Verdict for Rwandan opponent postponed to October 19

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jzPES9mJi8UohPQv8jWM4gIeuO2w?docId=CNG.8424f583021717a037d3b323642abfd0.7a1   Verdict for Rwandan opponent postponed to October 19 (AFP) – 7 hours ago  KIGALI — A Rwandan court on Friday postponed the verdict for opposition figure Victoire Ingabire, accused of bankrolling terrorism and denying the 1994 genocide, until October 19. The court said it would wait for the decision of a higher court on a separate suit filed by Ingabire before handing down its verdict. "The court realised that Ingabire filed a suit in the Supreme Court challenging the genocide ideology law," judge Alice Rulisa told the court, adding that a lawyer for Ingabire had also requested the court wait for the Supreme Court ruling before handing down its own decision. In late June the same court had already postponed the verdict once. Ingabire, leader of the Unified Democratic Forces (FDU), a political grouping that has not been allowed to register as a party, is charged with "giving financial support to a terrorist group, planning to cause state insecurity and divisionism". Ingabire, a Hutu, denies the charges. Prosecutors in April called for her to be given a life sentence. Ingabire, an outspoken critic of President Paul Kagame, has been in custody since her arrest in October 2010, and has boycotted proceedings since April after the court cut short a witness who accused Rwandan authorities of rigging evidence against her. Rwandan prosecutors claim to have evidence of Ingabire's "terrorist" activities, including proof of financial transfers to the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Rwanda, a Hutu rebel movement based in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo. The FDU accuses Rwandan authorities of fabricating evidence against its leader, with the sole aim of preventing her from participating in the political affairs of the small central African country. Ingabire was absent as she has been boycotting the court proceedings in recent months, but her four co-accused were in court. Copyright © 2012 AFP.

http://therisingcontinent.wordpress.com/2012/09/07/opposition-leader-kidnapped-and-expelled-from-rwanda-manu-militari/   Opposition leader kidnapped and expelled from his native Rwanda manu militari Posted on September 7, 2012 | Leave a comment Alexis Bakunzibake – 1st Vice President – PS-Imberakuri Ijwi Rya Rubanda, an online radio station operating from London announced today having managed to talk to Alexis Bakunzibake, 1st Vice President of the Rwandan opposition party PS-Imberakuri, from Uganda border with Rwanda, where Kagame's security forces had dumped him alive. Times are changing for the Rwandan Patriotic Front. If we remember, a little more than 2 years ago, on July 13, 2010 André Kagwa Rwisereka, vice-president of the Democratic Green Party, was reported missing. His car was then found near the southern town of Butare. The following day, his mutilated body is found on the outskirts of Butare. He had been also kidnapped but as well unfortunately decapitated. Of course, at the time and even until today, Kagame's government has denied any involvement in the assassination of this politician from the opposition. Alexis Bakunzibake, whom we reported this week the kidnapping from his neighbourhood in Kigali, was apparently seriously beaten up and bear a number of scars and bruises on different parts of his body [arms and legs particularly]. That is what he communicated to Ijwi Rya Rubanda. He indicated that on Wednesday, he had been forcibly removed from a taxi, the public around watching without any questioning thinking probably that he was another individual that Rwandan authorities were after for their own reasons. They put him in a car, blindfolded him, and drove to an unknown location. He was after taken into a room, handcuffed and leg-cuffed. During the interrogation, he was asked why he was not working with the other faction of his party PS-Imberakuri that is affiliated to the Rwandan Patriotic Front. The source of funds they use was also part of many questions they wanted him to answer. The following day his kidnappers drove for hours on bumpy roads, and around 2 pm, they dumped him in an inhabited area in Uganda and close to Kabare. He had to walk 12 hours night and day to reach the first residential settlements in the region. Though he had been dispossessed of all his accessories [shoes and particularly means of communication], he had managed to hide from his kidnappers a sim card, with which he was able to talk to the outside world and tell his dramatic encounter. On the same day we write this story, we learnt that another politician from the Victoire Ingabire – Leader of FDU-Inkingi – Iconic figure advocating democracy and reconciliation in Rwandan recent and unfolding history opposition, Victoire Ingabire, leader of FDU-Inkingi, who is imprisoned in Kigali since 14 October 2012, and whose sentencing was meant to be read today, has seen her hearing postponed to 19 October 2012. The court explained that the postponement was due to the fact it needed to consider the High Court reply to the review of the law on genocide, divisionism and revisionism, since the accused has challenged the Rwandan judiciary on its unconstitutional character. As one can rightly assess, the Rwandan opposition has still significant challenges in its way before any different society where all citizens are treated equally and fairly by their political leaders, would emerge. The important on that journey is not to give up. While hope can sustain lives of many that Kagame oppresses, signs are there to show a shift in the balance of powers. A last word on the interpretation of expelling Alexis Bakunzibake out of Rwanda is worth considering. By taking such drastic measure towards a Rwandan citizen, does that mean the victim could not be punishable by any law of the land if he had committed some offense or crime? Or does it send a strong message to all politicians from the opposition telling them that if they want to oppose Kagame, they better be outside the country? No wonder why at some time Victoire Ingabire was too once asked if she wanted to leave Rwanda, they could help her. But they forget that they are only postponing the inevitable.

