http://www.inyenyerinews.org/amakuru-2/rwanda-on-the-spot-once-again-on-claims-of-poor-human-rights-record/

Rwanda on the spot once again on claims of poor human-rights record

April 28, 2013 by Rwema IT Webmaster Leave a Comment

Rwanda's human-rights record is once again in the spotlight after a new report by the US Department of State accused government security agents of engaging in torture, arbitrary or unlawful killings and detention of citizens without trial.

The Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2012 accuses Rwanda's military intelligence services and police of torturing civilians using electric shocks, beatings and starving of suspects, among other abuses.

Specifically, the military intelligence department is accused of detaining civilians in safe houses without being charged or tried for several months.

The report, which the authors said offers an assessment of Rwanda's human-rights record last year, notes that, while the government has occasionally made efforts to investigate these abuses, it did not punish any perpetrators.

"The most important human-rights problems in the country remained the government's targeting of journalists, political opponents and human-rights advocates for harassment, arrest, and abuse; disregard for the rule of law among security forces and the judiciary; restrictions on civil liberties; and support of rebel groups in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo," said the US report.

"The government generally took steps to prosecute or punish officials who committed abuses, whether in the security services or elsewhere, but impunity involving civilian officials and State Security Forces was a problem."

Rwanda has repeatedly denied allegations that the country is backing the M23 rebels operating in eastern Congo.

The accusations saw some key donors, mainly Germany, UK, the Netherlands and the US suspend or withdraw aid to Rwanda late last year.

In December last year, it was reported that US President Barack Obama had called Rwanda's President Paul Kagame and warned him about supporting the rebels.

Read: 'He is neither a messiah nor a dictator, but a CEO with a vision')

The latest report further damages the image of Rwanda, which at the beginning of the year took up its position as a member of the United Nations Security Council.

Rwanda, analysts said, was hoping to use its newly acquired membership to the UNSC to defuse tensions over its alleged role in the conflict in eastern DRC.

Only last year, yet another report by Amnesty International documented 18 allegations of torture and other cruel or degrading treatment or punishment perpetrated by the military intelligence and other agencies to secure information or force confessions at Kami military intelligence camp, Ministry of Defence headquarters, Mukamira military camp and safe houses.

Positive steps

However, local and international human-rights organisations acknowledged that the army's leadership had taken positive steps during the year to reform military interrogation methods and detention standards, resulting in fewer reports of torture and other cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment or punishment at Kami and other military detention facilities.

According to the report, there were fewer reports of disappearances and politically motivated abductions or kidnappings than in previous years, but local human-rights organisations ceased investigating disappearances during the year after reporting pressure from government officials, including threats and allegations of treason.

Amnesty International, Liprodhor and other observers alleged that the Military Intelligence Directorate, the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) as well as the Department of Intelligence orchestrated the disappearances.

Reacting to the report, the leader of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda, Frank Habineza, said: "The National Human Rights Commission and the office of Ombudsman should carry out independent investigations into the matter and inform the general public about the alleged human-rights abuses."

On his part, the executive secretary for the League for the Defence of Human Rights in the Great Lakes Region, Epimack Kwokwo, asks Members of Parliament to come up with a law that gives an independent body powers to investigative the alleged crimes and bring the culprits to book

He noted that the police and military could not investigate themselves. While prison and detention centre conditions were harsh, the report notes, the government made numerous improvements during the year.

The US report also criticises the government over failed attempts to stem rampant corruption, citing several cases. In a controversial March report, an ad hoc parliamentary committee charged the then Minister for Finance and Economic Planning John Rwangomba and eight other senior government officials with mismanaging the Rukara hydropower dam project.
Investigations by parliament

The parliamentary investigation followed the publication of an article in the New Times, which claimed that in 2011 Minister of Local Government James Musoni had illegally awarded public tenders to the local company Digitech Solutions (now known as Ngali Holdings).

Mr Rwangomba and the other officials protested the report's findings as inaccurate and poorly researched, and in August the parliamentary committee of public accounts cleared the nine officials of any wrongdoing.

http://www.inyenyerinews.org/amakuru-2/rwanda-on-the-spot-once-again-on-claims-of-poor-human-rights-record/

Rwanda on the spot once again on claims of poor human-rights record

April 28, 2013 by Rwema IT Webmaster Leave a Comment

Rwanda's human-rights record is once again in the spotlight after a new report by the US Department of State accused government security agents of engaging in torture, arbitrary or unlawful killings and detention of citizens without trial.

The Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2012 accuses Rwanda's military intelligence services and police of torturing civilians using electric shocks, beatings and starving of suspects, among other abuses.

Specifically, the military intelligence department is accused of detaining civilians in safe houses without being charged or tried for several months.

The report, which the authors said offers an assessment of Rwanda's human-rights record last year, notes that, while the government has occasionally made efforts to investigate these abuses, it did not punish any perpetrators.

"The most important human-rights problems in the country remained the government's targeting of journalists, political opponents and human-rights advocates for harassment, arrest, and abuse; disregard for the rule of law among security forces and the judiciary; restrictions on civil liberties; and support of rebel groups in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo," said the US report.

"The government generally took steps to prosecute or punish officials who committed abuses, whether in the security services or elsewhere, but impunity involving civilian officials and State Security Forces was a problem."

Rwanda has repeatedly denied allegations that the country is backing the M23 rebels operating in eastern Congo.

The accusations saw some key donors, mainly Germany, UK, the Netherlands and the US suspend or withdraw aid to Rwanda late last year.

In December last year, it was reported that US President Barack Obama had called Rwanda's President Paul Kagame and warned him about supporting the rebels.

Read: 'He is neither a messiah nor a dictator, but a CEO with a vision')

The latest report further damages the image of Rwanda, which at the beginning of the year took up its position as a member of the United Nations Security Council.

Rwanda, analysts said, was hoping to use its newly acquired membership to the UNSC to defuse tensions over its alleged role in the conflict in eastern DRC.

Only last year, yet another report by Amnesty International documented 18 allegations of torture and other cruel or degrading treatment or punishment perpetrated by the military intelligence and other agencies to secure information or force confessions at Kami military intelligence camp, Ministry of Defence headquarters, Mukamira military camp and safe houses.

Positive steps

However, local and international human-rights organisations acknowledged that the army's leadership had taken positive steps during the year to reform military interrogation methods and detention standards, resulting in fewer reports of torture and other cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment or punishment at Kami and other military detention facilities.

According to the report, there were fewer reports of disappearances and politically motivated abductions or kidnappings than in previous years, but local human-rights organisations ceased investigating disappearances during the year after reporting pressure from government officials, including threats and allegations of treason.

Amnesty International, Liprodhor and other observers alleged that the Military Intelligence Directorate, the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) as well as the Department of Intelligence orchestrated the disappearances.

