ICG: THE ALLEGATIONS OF RWANDA SUPPORTING M23 REBELS IN NORTHERN KIVU ARE VERY CREDIBLE

http://crisisgroup.tumblr.com/post/33787670694/the-allegations-of-rwanda-supporting-m23-rebels-in THE ALLEGATIONS OF RWANDA SUPPORTING M23 REBELS IN NORTHERN KIVU ARE VERY CREDIBLE. IT'S NOT ONLY THE PANEL OF EXPERTS, IT'S MANY INDEPENDENT ORGANISATIONS, INCLUDING THE INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP, WHO RECENTLY PUBLISHED A REPORT ON THE SUBJECT AND WHO POINT OUT THE ROLE OF RWANDA IN THIS CRISIS. THE INVOLVEMENT OF UGANDA SEEMS TO BE MORE RECENT BUT IS ALSO CREDIBLE. THERE HAVE BEEN ALLEGATIONS OF UGANDA SUPPORTING M23 SINCE JULY 2012 BUT IT SEEMS MORE REALISTIC THAT THIS SUPPORT IS MORE RECENT AND IS A CONSEQUENCE OF THE DOWNSIZING OF RWANDA'S SUPPORT FOR M23 AFTER SEVERAL COUNTRIES IMPOSED SANCTIONS ON RWANDA. — Marc-Andre Lagrange, Crisis Group's Senior Analyst, Central Africa, on Rwandan and Ugandan support for M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo FULL INTERVIEW (Deutsche Welle) ∞Posted on October 17, 2012 Source: dw.de Notes: 2 notes Tags: Congo,DRC,Marc Lagrange,Rwanda,m23,news,north kivu,politics,Uganda

http://www.jambonews.net/en/news/20120425-rwanda-prosecution-seeks-life-sentence-after-ingabires-withdrawal/ Rwanda: Prosecution seeks life sentence after Ingabire's withdrawal   Apr 25th, 2012 | By Ruhumuza | Category: News The Rwandan prosecution says it will seek life imprisonment for opposition leader Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, in the trial which turned out to be a very controversial one.   Victoire Ingabire On Monday, April 16, 2012, Ms. Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza told the High Court of Kigali that she had "irrevocably lost confidence in the possibility of a fair trial" and that therefore "she will boycott all future court hearings". Such a decision was taken because of "the persistent lack of fairness since the start of her trial", including continuous intimidations against defense witnesses and defense lawyers. She instructed her defense counsel to abide by her decision and stay away from this unfortunate circus." The prosecutor said that "the alleged intimidations of defense witnesses" were not a sufficient reason to withdraw from the trial and that she may be forced to appear in court even in case she persists in wanting to boycott the court hearings adding that if necessary, a new lawyer would be appointed to represent her in her absence. Ms. Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza told the High Court that the situation has reached a point of no return and that a fair trial is impossible under those conditions. "Although I am accused of terrible crimes, my witnesses are being intimidated and the Court does not care", she said before going through a brief review of all the difficulties she encountered so far and demonstrating that her trial was rather political than judicial. Among the issues mentioned, she disclosed the contents of her secret meeting with the Prosecutor General Martin Ngoga, who, she says, told her that she was arrested because she created a political deadlock within the government, alleging that she would like establish "a Hutu regime" because she and her party accuse the RPF of having committed crimes against the Hutu population. The Prosecutor General said that the government expects an apology from her in exchange for a government pardon. On May 13, 2011, in response to these private discussions, Ms. Victoire Ingabire  sent a private letter to the Prosecutor General in which she advised the regime to release all political prisoners, open up political space and start discussions with the opposition. "Shall I die or live, imprisoned or be freed, what we have accomplished will never be wiped out"because this movement is stronger than myself", she specifically wrote in her letter released today by her political party on her request. The straw that broke the already over filled vase was the refusal by the Court, on Monday, April 16, 2012, to hear Michel Habimana, former spokesman of the FDLR, that the defense counsel had called in as a witness about the alleged intimidations against the defense witnesses. The Court refused to hear him on this issue and ordered him to leave the courtroom. On April 11, this witness was called to the stand and appeared in court although the prosecutor objected to the possibility that he would be heard as a defense witness invoking a previous conviction for genocide by a Gacaca court; the Court agreed to hear him without swearing in, just for the court's own information. In his lengthy testimony of April 11, the former FDLR officer, completely dismantled the credibility of the prosecution's key witness, namely, "Major" Vital Uwumuremyi. According to Michel Habimana, who was acquainted to Vital Uwumuremyi in custody, the later is working for Rwandan secret services; he had even tried to recruit Michel Habimana in 2009 so that together they could trump up false charges against Ms. Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza on behalf of the Rwandan regime. "From the beginning we were hoping for some kind of fair trial. But it didn't take long before we realized that a fair trial would never take place", Ingabire's British Lawyer, Iain Edwards, told a Dutch journalist, Anneke verbreaken, close to the case in an extensive interview. Controversy The alleged intimidations and interrogations outside the courtroom of the defense witness(s) by the prosecution led human rights activist to question the fairness of this trail. "There are concerns about two incidents in particular," Carina Tertsakian of Human Rights Watch told the VOA News. "One is the sudden search of his prison cell apparently on the orders of the prosecution, in which all his papers were seized, the notes of the statement he would make in court.  And the second aspect, which seems also very concerning, is that this same witness was questioned in the prison – not in the court but in the prison – by the prison director and another official in the absence of any lawyer and in parallel with the court proceedings." In the Netherlands, which has been supporting the Rwandan judicial system heavily since the 1994 genocide, MPs went on calling for a stop of the aid after viewing the documentary evidence by the Radio Netherlands Worldwide . "That a witness would have been manipulated confirms once again that these things happen inRwanda," said Dutch MP Joël Voordewind of the Christian Union (CU) party. "This leads to the suspicion that we should break our cooperation with this trial." A week before the start of the trail six month ago, in the article titled "Ingabire's trial becomes a litmus test for Kagame government", the author, Simon Allion, stated: "If Ingabire is genuinely guilty, and can be shown to be so, Kagame will be vindicated. If she's found not guilty, or proceedings degenerate into a show trial, Kagame will have serious questions to answer about abuse of power and his commitment to democracy." Regardless of what the verdict is going to be, this case has shown once again, how fragile and how the Rwandan justice system can be manipulated and used for political aims from all sides. In November 2011 while in Kigali,U.S.Ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, criticizedRwanda'Closed Political Life': "Press restrictions persist.  Civil society activists, journalists, and political opponents of the government often fear organizing peacefully and speaking out. Some have been harassed.  Some have been intimidated by late-night callers. Some have simply disappeared", said Ambassador Rice. If Ms. Victoire Ingabire is found 'guilty', she will join other opposition leaders who are already serving their sentences in the infamous Kigali maximum security prison known as 1930, for almost similar crimes as the ones Ms Ingabire is accused of. The most known are Mr. Deo Mushayidi of PDP-Imanzi who is serving a life sentence and Me Bernard Ntaganda of PS-Imberakuri. By Ruhumuza Mbonyumutwa  and Jack Mugabo Jambonews.net