=

__._,_.___

Helping Africa develop growth that benefits its poor

The challenges of capital, capacity and corruption need to be confronted if real economic progress is to be made, says Mark Rowland of VSO after a week in Uganda

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sustainable-business/developing-enterprise-achieve-inclusive-economic-growth

Africa APPG questions DFID’s choice of aid priorities

From: Africa All Party Parliamentary Group, Houses of Parliament

All Party Group of MPs and Peers question Government’s choice of countries to receive UK aid

The Africa All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG)2, a cross-party group of almost 90 MPs and Peers, questions the Government’s selection of countries to receive aid, in a report released today (Monday 2 January) entitled “DFID’s Aid Priorities and Africa”1.  The report analyses the Government’s Bilateral Aid Review (BAR) published in 2011, which led the Department for International Development (DFID) to reduce the number of countries it operates in from 43 in 2008/9 to 27 by 2016.

The  cross party group concludes that the premise that DFID should operate more effectively in fewer countries is sensible, but the lack of objective criteria, the poor quality of some of the information used to select focus countries, and the lack of transparency of the process, mean the countries selected to receive aid are not the optimum choices.  The report also discusses the implications of the BAR for how UK aid should be spent in Africa.

http://africaappg.org.uk/post/15562068140/news-africa-appg-questions-dfids-choice-of-aid

DFID Africa Directorate: Operational Plan 2011-2015

The UK Government is determined to help reduce the inequalities of opportunity we see around the world today. We believe that promoting global

prosperity is both a moral duty and in the UK‟s national interest. Aid is only ever a means to an end, never an end in itself. It is wealth creation and

sustainable growth that will help people to lift themselves out of poverty.

In May 2010, the International Development Secretary, Andrew Mitchell, commissioned the Bilateral Aid Review to take a comprehensive and

ambitious look at the countries in which DFID works through our direct country and regional programmes. The review focussed on the best ways for

the UK to tackle extreme poverty, ensuring that we make the greatest impact with every pound we spend. In parallel, through the Multilateral Aid

Review, DFID assessed how effective the international organisations we fund are at tackling poverty.

On the 1st March 2011, the key outcomes of the reviews were announced, including the results that UK aid will deliver for the world's poorest people

over the next four years. The Bilateral Aid Review has refocused the aid programme in fewer countries so that we can target our support where it will

make the biggest difference and where the need is greatest. The Multilateral Aid Review findings enable us to put more money behind effective

international organisations which are critical to delivering the UK‟s development priorities. In addition the independent Humanitarian Emergency

Response Review looked at how the UK can build on its strengths in responding impartially to humanitarian needs and help ensure future disaster

responses can be better prepared and coordinated.

DFID is committed to being a global leader on transparency. In the current financial climate, we have a particular duty to show that we are achieving

value for every pound of UK taxpayers‟ money that we spend on development. Results, transparency and accountability are our watchwords and guide

everything we do. DFID regards transparency as fundamental to improving its accountability to UK citizens and to improving accountability to citizens

in the countries in which it works. Transparency will also help us achieve more value for money in the programmes we deliver and will improve the

effectiveness of aid in reducing poverty.

The UK Aid Transparency Guarantee commits DFID to making our aid fully transparent to citizens in both the UK and developing countries. As part of

this commitment we are publishing Operational Plans for country programmes. The Operational Plans set out the vision, priorities and results that will

be delivered in each of our country programmes.

We will concentrate our efforts on supporting achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, creating wealth in poor countries, strengthening their

governance and security and tackling climate change

http://www.dfid.gov.uk/Documents/publications1/op/africa-dir-2011.pdf

UK pledges Millions to improve education in Rwanda

UK pledges Millions to improve education in Rwanda

On Tuesday, the UK Department for International Development (DFID) will launch a partnership with Rwanda to improve education in the region. The program, entitled “Innovation for Education (IFE),” will offer a minimum of £50,000 and a maximum sum of £800,000 to participating organizations. Marc Van der Stouwe, the head of the initiative, revealed that IFE looks to spend about £10 million in total.

NGOs, faith-based organisations, private sector projects, foundations, and consortia are all encouraged to apply for funding — but competition looks fierce. Calls are welcome on September 4th, and applications will close just two weeks after that date. Stouwe anticipates an extensive vetting process, coordinated under strict guidelines. Applicants will be screened by four criteria. Projects need to be innovative, easily replicable by the Rwandan government, cost-effective, and of course, make long-lasting improvements to the quality of education in the region.

Successful applicants will start their work in Rwanda in December 2012, and should work for approximately two years under the DFID’s tutelage. Funded projects will be under close scrutiny by the IFE, constantly evaluated for effectiveness and direction.

The project is but a part of the DFID’s efforts in Rwanda. In total, the UK government spends £83 million each year in Rwanda, and looks to continue doing so until 2015. This stands in stark contrast to the US, Sweden, Germany, and the Netherlands, which have all decided to cut Rwanda off from aid for the year. The countries allege that Rwanda has been offering military assistance to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The US offers more total foreign aid than any other country. However, the picture changes when aid amount is calculated as a percentage of gross national income. Under such a metric, the US lags far behind, spending a mere 0.21% of its GNI. The UK spends 0.52% of its GNI in foreign aid.

Creative Commons Love: expressionposthumus on Flickr.com

http://www.openequalfree.org/uk-pledges-millions-to-improve-rwandan-education/15823