Reacting to the report, the leader of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda, Frank Habineza, said: "The National Human Rights Commission and the office of Ombudsman should carry out independent investigations into the matter and inform the general public about the alleged human-rights abuses."

On his part, the executive secretary for the League for the Defence of Human Rights in the Great Lakes Region, Epimack Kwokwo, asks Members of Parliament to come up with a law that gives an independent body powers to investigative the alleged crimes and bring the culprits to book

He noted that the police and military could not investigate themselves. While prison and detention centre conditions were harsh, the report notes, the government made numerous improvements during the year.

The US report also criticises the government over failed attempts to stem rampant corruption, citing several cases. In a controversial March report, an ad hoc parliamentary committee charged the then Minister for Finance and Economic Planning John Rwangomba and eight other senior government officials with mismanaging the Rukara hydropower dam project.
Investigations by parliament

The parliamentary investigation followed the publication of an article in the New Times, which claimed that in 2011 Minister of Local Government James Musoni had illegally awarded public tenders to the local company Digitech Solutions (now known as Ngali Holdings).

Mr Rwangomba and the other officials protested the report's findings as inaccurate and poorly researched, and in August the parliamentary committee of public accounts cleared the nine officials of any wrongdoing.

http://www.inyenyerinews.org/afrika/menya-neza-umwanzi-wu-rwanda/

MENYA NEZA UMWANZI W'U RWANDA.

April 30, 2013 by Rwema IT Webmaster 1 Comment

Igitondo cyiza bavandimwe banyarwanda, mbanje kwisegura ku basomyi b'inyandiko zanjye kuko nsa n'uwahinduye gato umurongo nkaba ngiye gukoresha amagambo akakaye, atari ukubakura umutima ahubwo nshaka kubereka ibinyoma, amafuti ndetse n'ubuswa bw'abiyita abanyapolitiki, aho ibikorwa byabo aribyo birio kuvutsa amahirwe igihugu cyacu twahawe n'Imana. U Rwanda rero nkuko mubizi, ni igihugu cy'igihangange cyane cyahawe impano yo kugira amaboko, kuva na kera imwe mu mpano twiyiziho nk'abanyarwanda ni ukuba tugira ingabo zikomeye mu karere dutuyemo, uwabihakana yaba atazi amateka yarwo, uko rwagiye rwagurwa n'abami kugeza ubwo abakoloni badusubirishijemo imipaka, murebe ukuntu agahugu gato kahangamuye igihangange Zaire ya Mobutu, zifasha Museveni wa Uganda gufata ubutegetsi, mwibuke uburyo EX-FAR zahinduye ubutegetsi mu bihugu byinshi aho bivugwa ko zafashije Mugabe kuguma ku butegetsi, zigafasha Perezida Sassou wa Congo Brazaville gufata ubutegetsi, zigafasha uwahoze ari Perezida ca Centre Afrique gufata ubutegetsi, Ingabo za RDF zikaba zifasha kugarura amahoro hirya no hino kw'Isi nka Darfour, Khartoum, Haiti n'ahandi henshi.

Ikintangaza kandi kikantera kwibaza byinshi, nukuntu twambaye ikirezi tukaba tutaziko cyera, aho usanga tugira ibyago byo kutagira abayobozi bafite impano nziza yo guhuriza hamwe abanyarwanda ngo buri wese mu mpano yahawe n'Imana atange umusanzu we twiyubakire igihugu, ahubwo abo bayobozi b'abanyepolitike ugasanga bo bashishikajwe no guducamo ibice, nk'aho ariho ubushobozi bwabo bugarukira, iyi nyandiko ndende nkaba ngerageza gusobanura uburyo u Rwanda rwategetswe n'ikinyoma kuva kera kugeza ubu aho ruhora rwubakiye kuri politike ishingiye kwivuna umwanzi, ugasanga mu bushobozi bwacu buke dushishikajwe no kugira igisirikare kigizwe n'umubare mwinshi, imbunda za rutura, maneko nyinshi cyane mpamyako ziba zigizwe na 2/3 by'abaturage batuye u Rwanda, imitwe yitwara gisirikare myinshi cyane, ubutabera budakorera abaturage ahubwo bukorera ubutegetsi, kwambura ububasha abaturage bugahabwa umutegetsi aho asigara yitiranya inyungu ze bwite n'inyungu za rubanda, ugasanga ubwisanzure bw'abaturage buhazaharira, ndetse uwihaye kwerekana ko ibyo bidakwiye akitwa umwanzi kuburyo ubuzima bwe bujya mu kaga, akaba ashobora no kwicwa ataburanye, kuko ubutabera buba buri mu biganza by'umutegetsi mukuru, aho icyo ategetse ntawukigamburuza kabone n'iyo cyaba gishyira igihugu mu kaga. Ubwo bamwe wasanga batangiye kubangura imijugujugu ngo Kanyarwanda arimo kwikoma Kagame, hoya sibyo ibi byahozeho, biriho kandi mfite impungenge z'uko bizakomeza nihatagira igikorwa.

Mbibutse gato ko kuva twabona ubwigenge muri 1959, nyuma y'uko habayeho gusubiranamo kw'amoko ibi bikatuzanira Revolisiyo yari yuzuyemo icuraburindi n'umwiryane, ubutegetsi bwagiyeho, bwirengagije cyangwa bwakoze nkana politike ishingiye ku MWANZI W'IGIHUGU, ibi bihinduka inkingi nyamukuru bubakiyeho inzego za Leta, ibi bigenda bikomera, aho kubonako umwanzi w'u Rwanda ari ubujiji bwuzuye mu banyarwanda, ari amatiku, amacakubiri ashingiye ku moko, irondakarere no kwihimura, kwigwizaho no kwimika akazu, bo babonako igice kimwe cy'abanyarwanda aribo mwanzi w'u Rwanda, aha niho politiki yo kwanga, kwangisha, kumenesha, kujujubya no kwica umututsi yatangiye, ubutegetsi buyishyiramo ingufu bwubaka igisirikare cy'ubwoko bumwe, abatutsi bahezwa mu nzego zose za Leta, bararenganywa, baravangurwa karahava, kandi ibi bishimangirwa na gahunda zimwe na zimwe Leta yashyiragaho ikoresheje inzego zayo bwite nk'inteko ishinga amatageko, ubutabera n'inzego z'umutekano. Byarakomeje birakura byigishwa mu mashuri, politiki y'iringaniza irashimangirwa, ubwoko bushyirwa mu ndangamuntu hagamijwe kubusenya, baratotezwa bishyirakera, habaho intambara abari baratotejwe, baciriweho iteka bagizwe abanzi b'igihugu igihe kirekire bumvako ntayindi nzira, begura intwaro, bishyira hamwe kubera bose bumvaga ko bugarijwe biyahura kuri Leta yari ifite igisirikare gikomeye n'ibikoresho n'inkunga z'ibihugu by'inshuti ariko byose bihinduka ubusa kuko BARWANAGA n'umujinya kandi hari impamvu ituma abatutsi barwana nk'abiyahura, Leta ibonyeko isumbirijwe ihitamo kubamaraho burundu niho habaga Itsembabwoko ryo muri 1994 ryamaze igihe kirekire ritegurwa, ibyo ni amateka.