Rwanda: Victoire Ingabire facing possible life sentence on Friday, Oct. 19

http://sfbayview.com/2012/rwanda-victoire-ingabire-facing-possible-life-sentence-on-friday-oct-19/ Rwanda: Victoire Ingabire facing possible life sentence on Friday, Oct. 19 October 17, 2012 8 by Ann Garrison Political prisoner Victoire Ingabire at her trial in September 2011 Just over two years ago, on Oct. 14, 2010, Rwandan police arrested and imprisoned Victoire Ingabire. She's appeared only in Rwandan courts, in the pink gown and shaved head of Rwandan prisoners ever since. KPFA Radio, in distant Northern California and streaming on the web, last spoke to her on Oct. 9, 2010, five days before her arrest and eight days after the official release of the U.N. Mapping Report on mass atrocities in the Democratic Republic of Congo. When Ingabire spoke to KPFA by phone that day, she confirmed reports that Rwandan government security operatives surrounding her home in Rwanda's capital, Kigali, had been replaced by police with firearms and that six of them were visible from a window inside. Others reported that Rwandan troops had moved into her neighborhood and shops had been ordered to close. For the same report, KPFA spoke to former ICTR defense attorneys Christopher Black and Peter Erlinder. Erlinder had been imprisoned in Rwanda in May and June that year, after traveling there to defend Ingabire against state charges. Ingabire herself was imprisoned five months later. The verdict in her trial has been postponed twice, but now, once again on Friday, she is facing the Rwandan prosecutor's request that she be sentenced to life. Her crime? Disagreeing with Rwanda's constitutionally codified history of the Rwanda Genocide, which Rwandan Gen. Paul Kagame has used to justify 16 years of military aggression in D.R. Congo. The ongoing aggression has cost millions of East and Central African lives. San Francisco writer Ann Garrison writes for the San Francisco Bay View, Global Research, Colored Opinions,Black Star News, the Newsline EA (East Africa) and her own website, Ann Garrison, and produces forAfrobeatRadio on WBAI-NYC, Weekend News on KPFA and her own YouTube Channel, AnnieGetYourGang. She can be reached at ann@afrobeatradio.com. This story first appeared on her website. If you want to see Ann Garrison's independent reporting continue, please contribute on her website at anngarrison.com.   You may also like - Victoire still in prison, Congo still a human catastrophe Protestors gather for Ingabire, the woman who challenged Kagame Kagame court again denies bail to Victoire Ingabire Share on tumblrShare on facebookShare on twitterShare on emailMore Sharing Services Related Posts Sanford Weill and Paul Kagame: Doctors of Humane Letters? Rwanda Genocide: Erlinder v. Kagame in the court of public opinion Rwandan opposition leaders' Christmas behind bars Obama take heed: French judge files charges against Kagame allies Verdict pending: Victoire Ingabire and D.R. Congo

