sakharov Prize is usually awarded annually on or around 10 December, the day on which the United Nations General Assembly ratified the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948,[4] also celebrated as Human Rights Day.[5] [edit] Recipients Nelson Mandela was the inaugural winner of the prize, together with Anatoly Marchenko. Hu Jia received the award in 2008. Year Recipient Nationality Notes Reference 1988 Mandela, NelsonNelson Mandela South Africa Anti-apartheid activist and later President of South Africa [6] 1988 Marchenko, AnatolyAnatoly Marchenko (posthumously) Soviet Union Soviet dissident, author and humans rights activist [6] 1989 Dubček, AlexanderAlexander Dubček Czechoslovakia Slovak politician, attempted to reform the communist regime during the Prague Spring [6] 1990 Aung San Suu Kyi Burma Opposition politician and a former General Secretary of the National League for Democracy [7] 1991 Demaçi, AdemAdem Demaçi Kosovo Politician and long-term political prisoner [6] 1992 Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo Argentina Association of Argentine mothers whose children disappeared during the Dirty War [7] 1993 Oslobođenje Bosnia and Herzegovina Popular newspaper, continued to publish after its office building was destroyed in Sarajevo [7] 1994 Nasrin, TaslimaTaslima Nasrin Bangladesh Ex-doctor, feminist author [7] 1995 Zana, LeylaLeyla Zana Turkey A female politician of Kurdish descent from Eastern Turkey, who was imprisoned for 10 years for speaking her native language of Kurdish in the Turkish Parliament [6] 1996 Jingsheng, WeiWei Jingsheng People's Republic of China An activist in the Chinese democracy movement [7] 1997 Ghezali, SalimaSalima Ghezali Algeria Journalist and writer, an activist of women's rights, human rights and democracy in Algeria [7] 1998 Rugova, IbrahimIbrahim Rugova Kosovo Albanian politician, the first President of Kosovo [6] 1999 Gusmão, XananaXanana Gusmão East Timor Former militant who was the first President of East Timor [8] 2000 Basta !¡Basta Ya! Spain Organisation uniting individuals of various political positions against terrorism [9] 2001 Peled-Elhanan, NuritNurit Peled-Elhanan Israel Peace activist [6] 2001 Ghazzawi, IzzatIzzat Ghazzawi Palestine Writer, arrested several times by Israeli authorities for "political activities" [6] 2001 Kamwenho, Dom ZacariasDom Zacarias Kamwenho Angola Archbishop and peace activist [6] 2002 Payá, OswaldoOswaldo Payá Cuba Political activist and dissident [10] 2003 Annan, KofiKofi Annan (& United Nations) — Nobel Peace Prize recipient and seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations [6] 2004 Belarusian Association of Journalists Belarus Non-governmental organisation "aiming to ensure freedom of speech and rights of receiving and distributing information and promoting professional standards of journalism" [11] 2005 Ladies in White Cuba Opposition movement, relatives of jailed dissidents [12] 2005 Reporters Without Borders — France-based non-governmental organisation advocating freedom of the press [12] 2005 Ibrahim, HauwaHauwa Ibrahim Nigeria Human rights lawyer [12] 2006 Milinkievič, AlaksandarAlaksandar Milinkievič Belarus Politician chosen by United Democratic Forces of Belarus as the joint candidate of the opposition in the presidential elections of 2006 [13] 2007 Mahmoud Osman, SalihSalih Mahmoud Osman Sudan Human rights lawyer [7] 2008 Jia, HuHu Jia People's Republic of China Activist and dissident [14] 2009 Memorial Russia International civil rights and historical society [15] 2010 Fariñas, GuillermoGuillermo Fariñas Cuba Doctor, journalist and political dissident [16] 2011 Asmaa Mahfouz, Ahmed al-Senussi, Razan Zaitouneh, Ali Farzat, Mohamed Bouazizi (posthumously) Egypt Libya Syria Syria Tunisia Five representatives of the Arab people, in recognition and support of their drive for freedom and human rights. [3]