Igitangaje kandi giteye agahinda nuko, FPR mw'ikubitiro yaje ishaka gukosora ibyakozwe na MRND ya Habyarimana kimwe n'andi mashyaka ashingiye ku bwoko bw'abahutu, izana agashya ko yo yigishaga ko hagomba kubaho guhuriza hamwe abanyarwanda bose hatitawe ku bwoko, ibi byari byiza kandi byayifashije kugera ku ntego yayo yo gufata ubutegetsi, ariko aho babufatiye ko habayeho amakosa utatandukanya n'ayo abahutu bakoze? Uti aho urakabije Kanyarwanda we… Hoya sugukabya, habayeho urwango, wenda twavuga ko rwatewe n'amateka, habaho ubwicanyi buteguwe, habaho guheza abahutu kuko abatutsi bumvaga bagomba guhabwa byose nk'uko bavunikiye gufata ubutegetsi, habaho guheza abahutu bari bafatanyije ibi bigenda bikorwa buhoro buhoro, Seth SENDASHONGA agerageza kubyamagana uko byamugendekeye nuko atishwe n'urupfu rusanzwe, ndavuga indwara, ahubwo yararashwe, abaminisitiri b'abahutu batangira kubonako bibeshye ibyakurikiye kwari uguhunga igihugu, abanyepolitike bakomeye barishwe, abatutsi bagerageje kwamagana aya mahano ya FPR bahindutse abanzi b'u Rwanda, abanyakibuye baribasirwa ngo ngaho bagira imitwe minini, nyuma yo kurokoka Jenoside yakorewe abatutsi ntibarokotse ABAGIZI BA NABI, Kabera Assiel araraswa, abasirikare bakuru bagenda bicwa, abandi bigizwayo, Pasteur Bizimungu w'umuhutu arananizwa, ndetse agerekwaho ibyaha arahanwa, Sebarenzi arahunga, FPR abayishinze hafi ya bose barayihunga, abayiyoboye mugihe gikomeye bahindurwa indorerezi, Kanyarengwe w'umuhutu yigizwayo aracunaguzwa karahava, ubwicanyi burimakazwa, nyuma yo kurimbura imbaga za Gakurazo, Kibeho, n'ahandi henshi aho abantu bakusanyirizwaga mu manama bagaterwamo za grenades n'urufaya rw'amasasu ubwicanyi bwimukiye muri Congo ahabarurwa abantu ibihumbi byinshi cyane byishwe na Leta ya Kagame.

Ngarutse rero ku mutwe w'inkuru ndashaka ko twicara buriwese agasesengura yibaza ati umwanzi w'u Rwanda ninde? Ese ko tuziko igihugu kigira ingabo ngo zizarinde ubusugire bwacyo, kikagira polisi icunga umutekano w'abanyagihugu imbere kugirango hatagira ubangamira undi, hakabaho ubutabera kugira ngo burenganure abarenganya abandi bunahane abitwara nabi, mu Rwanda ibi byose musanga bikora icyo bigomba gukora? Ese iyo amafaranga menshi y'ingengo y'imari ashiriye mu bikorwa byo kubungabunga umutekano mwumva ariko byakabaye bigenda? Ntabundi buryo twabungabungamo umutekano? Aha niho isesengura ryanjye rigiye kwibanda.
Nkurikije amateka yacu, nsanga umwanzi w'u Rwanda yarakomeje kuba umunyarwanda, uburyo arwanywamo byakabaye bikorwa hatabayeho guhuruza ingabo ibihumbi byinshi, ngo dusesagure amafaranga muri ba maneko hirya no hino, kuko byagaragaye ko aba bahembera inzangano babiba amatiku adashira kugirango bashimishe shebuja, uyu nawe agahora yokamwe n'ubwoba kuko ahora yikanga guhirikwa ku butegetsi igihe cyose, umwanzi w'u Rwanda ni UBUJIJI kuko kutamenya igikwiye ngo abanyepolitike bategure politike ziteza imbere ubuzima bwiza bw'abaturage banababanisha neza ubwabyo ari imbogamizi izakomeza guteza intambara mu banyarwanda. Umwanzi w'u Rwanda kandi ni INDA nini ituma umuntu yumvako ibyiza byose byaba ibye, bikamutera ubuhumyi buterwa n'uko akora ibitemewe byose ngo akunde arambe ku butegetsi, noneho hakabaho kwikanyiza no gushaka gushuka rubanda arwubakiraho ingabo nyinshi yitwaje UMUTEKANO muke aho umuntu umubwira uti FDLR ni abanyarwanda, kuba bateza umutekano muke mu Rwanda hari uko byakemuka mu mahoro, bagataha, kuko buriya ibyo bakora ninko gukanga bashaka kwerekana ko barambiwe ishyamba no kuba mu mahanga, nk'uko nawe wayabayemo, bacyure ku neza, ureke ubutabera bukore akazi kabwo, bityo uwishe muri Jenoside azahanwe n'ubutabera umwere asubire mu buzima busanzwe, umutegetsi akinangira, kuko icyitwa ingabo uzasanga azikoresha mu nyungu ze aho zikora ibikorwa byo gutera ubwoba abaturage akabatwara uburenganzira bwabo bwose, kuko ntabundi bushobozi aba afite bwo kuyobora uretse gukoresha igitugu. Niyo mpamvu uzasanga habaho gutinya guhangana muri demokarasi, kuko abanyepolitike dufite nta bushobozi bafite, kandi aha mbivuze nshimitse abenshi ni politike YO GUCAMO IBICE KUGIRANGO BATEGEKE (Divide to rule).