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/17/us-congo-democratic-rwanda-uganda-idUSBRE89G1LQ20121017 Congo demands sanctions on Rwanda, Uganda over rebels inShare Share this Email Print Related News Insight: Ethnic, economic interests entangle Rwanda in Congo Wed, Oct 17 2012 Congo demands sanctions on Rwanda, Uganda over rebels Wed, Oct 17 2012 Exclusive: Rwanda, Uganda arming Congo rebels, providing troops - U.N. panel Wed, Oct 17 2012 Exclusive: Mineral traders in Rwanda helping fund Congo rebels - U.N. panel Tue, Oct 16 2012 Uganda trying to broker Congo, rebel talks Tue, Oct 9 2012 Analysis & Opinion Who eats your rubbish? Related Topics World » Congo » By Jonny Hogg KINSHASA | Wed Oct 17, 2012 3:36pm EDT (Reuters) - Democratic Republic of Congo on Wednesday demanded targeted sanctions against Rwandan and Ugandan officials accused by a U.N. experts panel of backing a six-month-old insurgency in its volatile eastern borderlands. The U.N. Security Council's Group of Experts said in a confidential report seen by Reuters that both Rwanda and Uganda were supporting the M23 rebels, who are expanding their control of parts of Congo's mineral-rich North Kivu province, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes. Rwanda accused the head of the Group of Experts for "pursuing a political agenda". Uganda called the allegations "rubbish, rubbish, rubbish". However, the report is likely to hurt regional efforts to end to the crisis through the International Conference for the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), currently chaired by Uganda. The experts, who monitor compliance with U.N. sanctions and an arms embargo on Congo, singled out Rwandan Defence Minister General James Kabarebe as heading M23's de facto chain of command. They also said that senior Ugandan officials had provided M23 with "troop reinforcements ... weapons deliveries, technical assistance, joint planning, political advice and facilitation of external relations." Congo's government spokesman Lambert Mende said on Wednesday that those named in the report as backing the rebellion should be placed under U.N. sanctions. "It's more important than ever, as now we have proof that the drama in North Kivu is being manipulated by criminals who hold positions of power," he told Reuters. "We've taken note of this report which confirms what we already know about Rwanda and contains new information about Uganda ... We're in contact with our neighbors in Uganda over these very serious allegations," he said. While Kinshasa has regularly accused Kigali of meddling in Congo since an interim report in June revealed Rwandan links to the rebels, Uganda has up to now played a key role in the search for a regional solution. "The leaking of the report by the Panel of "Experts" can only be in bad faith and intended to cause mischief and undermine the regional efforts to find a durable solution to the conflict in Eastern DRC," said Okello Oryem, Uganda's deputy minister for foreign affairs. Oryem complained that Kampala had not been given an opportunity to respond to the charges. "EXTREMELY DAMAGING" But Thierry Vircoulon, the central Africa project co-ordinator for International Crisis Group, said the allegations were "extremely damaging". "We can expect the Congolese to become more suspicious of the current ICGLR mediation," he said. "It'll be difficult for (Congolese) President Joseph Kabila to stay on board.". "(But) by shedding light on the relationship between M23 and Kigali this may force Kigali to reduce its support," he added. But Rwandan Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo rejected the findings. "Rwanda will not allow itself to be dragged any deeper into this farce by responding to the Group's far-fetched but fact-free assertions," Mushikiwabo said in a statement. A Congolese army spokesman said that M23 fighters allied with other armed groups attacked Congolese army positions near Kilolirwe, in Masisi territory, but were repelled. Meanwhile the U.N.'s peacekeeping mission in the country said six of its Indian troops and a local translator were wounded late on Tuesday after being ambushed by unidentified armed men. As regional efforts to resolve the latest bout of fighting stall, French president Francois Hollande has said he favored bolstering the 17,000 strong U.N. mission to patrol the border with Rwanda, which has fought two previous wars in Congo. Rwanda has said interventions were needed to pursue Hutu fighters responsible for a 1994 genocide. But it is also accused of defending its a web of economic and ethnic interests [ID:nL5E8LHN12]. Uganda also sent troops across the border during a 1998-2003 war in the region that left millions dead. (Additional reporting by Elias Biryabarema in Kampala and Jenny Clover in Kigali; Writing by David Lewis and Joe Bavier; Editing by Jon Hemming)