EURAC EDITORIAL: Daring to support democracy activists in the Great Lakes region

http://www.umoya.org/index.php/en-francactualidad-41/8943-eurfac-bulletin-octobre-2012   [...] Regarding Rwanda, EurAc has often denounced the EU's silence with regard to the lack of respect for human rights, which makes the work of human rights organisations very difficult, if not impossible, since they risk imprisonment or even death. EurAc and its member organisations have welcomed the decision by the European Parliament to accept the nomination of Victoire Ingabire, Déo Mushaidi and Bernard Ntaganda among the candidates for the Sakharov 2012 Prize for freedom of expression. This is the kind of courage that we would like to see among our institutions and governments when they talk about democratisation and defence of human rights in the Great Lakes region. In order to go beyond just words and good intentions, this democratisation also has to follow on from the courage to dare to offer real political support to these activists. Unfortunately the EP has not voted for the three Rwandan opposition leaders on the list of finalists for the Sakharov Prize. EurAc notes with dismay that the decision was influenced by the negative campaign conducted by certain parliamentarians who continue to support the government with very little critical thinking. In future weeks, this will give us a further opportunity to continue to remember that the EU has a fundamental role to play in the stabilisation of the Great Lakes region, which must follow on from respect for human rights and a commitment towards real democratisation in the three countries. [...]

Rwandan political opponents surely deserved the Sakharov Prize 2012

Rwandan political opponents surely deserved the Sakharov Prize 2012. The elimination in the second round of the application of three political prisoners in Rwanda , Madame Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, Bernard Ntaganda and Déogratias Mushayidi, from the 2012 Sakharov Prize is undoubtedly a big disappointment and surprise. With our utmost due respect to the verdict of the European Parliament which is sovereign in this matter, we had hoped that the European Parliament gives a further boost to that struggle of the three nominees for freedom and it reinforces the wind of democracy which is blowing across the African continent and the Middle East. Created in 1988 by the European Parliament to honor individuals or organizations who have dedicated their lives to the defense of human rights and freedoms, this award is a gesture of democratic solidarity without borders, which cannot be separated from the values of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. By nominating the three Rwandan opponents to this prize, the promoters of the application wanted, first of all, to express their admiration for the courage and selflessness of these three personalities who braved the fear and dared to denounce the repression that is currently afflicting the people of Rwanda . Indeed, who can still dare to deny the obvious evidence of intolerance and the closure of the political space in Rwanda ? In its last report of May 2012, Amnesty International denounced the "systematic use of torture in Rwanda " by the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI). While the Rwandan Constitution guarantees the right to personal integrity and prohibits the use of torture, even in its report of October 2012, Amnesty International mentions "reports of enforced disappearances, torture and other forms of abuse perpetrated against individuals in military detention centers ". It is against these gross violations, well known to the international community that the three Rwandan figures firmly stood up regardless of the ultimate risk for their lives. There is no doubt that the three final candidates are great and that their struggle deserves recognition as well. We congratulate them. The fact that the situation of human rights in their countries of origin is of great concern is also a reality. However, all things considered, none of their respective countries has been in less than two years the subject of two damning reports of the UN for serious violations of human rights. Indeed, in its report entitled "Mapping Report", the Rwandan government is pinned by the UN for acts, some of which can be qualified as genocide, committed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) against Rwandan refugees and Congolese people. In another report no less damning, UN experts have accused the Rwandan government of supporting the mutiny of Congolese rebels named M23 by enrollment of child soldiers in fighting. Rwanda has also been strongly criticized at the last general meeting of the UN Commission of Human Rights for its draconian laws, including the one relating to genocide ideology. This is the same law that led the three Rwandan figures behind bars where they currently are locked up with no hope of fair justice. Their struggle is similar to the one of the illustrious ancestors who were the basis of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which inspired the Sakharov Prize. We therefore believe that the European Union and its upper house of representatives which share these values ​​would be honored to support them in one way or another because freedom of expression and exercise of civil rights has no border. We take this opportunity to express our heartfelt thanks to all honorable Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) who supported this application. It is only a postponement. We urge them to remain in solidarity with the Rwandan people in their struggle for the universally recognized freedoms. This is the only way to prove that there is an alternative to violence that may surely lead to the opening of the political space. Done in Bruxelles, on October 14, 2012. FDU-Inkingi                                                                PS-Imberakuri Dr. Nsengimana Nkiko                                                Jean Baptiste Ryumugabe Chairman Coordinating Committee                            Representative in Europe   PDP-Imanzi                                                        IWNDP Gérard Karangwa                                                Madame Primitiva Mukarwego Vice-President                                                     Coordinator Belgium Section Encounters for Peace Luc Marchal Central Africa Section