Niba Kagame yitwaza ko umwanzi w'igihugu ari FDLR, byaba arukwijijisha kuko n'abatutsi biswe abanzi b'igihugu, burya nta mwenegihugu wanga igihugu cye iyo gifite INZEGO ZIKOMEYE KANDI ZIKORA, DEMOKARASI, UBWISANZURE BWO KUBAHO NO GUKORA ICYO USHAKA ndetse igihugu kizira AKARENGANE AKO ARIKO KOSE. Ntabwo umwanzi w'igihugu ari umunyarwanda wifuzako ibintu byahinduka bikaba byiza, umwanzi w'igihugu ni uwo wese ukandamiza abandi, akumvako ibitekerezo bye ari kamara, ni uwo wese wumvako INTAMBARA ariwo muti w'ibibazo, uwo wese ubeshya ko abanyarwanda bariho neza kandi hari abari mu mashyamba ya Congo, hari ababuze ibyo kurya, ababuze ababo ku maherere bazize abagizi ba nabi (akenshi usanga ari inzego z'iperereza zabhitanye), ababona ba se bicwa urw'gashinyaguro nka Rwisereka Leta ikitwara nkaho ntacyabaye, umwanzi ni uvutsa u Rwanda Demokarasi, akiba ububasha bw'abaturage bwo kwitorera uwo babonamo ubushobozi, akababuza kwisanzura mu bitekerezo abahatira gutekereza ibyo ashaka, ni uwo uhindura abana b'u Rwanda abicanyi, ababibamo urwango, amatiku ashingiye ku moko, uturere, ururimi inkomoko ndetse agaheza bamwe ku byiza by'igihugu nkaho aribye, ni umuntu wumvako abari beza b'u Rwanda n'abategarugori bagahekeye u Rwanda bagomba gukoreshwa UBUSAMBANYI kugirango bahabwe akazi keza, ibi bikadusenyera umuryango, ndetse bikaba bimaze kuba umuco aho abantu bagera igihe cyo gushaka bakabura abari bazima kuko bashukishijwe ibyo bafitiye uburenganzira, umwanzi w'u Rwanda si igipinga nkuko bivugwa si Kanyandekwe uvuga ko u Rwanda rukeneye itegeko nshinga rishya riha abaturage ububasha bwo gutora UMUDEPITE uhagarariye inyungu z'akarere yatorewemo, kuko aba yahawe ubutumwa n'abaturage ndetse igihe cyose atakoze ibyo bamutumye bakaba abafite ububasha bwo kumuvanaho, si Kanyanyarwanda usabako UBUTABERA bugomba gukorera rubanda, abacamanza bakagira uburenganzira busesuye bwo kwitorera ababuyobora, kugirango ejo hatazinjiramo abadashoboye bakabuhindura akarima k'umutegetsi kubera ariwe uba washyizeho abacamanza, bityo mugutinya kuvanwa ku mugati nkuko byitwa agakora ibitandukanye n'ibyo yemera, umwanzi si Nzabandora usaba uburenganzira bw'itangaza makuru aho tuzaba twifitiye ibinyamakuru bitubwira amafuti ya Leta aho kugira za Newtimes, Igihe, Imvaho na Orinfor ziduhatira kwemera ibinyoma no kutwoza ubwonko. Umwanzi w'u Rwanda ni uwo wese urwanya Kagame akoresheje iturufu y'ubwoko, ashaka gusenya ibyo Kagame yubatse bike, nyamara nawe afite gahunda yo gukandamiza ubwoko Kagame abarizwamo. Reka ndekere aho, mugire icyumweru cyiza munibaza aho tugana.

Kanyarwanda.

http://www.jambonews.net/en/news/20130501-rwanda-witnesses-renounce-the-prosecution-in-the-case-of-victoireingabire/

Rwanda: Witnesses renounce the prosecution in the case of Victoire Ingabire

 

May 1st, 2013 | By Jane Nishimwe | Category: Top news

After having testified against opposition leader Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza in Rwandan High court last year, four prosecution witnesses told the Supreme Court on this 29^th of April that their testimonies were falsified and Ingabire's political party FDU-INKINGI never aimed at the formation of a ''Coalition of Democratic Forces (CDF) military wing''.

A few days into the appeal trial of Ingabire, former FDLR members and co-accused Lieutenant-Colonel Tharcisse Nditurende, Lt Colonel Noël Habiyaremye, Captain Jean Marie Vianney Karuta and Major Vital Uwumuremyi told the Supreme Court that they ''have never been members of such organization [the CDF], because it had never existed'', according to the press release published on this 29^th of April by Twagirimana Boniface, Acting Vice-President of FDU-Inkingi.

Lieutenant-Colonel Nditurende admitted to have contacted Ingabire for ''financial support'' but says she ''never responded positively''. Regarding the prosecution's evidence of e-mails in which he and Ingabire talked about the CDF, Nditurende revealed to the Supreme Court thatthe Ministry of Justice ''forced him'' to reveal the password of his e-mail account during his detention, thereby gaining ''free access'' to amend his messages.

In the first instance trial, the four witnesses pleaded guilty to conspiring with Victoire Ingabire to form the CDF armed group and affirmed that her aim was to ''cause insecurity in Rwanda and force the government into peace talks by waging war''.All four received ''lenient'' sentences for co-operating with the court: Vital Uwumuremyi was sentenced to 4 years and 6 months, Tharcisse Nditurende and Noël Habiyaremye to 3 years and 6 months, and Jean Marie Vianney Karutato to 2 years 7 months.

Controversial detention

In March 2013, Human Rights' organization Amnesty International released its report Justice in jeopardy: The first instance trial of Victoire Ingabire in which it expressed concerns about the ''prolonged incommunicado detention'' of Ingabire's co-accused, stating that it had ''documented allegations of the use of torture to coerce confessions'' in the detention Camp Kami where Nditurende and Habiyaremye were held before appearing in court. A defence witness also said that he and Uwamuremyi were held together at Camp Kami and the ''terrorism-related accusations against Victoire Ingabire were fabricated under coercion from state security''.

On the 25^th of March this year, Victoire Ingabire started her appeal trial after being sentenced to 8 years in prison for ''genocide ideology'' and ''conspiracy against the government by use of war and terrorism'' on the 30^th of October 2012. In its conviction, the High Court relied greatly on the confessions of the four witnesses.

Jane Nishimwe

Jambonews.net

http://www.jambonews.net/en/news/20130501-rwanda-witnesses-renounce-the-prosecution-in-the-case-of-victoireingabire/

Rwanda: Witnesses renounce the prosecution in the case of Victoire Ingabire

 

May 1st, 2013 | By Jane Nishimwe | Category: Top news

After having testified against opposition leader Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza in Rwandan High court last year, four prosecution witnesses told the Supreme Court on this 29^th of April that their testimonies were falsified and Ingabire's political party FDU-INKINGI never aimed at the formation of a ''Coalition of Democratic Forces (CDF) military wing''.

A few days into the appeal trial of Ingabire, former FDLR members and co-accused Lieutenant-Colonel Tharcisse Nditurende, Lt Colonel Noël Habiyaremye, Captain Jean Marie Vianney Karuta and Major Vital Uwumuremyi told the Supreme Court that they ''have never been members of such organization [the CDF], because it had never existed'', according to the press release published on this 29^th of April by Twagirimana Boniface, Acting Vice-President of FDU-Inkingi.