RWANDA : FDU-INKINGI MEMBERS DEMAND BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION TO HELP DEFUSE POLITICAL MANHUNT

http://www.fdu-rwanda.com/en/english-rwanda-fdu-inkingi-members-demand-british-high-commission-to-help-defuse-political-manhunt-2#more-1872 RWANDA : FDU-INKINGI MEMBERS DEMAND BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION TO HELP DEFUSE POLITICAL MANHUNT OCTOBER 17, 2012   Today, 17 October 2012, 09:30, about 50 members of the opposition went to the UK High Commission in Kigali to demand the key bilateral partner to help defuse unrelenting manhunt against them. Only 21 FDU-Inkingi members were allowed in while others stayed outside the premises under a heavy scrutiny of Criminal Investigations Department and Military Intelligence joint patrols. They all left after 11:00. Some protesters had white T-shirts "WE NEED DEMOCRACY" and "WE NEED JUSTICE"  flyers. A written call for international solidarity untitled "RWANDA:CRUSHED OPPOSITION NOW PUSHED TO THE EDGE"  was taken to Embassies of USA, Netherlands, France and the European Union Representation in Rwanda as well.   The party Secretary General, Mr. Sylvain SIBOMANA, under a manhunt red notice, informed the UK Embassy Political Officer who discussed with them on behalf of the High Commissioner, that the situation of the opposition inside the country is getting out of control. 8 members Mutuyimana Anselme, Uwiringiyimana venuste, Ufitamahoro Norbert, Dukundane Moise, Twizerimana Valens, Nahimana Marcel, Byukusenge Emmanuel and Gasengayire Leonille have now been transferred to MUHANGA central prison after a talk with Sylvain SIBOMANA in Rutsiro District on 15 September 2012. The police is hunting down other members.   « We approached the UK because it has a strong bilateral relationship and a significant development partnership with the Rwandan government. We demanded them to use their leverage on President Paul Kagame, to make him understand that democratic opposition is not enemy of the country and that opponents have right to freedom too, and that their place is not in maximum prison ». « We encourage all bilateral partners of Rwanda to utilise their full leverage in their relationship to influence Rwanda towards good domestic, regional and international behavior. We believe that security, development and diplomatic progress can be reinforced through a more candid and demanding stand on key issues of justice, accountability, human rights, regional stability, opening of political space and freedom of expression. There will be no lasting solution in Rwanda nor in the region if crucial issues continue to be ignored: the lack of internal political space in Rwanda; the plight of political prisoners i.e. Madame Victoire Ingabire (Chairperson FDU-INKINGI), Bernard Ntaganda (Founding President PS Imberakuri), Deogratias Mushayidi (PDP Imanzi), Dr. Theoneste Niyitegeka (Presidential candidate in 2003); disappearances and assassinations of political figures and critical journalists; the impunity for war crimes and crimes against humanity; political refugees, etc. ». We trust that the statement issued yesterday, 16 October 2012, by the Foreign Office responding to the Foreign Affairs Committee report on the FCO's Human Rights work in 2011 is valid for Human Rights situation in Rwanda as well : "Human rights are essential to and indivisible from our foreign policy objectives. They are part of our national DNA and are woven deeply into the decision-making processes of our foreign policy at every stage. We cannot achieve long term security and prosperity unless we uphold our values. We promote human rights painstakingly and consistently. Our starting point for engagement on human rights with all countries is based on what is practical, realistic and achievable, although we are always ready to speak out as a matter of principle." This week, two verdicts are expected in the case of Sakharov Prize nominee, political prisoner Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza: on 18 October 2012, 11:00 the Supreme Court ruling on the constitutional review of genocide ideology law  while the High court's verdict on all charges is expected on 19 October 2012, 11:00.   FDU-Inkingi Boniface Twagirimana Interim Vice president "RWANDA:CRUSHED OPPOSITION NOW PUSHED TO THE EDGE" : call for international solidarity (signed copy)