Lieutenant-Colonel Nditurende admitted to have contacted Ingabire for ''financial support'' but says she ''never responded positively''. Regarding the prosecution's evidence of e-mails in which he and Ingabire talked about the CDF, Nditurende revealed to the Supreme Court thatthe Ministry of Justice ''forced him'' to reveal the password of his e-mail account during his detention, thereby gaining ''free access'' to amend his messages.

In the first instance trial, the four witnesses pleaded guilty to conspiring with Victoire Ingabire to form the CDF armed group and affirmed that her aim was to ''cause insecurity in Rwanda and force the government into peace talks by waging war''.All four received ''lenient'' sentences for co-operating with the court: Vital Uwumuremyi was sentenced to 4 years and 6 months, Tharcisse Nditurende and Noël Habiyaremye to 3 years and 6 months, and Jean Marie Vianney Karutato to 2 years 7 months.

Controversial detention

In March 2013, Human Rights' organization Amnesty International released its report Justice in jeopardy: The first instance trial of Victoire Ingabire in which it expressed concerns about the ''prolonged incommunicado detention'' of Ingabire's co-accused, stating that it had ''documented allegations of the use of torture to coerce confessions'' in the detention Camp Kami where Nditurende and Habiyaremye were held before appearing in court. A defence witness also said that he and Uwamuremyi were held together at Camp Kami and the ''terrorism-related accusations against Victoire Ingabire were fabricated under coercion from state security''.

On the 25^th of March this year, Victoire Ingabire started her appeal trial after being sentenced to 8 years in prison for ''genocide ideology'' and ''conspiracy against the government by use of war and terrorism'' on the 30^th of October 2012. In its conviction, the High Court relied greatly on the confessions of the four witnesses.

Jane Nishimwe

Jambonews.net

Rwanda: The case against Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza falls apart as prosecution witnesses admit their testimonies were framed

http://www.fdu-rwanda.com/en/

Rwanda: The case against Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza falls apart as prosecution witnesses admit their testimonies were framed.

Kigali, 29th April 2013

On the 8th day of Ingabire's appeal, the Supreme Court heard the prosecution witnesses namely Lieutenant-Colonel Tharcisse Nditurende, Lt Colonel Noël Habiyaremye, Captain Jean Marie Vianney Karuta and Major Vital Uwumuremyi. They all criticized the prosecution's case especially in regard to the formation of an armed organization.

These witnesses had pleaded guilty in the High Court to have formed a military organization, the CDF which allegedly was to be a military wing of FDU-INKINGI. They affirm they have never been members of such organization because it has never existed. Mrs Victoire Ingabire's conviction by the High Court was based on these confessions.

With regard to talks that these witnesses would have had with Madam Ingabire, Tharcisse Nditurende declared that they contacted Ingabire to see if she could be of any use to them, but she never responded positively, especially that she was more concerned about her intention to return to Rwanda and to enter political scene. He added that he immediately realized that he could not expect anything from someone who wanted to return to Rwanda.

Nditurende declared that the help they needed was not to form a military wing of the FDU, but financial support in order to withstand attacks from their fellow FDLR and from the Congolese army.

Coming back to the e-mails, Tharcisse Nditurende told the Supreme Court that during his detention, the Ministry of Justice had forced him to reveal his password so they could have free access to his email account. However, this could not be possible without the Attorney General's authorisation as Ingabire's defense counsel has emphasized.

Ingabire's defense counsel had questioned the authenticity of these messages, because the investigators had access to the email account of the co-defendants, and that they could make them up. It also noted many contradictions in their content.

Meanwhile, like Mrs Ingabire, Major Uwumuremyi Vital has asked the court to take into account the agreement between Rwanda and the DRC under the auspices of the UN, which states, among other things, that the ex – FDLR fighters, who would lay down their arms or be repatriated following Umoja Wetu operations, would not be prosecuted for acts committed in the DRC, with the exception of crimes of genocide, war crimes or crimes against humanity that were already the subject of an arrest warrant issued by Rwanda or by the international community.

All these former FDLR combatants wrapped up their hearings by asking the court to do justice to them and to decrease punishment inflicted on them by the High Court in violation of the law as argued by their counsel.

All along her trial, the Defence of Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza had told the court that the so called CDF armed group never existed and that the idea was merely invention of the State to put Mrs Ingabire behind bars and to stop her from running in presidential elections. It is noteworthy to recall the statement made President Kagame in an interview with "Monitor Newspaper" Managing Editor DANIEL KALINAKI in May 2010, three months before presidential elections. I quote:

"This woman will certainly be where she belongs. She was charged in the court of law, she's now out on bail but the matters are serious and are there as a matter of fact. How then do I explain myself or for this country beyond that? Now the outsiders who want so badly Ingabire to be an opposition leader here or later on be our president, well, they may wait for a while".

Now that the "serious matters" are more no more than a concoction of the State we are still to see how independent the Supreme Court will be as a guarantor of the rule of law.

FDU-INKINGI
Twagirimana Boniface
Interim Vice-President

FDU-CEP-04-29-13-ENG 

Rwanda: The case against Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza falls apart as prosecution witnesses admit their testimonies were framed

http://www.fdu-rwanda.com/en/

Rwanda: The case against Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza falls apart as prosecution witnesses admit their testimonies were framed.

Kigali, 29th April 2013

On the 8th day of Ingabire's appeal, the Supreme Court heard the prosecution witnesses namely Lieutenant-Colonel Tharcisse Nditurende, Lt Colonel Noël Habiyaremye, Captain Jean Marie Vianney Karuta and Major Vital Uwumuremyi. They all criticized the prosecution's case especially in regard to the formation of an armed organization.

These witnesses had pleaded guilty in the High Court to have formed a military organization, the CDF which allegedly was to be a military wing of FDU-INKINGI. They affirm they have never been members of such organization because it has never existed. Mrs Victoire Ingabire's conviction by the High Court was based on these confessions.

With regard to talks that these witnesses would have had with Madam Ingabire, Tharcisse Nditurende declared that they contacted Ingabire to see if she could be of any use to them, but she never responded positively, especially that she was more concerned about her intention to return to Rwanda and to enter political scene. He added that he immediately realized that he could not expect anything from someone who wanted to return to Rwanda.

Nditurende declared that the help they needed was not to form a military wing of the FDU, but financial support in order to withstand attacks from their fellow FDLR and from the Congolese army.

Coming back to the e-mails, Tharcisse Nditurende told the Supreme Court that during his detention, the Ministry of Justice had forced him to reveal his password so they could have free access to his email account. However, this could not be possible without the Attorney General's authorisation as Ingabire's defense counsel has emphasized.

Ingabire's defense counsel had questioned the authenticity of these messages, because the investigators had access to the email account of the co-defendants, and that they could make them up. It also noted many contradictions in their content.

Meanwhile, like Mrs Ingabire, Major Uwumuremyi Vital has asked the court to take into account the agreement between Rwanda and the DRC under the auspices of the UN, which states, among other things, that the ex – FDLR fighters, who would lay down their arms or be repatriated following Umoja Wetu operations, would not be prosecuted for acts committed in the DRC, with the exception of crimes of genocide, war crimes or crimes against humanity that were already the subject of an arrest warrant issued by Rwanda or by the international community.

All these former FDLR combatants wrapped up their hearings by asking the court to do justice to them and to decrease punishment inflicted on them by the High Court in violation of the law as argued by their counsel.

All along her trial, the Defence of Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza had told the court that the so called CDF armed group never existed and that the idea was merely invention of the State to put Mrs Ingabire behind bars and to stop her from running in presidential elections. It is noteworthy to recall the statement made President Kagame in an interview with "Monitor Newspaper" Managing Editor DANIEL KALINAKI in May 2010, three months before presidential elections. I quote:

"This woman will certainly be where she belongs. She was charged in the court of law, she's now out on bail but the matters are serious and are there as a matter of fact. How then do I explain myself or for this country beyond that? Now the outsiders who want so badly Ingabire to be an opposition leader here or later on be our president, well, they may wait for a while".

Now that the "serious matters" are more no more than a concoction of the State we are still to see how independent the Supreme Court will be as a guarantor of the rule of law.

FDU-INKINGI
Twagirimana Boniface
Interim Vice-President

FDU-CEP-04-29-13-ENG 

2012 Human Rights Reports: Rwanda

2012 Human Rights Reports: Rwanda

BUREAU OF DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND LABOR

2012 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices

Report

April 19, 2013

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http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/2012/af/204156.htm

2012 Human Rights Reports: Rwanda

2012 Human Rights Reports: Rwanda

BUREAU OF DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND LABOR

2012 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices

Report

April 19, 2013

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http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/2012/af/204156.htm

Ingabire yashimangiye ko kuvuga ibitajyenda atari ugukwirakwiza ibihuha. | FDU Rwanda

http://www.fdu-rwanda.com/RW/kinyarwanda-ingabire-yashimangiye-ko-kuvuga-ibitajyenda-atari-ugukwirakwiza-ibihuha/

Ingabire yashimangiye ko kuvuga ibitajyenda atari ugukwirakwiza ibihuha.

MATA 30, 2013  

Kigali 30 Mata 2013,

 

Ubwo Madame Ingabire Victoire Umuhoza  ,umuyobozi wa FDU-Inkingi ufunzwe azira ibitekerezo bye bya politiki yongeraga guhabwa ijambo n'Urukiko rw'Ikirenga ngo agire icyo avuga ku bujurire bw'ubushinjacyaha yabwiye urukiko ati : «  umurongo wa FDU-Inkingi ni ukugaragariza ubutegetsi buriho ibitagenda kugirango bikosorwe, gufunga umuntu kubera ko yanenze ni ikintu kibabaje cyane,birakwiye ko abatavugarumwe na Leta batakomeza kwitwa abanzi b'igihugu kuko natwe twifuza kubaka igihugu cyacu. Ibibazo byose byugarije u Rwanda byakemurwa n'ibiganirompaka,kuba ubutegetsi buriho butemera ko habaho ibyo biganiro ahubwo bukamfunga nzakomeza kubwita  ubw'igitugu»

Ubushinjacyaha bwajuririye icyemezo cyafashwe n'Urukiko Rukuru  ku ngingo eshatu z'ingenzi arizo :Kuba Ingabire Victoire yarahanaguweho icyaha cyo kurema umutwe w'ingabo ,Kuba Ingabire Victoire yarahanaguweho icyaha cyo kwamamazankana ibihuha bigamije kwangisha abaturage ubuyobozi no kuba Urukiko Rukuru rwaramugabanyirije igihano.

Ku bijyanye n'ingingo ya mbere yo kurema umutwe w'ingabo witwa CDF , Ingabire Victoire Umuhoza yabwiye urukiko ko yaba abareganwa nawe ari nabo bamushinjaga kurema uwo mutwe  bemeza ko uwo mutwe utigeze ubaho kuburyo ndetse n'ubushinjacyaha butabasha kwereka urukiko ibimenyetso byaho uwo mutwe uba ,icyo wakoze n'uruhare rwa Ingabire mu gusembura(incite its creation) no gushinga uwo mutwe. Ingabire yabwiye urukiko ko akurikije ibimenyetso bitandukanye yeretse urukiko, uyu mutwe ari uwahimbwe n'ubushinjacyaha,ubugenzacyaha bufatanyije na Major Vital Uwumuremyi .Ibi Ingabire akaba abishingira cyane ku kuba bwarakoreshaga ibintu bwahawe na Vital kandi yari atarafatwa. Icyi cyaha Urukiko Rukuru rwaragihanaguyeho Ingabire kubera ko narwo rwabonye ibimenyetso byacyo bidafatika.

Ku cyaha cyo kwamamazankana ibihuha bigamije kwangisha abaturage ubuyobozi, ibimenyetso byari byatanzwe kuri icyi cyaha byari, ibiganiro bitatu Ingabire yagiranye n'abanyamakuru batandukanye,inyandiko zagiye zitangazwa ,ijambo yavugiye ku kibuga cy'indege n'ibindi. Kuri ibi bimenyetso byose bitandukanye ikibazo cyagiye kibamo ni uko ubushinjacyaha bwagiye bufatamo akajambo kamwe akaba ariko buha inyito itariyo aho gufata ubutumwa bwose uko bwakabaye . Ingabire yabwiye urukiko ko ibibazo abanyarwanda bafite aribyo byahagurukije FDU-Inkingi ikaza gukorera mu gihugu kandi ubushinjacyaha ntibwigeze bubivuguruza ,ibi yabivuze muri aya magambo «  kuba urukiko rwaragendeye ku bisobanuro natanze rukampanaguraho icyaha cyo gukwirakwiza ibihuha ,ni uko ibyo navugaga nanengaga ibitajyenda ariko nta mugambi wo kwangisha abanyarwanda ubutegesti buriho nari mfite kuko buri gihe turanenga ariko tukanatanga  uko twe tubona ibintu byakosorwa » 

Ku byerekeranye n'impamvu ya gatatu y'ubujurire bw'ubushinjacyaha aho buvuga ko Urukiko Rukuru rwagabanyirije  Ingabire ibihano,Umuyobozi wa FDU-Inkingi yabwiye Urukiko rw'Ikirenga ko impamvu umucamanza yatanze zigabanya ibihano azemererwa n'amategeko kandi bimwe mubyo yagendeyeho ni ubushinjacyaha bwabyitangiye mu rukiko. Ingabire yanavuze ko ibaruwa ubushinjacyaha buvuga yandikiye umukuru w'igihugu ko ntaho ihuriye no gusaba imbabazi kuko yari ifite intego yo gusubiza abantu bo munzego nkuru z'igihugu bari bamaze iminsi bamushaka ngo bashyikirane ariko akababwira ko niba bashaka imishyikirano batayigirana nawe kandi agifunze.

Urabanza ruzasubukurwa tariki ya 8 Gicurasi 2013 humvwa abunganzizi ba Ingabire Victoire.

 

FDU-Inkingi

Boniface Twagirimana

Visi Perezida w'agateganyo

Rwanda: Interview of Ms Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza with Radio Voice of Africa Kigali FM

http://hungryoftruth.blogspot.com/2013/04/rwanda-interview-of-ms-victoire.html

Rwanda: Interview of Ms Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza with Radio Voice of Africa Kigali FM

Interview of Ms Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza with 

Radio Voice of Africa Kigali FM, on January 21, 2010

http://www.rwandahumanrights.org/docs/victoire_voa.mp3

VOA-KFM: Welcome to the studios of Voice of Africa Kigali FM (VOA-KFM). My name is Ildephonse Sinobabariraga. I work in the division of information. I would like to ask you to introduce yourself.

VIU: Thank you for inviting me in your studios. My name is Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza (VIU). I'm the Chairperson of FDU-Inkingi political party which is not yet registered here in Rwanda but I came back to register it.

VOA-KFM: For how long have you been abroad?

VIU: I came back to Rwanda after 16 years of absence.

VOA-KFM: That's a lot of years of absence in the country. Could compare the image you used to have about Rwanda while in Europe to the new image of Rwanda you got upon your arrival in the country since you have already been here for a week?

VIU: To tell you the truth, both images are the same. Maybe what I can say is that the City of Kigali has substantially expanded. Yesterday I was in Gisenyi. The City of Gisenyi has aged along with its streets. Frankly, with regard to the problems facing the country we found here the same information we were getting while in Europe. I got here on Saturday but if I consider what people are saying and look at the people I already met with, because on Sunday I was in Kabgayi, Gitarama and yesterday I was in Gisenyi, the conclusion is that the problems the people are reporting here in the country are exactly the same problems we were hearing about while in Europe. That's why we took the decision to conduct political activities inRwanda because important for us that all Rwandans should join their hands in order to build their country.

VOA-KFM:  What are those problems you used to hear about when you were in Europe and as you said, you found similar problems upon your arrival in the country?

VIU: They are problems related to fear. It is the real fear. There is fear due to the fact that Rwandans are afraid of expressing their opinions, how they see the problems.  Such fear is linked to the tragedy that ravaged our country: the genocide against the Tutsi in 1994 and the crimes against the Hutus. People are still afraid of talking about these two issues.

Considering the fact that upon my arrival in the country I pointed out these two issues in and the way several newspapers were quick at distorting my statements, I find it to be a big problem. As I already said, the biggest problem we face here in Rwanda in the aftermaths of such a tragedy is the problem of reconciliation. The fact that the reconciliation process has not yet initiated in Rwanda, 16 years after the genocide against the Tutsi and crimes against humanity committed in Rwanda, is the origin of such a fear. There is fear of saying that I have to whatever to avoid being victimized because of who I am or what I am. There are other people who say I cannot afford to speak out because retaliation. It is that fear I saw in the people I met with. That's why some newspapers distort one's statements. That is the fear among the people, the fear with strong grounds, the fear the people are talking about. There are people who speak in private but when you ask them some questions they say that they cannot say anything because by doing so they may end up in trouble. That's a big problem. For instance, yesterday I visited detainees in Gisenyi prison. Among these detainees, there are some of them who acknowledge having committed genocide. I told them that if indeed they committed genocide, their jail tem should be an opportunity to think about what they did, understand the seriousness of their crimes, and understand how human life is sacred. They should therefore learn from their mistakes. However, there are other detainees who told me that they have been detained for 7 years without any file. This is a serious problem. It does not make any sense to hear that in a non-failed state, a country where the judiciary is functional, someone can be detained for 7 years without finding evidence for the alleged crime. The situation for such individuals is not acceptable. That's an indication of bad governance. There are other detainees who told me that they were accused of genocide ideology. There is a man who told me that their build a village in my land property without any compensation. When I asked about such a practice, I was accused of harboring a genocide ideology and was put in jail. There are many problems due to misunderstanding and to our recent dark history, a devastating civil war and unprecedented killings among Rwandans.

Our position is that things should start from scratch. It's paramount that we Rwandans drop our fear and have the courage to start talking about the tragedy that befell us. That means that the ruling government must let people start talking about it.  Because I noticed that some of the passages published by government sponsored media were in fact reporting things I never said.  That's in fact the ruling government's way of keepping people from speaking out.  In fact they prevent them from speaking out because they thrive on the lie that tells people that a genocide was committed inRwanda and no one should dare talking about it. Such things are indeed not right. We think that it's about time 16 years after the genocide that was committed in our country that we Rwandans have the courage to start talking about what happened to us.  A genocide was committed against Tutsis.  Those who did it must be punished just as I told the prisoners I recently visited.  Those who were not involved should not be made liable for what they didn't do. Innocent people must be released from prison, which in turn will help Rwandans in general resume living freely in their country.

It's therefore necessary that we talk about those things.  It's indeed necessary that as Rwandans with our different opinions, worshiping in different religions that we accept to sit down together and find out why these killings happened to us, who committed them and what can we do to ensure that such killings don't happen to us again.  Only then will we be empowered to work for our country's development.  Because the fear I felt in the people, and their understanding of the events that took place does not encourage Rwandans to move forward. What we are building today would be built on sand and tomorrow or after tomorrow it would crumble again because when you examine people's hearts and the problems/war scars they bear in their hearts because of that problem which until now looks like they are told to cover up and not talk about would certainly cause other problems down the road. We in FDU we say that Rwandans in general must have the courage to talk about the problem so that we can engage on the path of reconciliation so that we can seek unity together.  Especially what we want is that as politicians we get together to talk about that problem looking for the right path to steer our country on because even all those killings were the result of bad governance.  If we agree on the right way to define positions of authority and how people are appointed to those positions that will at least keep those killings from happening again. That will give people confidence that the government is there to represent them and not a small clique of such and such, that it is not a government of this or that ethnic group or the government of people of this or that region, but a government that represents every Rwandan so that every Rwandan sees him/herself in it and is no longer afraid to speak out in his/her own country. 

VOA-KFM: I have one question. All those things are what you've criticized that they don't work. Then is there things the government did in these 16 years past genocide you would praise upon your arrival in Rwanda? What are they?

VIU: I don't think it's my role to praise what the ruling government did well.  They have enough people in charge of speaking for them. I don't think that's my job.  What brought us in the country is to do politics aimed at correcting what we know doesn't work.  As to giving praise to the ruling government, they have plenty of people to do that, they are the ones who should do that.

VOA-KFM: Let us talk about your party FDU-Inkingi.  It is a party that was operating abroad and you say that you come back to register it. And if I'm not mistaken you have also publicly declared that you will be running as a candidate of your party for the post of President of the Republic in these presidential elections.  Have you in this week you've been in the country started the process of getting your party registered? Do you expect that it will be registered any time soon?

VIU: Thanks. During these first days, what I wished to do as I've already said I went to Kabgayi, I went to Gisenyi, and I plan to go other places, is to first have an idea so to speak of the home standing in the country.  I will maybe talk based on what I found in those two places but maybe I will find out some more after I visit other areas.  It's good indeed that in these first days one would want to see where the country has come right now so to speak, and where those problems stand before one would work with other Rwandans in the country to find a way our party can be registered. Normally the law says that party registration takes on month even though it doesn't look that it works that way because we have the example of the party that advocates the defense of the environment and democracy inRwanda (Green Party).  When you considered the time that has passed since it requested to be registered and the problems it has faced, we stand ready to face the same problems. But we hope that the government, the people in the government, understands now that it is time to heed the principles of democracy in Rwanda.  We cannot continue to say that because a genocide was committed in Rwanda we cannot open the political space. Because they need to understand that the genocide was committed because there were people who had monopolized power, and did not want to yield to others, did not want to give access to other for them to feel free in their country.  I think that the ruling government understands that, and that it cannot afford to make the same mistake other made, locking out people, continuing to close the gates, keeping people from enjoying their freedom or from doing politics the way they see fit.  I therefore truly hope that our party will be registered because so far I see no reason why it would not.

VOA-KFM: But you said that the Green Party has waited over a month without being registered.  What makes you believe that your party will be registered in a month or so?

VIU: I have no proof to that but I do not want to render a sentence to those in charge of registering the party, saying that they will not approve me when I have not yet asked for registration.  That would be rendering a sentence on things that don't exist.  The day they refuse to register it they will explain why they refused to do so.  Maybe we could talk about that at that time.  But now I'm positive I see no reason why they wouldn't register the party. I see no reason why I would render a sentence to people at this time saying that they will not register the party.

VOA-KFM: While still on this issue of the party, beside you who came as the party chair to register the party here in Rwanda, one would wonder are there others you work with in the party or do they too plan to come to Rwanda or are you the only one who came to register the party for it to continue working abroad?

VIU: I would like to remind that I came with four people.  I didn't come alone.  But there are other party members left behind for reasons we often spoke about in the past.  Because many of them are refugees, they asked for papers for them to come to their country and until now those papers have not been delivered.  I hope that in the coming days I will be able to go see agents of immigration to ask them why those people have not been issued travel documents.  Because it doesn't make sense that they spend their time beating the drums for the refugee hosted in African countries to come back by force, when they deny travel documents to those refugees hosted by European country if they ask for travel documents to go back to their country.  It doesn't make sense.  I just hope that that issue will be settled.  You also wondered if the party will continue to work abroad.  That's not true because we've decided to transfer all our political activities here in Rwanda.  There are Rwandans in Rwanda. This is a party for Rwandans. We have members and others will join us soon.  That's not an issue.

VOA-KFM: A short while after you landed at the airport you went to the memorial.  As you came back from there many Rwandans may have been offended by your talk at the memorial.  From many Rwandans that were interviewed or maybe from a few who where asked it was clear that they rejected what you said there.  How will you work with Rwandans that have started fighting you?

VIU: We need to find out how many those Rwandans were? Who exactly those Rwandans were?   Why did they say such things?  We know fairly well the politics of this country. I'm coming from Europe but I know the way politics is done here.  Calling on somebody somewhere asking him/her to say such and such, is the kind of politics Rwandans don't want anymore.  What we are saying is that no politician should use the tragedy that befell our country to use it to lock out everybody else.  That we will not accept in FDU-Inkingi. At Gisozi what I said to Rwandans is that a Rwandan genocide was committed, which was the reason why as soon as I arrived in the country I couldn't sleep before I visited the memorial reminding us of the tragedy that befell the country.  But I reminded everyone that we couldn't stop at the genocide perpetrated against Tutsi only because there were also crimes against humanity that were committed. Those crimes the people they were committed against would also like the government to reserve a time for them to remember their loved ones so that people empathize with their sorrow.  The problem I heard from people, people like those of Ibuka is that they believe those things should never be talked about.  It doesn't make sense how people can say that some killings should be talked about but that other killings should not. We, the Rwandan people, have suffered. What I ask people is that we have the courage to look at the tragedy that befell us.  It's us Rwandans who carried it out. I don't agree when we dare to say that it came from the white people or from some other people.  No white person grabbed a machete to go chop down somebody, no white person pick up a Kalchinikov to go lock students in their class room to shoot them all out.  All of that was done by us the Rwandan people among ourselves.  We need to accept that truth.  We need to examine that truth.  We also need to take the right long range plans.  But we don't like that some people for their own political gains keep people from saying what they think, invoking that tragedy, that calamity that befell Rwandans. That indeed must end.  And to those people who live in fear because of these things, I aked people to come out their fear and have the courage to face problems like these, because that's the only way we will rebuild our country and will prevent the youth of tomorrow to run into problems like these. But covering up, covering up like covering burning fire with ashes, that fire will one day burst open again.  So what we want is that Rwandans quit covering up the sorrow they have, the pain they suffered.  What we want is that Rwandans in the pain they suffered in that tragedy that befell Rwanda, if people are given a chance, if they are given a chance to talk about it, look together for ways they can help each other, look for ways we can lift our country up in peace and harmony.

VOA-KFM: I think you say all that as Victoire.  Who is that Victoire who says that she wants Rwandans to move forward again, to hold hands again in unity?

VIU: I'm married.  I have three children.  I studied accounting here inRwanda.  I worked in the Rwandan Ministry of Finance in Customs before continuing on to study in Holland.  There too I studied Finance at the University.  After that I worked in an American company for 9 years. In April of last year I resigned my well-paying job preparing to come to my country to do politics.

VOA-KFM: Good.  Thank you. We truly thank you.

VIU: Thank you too.

NOTE: 
This transcript is also available in Kinyarwanda.

RELATED STORY:

GISOZI: VICTOIRE INGABIRE UMUHOZA'S SPEECH