Implicated in Congo crimes, Rwanda’s Gen. Kagame has bigger headache than silencing Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, opposition chief

 

http://sfbayview.com/2012/implicated-in-congo-crimes-rwandas-gen-kagame-has-bigger-headache-than-silencing-victoire-ingabire-umuhoza-opposition-chief/ Implicated in Congo crimes, Rwanda's Gen. Kagame has bigger headache than silencing Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, opposition chief October 30, 2012 5   Because of Rwanda's support of M23 terrorists in Congo, the U.S. cut some aid to Rwanda as have some European countries Editorial by Milton Allimadi, Black Star News The sham treason trial of Rwanda's top opposition leader, Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, has finally ended with her expected conviction. Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, unbowed by tyranny, looks regal despite her pink prison garb and shaved head. The U.S., which recently cut aid to Rwanda for its role in Congo atrocities, must call for Umuhoza's release. She has been sentenced to eight years in prison by a kangaroo court. Her conviction by the kangaroo court must be set aside. And what was her real crime? Umuhoza, an ethnic Hutu, had declared that genuine reconciliation in Rwanda can't occur until the authorities acknowledge that in addition to Tutsis, Hutus were also massacred during the 1994 ethnic killings. For taking this honest position, Umuhoza was arrested and charged with historical revisionism, inciting ethnic hatred and also "genocide denial." She never had a chance at a fair trial. Her chief counsel, Peter Erlinder, an American law professor, was arrested earlier during the trial, imprisoned and also threatened with charges of "genocide denial" before being expelled from the country after an international outcry. In truth, the charges against Umuhoza and the trial were convenient ways to prevent her from participating in Rwanda's last presidential elections, which many observers believe she would have won. Rwanda's dictator, Gen. Paul Kagame, was declared the winner with unheard of margins – the kind of election results that used to be associated with leaders of the Soviet Union. Umuhoza was convicted for being brave and daring to challenge the Gen. Kagame regime. In truth, the charges against Umuhoza and the trial were convenient ways to prevent her from participating in Rwanda's last presidential elections, which many observers believe she would have won. But Gen. Kagame himself has a much bigger headache. For years Kagame was granted a blank check by Western countries that credited him with halting the ethnic killings of 1994. That conventional narrative of Gen. Kagame as Rwanda's savior has been under increasing scrutiny lately. On Nov. 17, 2006, a French investigative judge, Jean-Louis Bruguière, indicted several senior Rwanda military officers for the assassination of Rwanda's then President Juvenal Habyarimana and for sparking Rwanda's 1994 massacres. The judge said Kagame should stand trial for ordering the April 6, 1994, downing with missiles of the plane that carried Habyarimana; he perished with Burundi's President Cyprien Ntaryamira, who was traveling with him. According to the French judge, Gen. Kagame's plan was to cynically use the chaos and mass killings that he knew would follow the assassination to seize power and be hailed as a liberator. At the time of Habyarimana's assassination, Kagame's Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF), which had launched a war of aggression in October 1990 from Uganda, backed by Yoweri Museveni, was inking a peace deal to stop four years of warfare. For years Kagame had dismissed the charges by the French judge as a cover-up by France to mask that country's own role in backing Habyarimana's regime for years. Yet Gen. Kagame's alleged involvement in subsequent atrocities now make it harder to maintain the conventional narrative's fantasies. In 2010 the United Nations so-called "Mapping Report" documented the massacres of Hutu refugees inside the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) by Kagame's army. More recently, in June, Gen. Kagame's army was implicated in a new United Nations Group of Experts' report in the on-going massacres of civilians in Congo by a Rwanda backed group called M23. Rwanda's Gen. James Kaberebe, Rwanda's defense minister who is implicated in the June U.N. report, was also indicted by Judge Bruguière in 2006 for the assassination of Habyarimana. It's possible the regime may have announced Umuhoza's conviction – after several delays – to deflect attention from Gen. Kagame's own crisis and as a negotiating carrot with his Western sponsors. As a result of the United Nations' findings, the United States has cut some aid to Rwanda as have some European countries. Congo's government has called on the United Nations Security Council action against Rwanda; meanwhile Congolese and Rwandan activists want war crimes charges by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Gen. Kagame, a prospect that doesn't seem totally unlikely anymore. Given this backdrop, it's possible the regime may have announced Umuhoza's conviction – after several delays – to deflect attention from Gen. Kagame's own crisis and as a negotiating carrot with his Western sponsors. Nevertheless, a sham trial is a sham trial. Umuhoza must be released unconditionally or granted an impartial fully-monitored trial, with counsel of her choice. Her conviction by the kangaroo court must be set aside. Milton Allimadi, publisher and editor in chief of The Black Star News, New York's leading Pan African weekly investigative newspaper, where this story first appeared, can be reached at Milton@blackstarnews.com. Allimadi has also worked for The Journal of Commerce, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and The City Sun.   You may also like - Free African political prisoner Victoire Ingabire Africa advocates to Obama: Don't recognize Kagame's election Paul Kagame's desperate days Share on tumblrShare on facebookShare on twitterShare on emailMore Sharing Services Related Posts Rwanda is no excuse for the U.S. to intervene in Sudan Bill Clinton, the genocider who just might get away Need to examine U.S. complicity in Africa Genocide African Union threatens withdrawal from United Nations Rwanda's Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza speaks to Women's International News Gathering Service

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http://rwandansrights.org/rwanda-should-give-opponents-political-space-not-political-motivated-prison-sentences/ Rwanda should give opponents political space not politically motivated prison sentences OCTOBER 30, 2012 4:14 PM Global Campaign for Rwandans Human Rights condemns today High Court guilty verdict of the opposition party leader Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza for charges that are clearly political motivated. She has been jailed for eight years for treason and denying genocide, Since she was arrested on 14th October 2010, her trial has demonstrated to fell short basic judicial procedures and international judicial principles. Prior to her arrest there were already signs of government attempt to influence the judiciary in relation to accusations against her. This occurred when government official including the president Paul Kagame, ministers of interior, foreign affairs and local government made statements confirming Ingabire culpability. This has clearly undermined the judiciary independence and highly likely to impact the direction of the trial process and verdict. Therefore Ingabire trial was conducted in atmosphere which could not guarantee a free and fair judgement. While recognising importance of Rwandan government special attention in monitoring hate speeches that might fuel genocidal related crimes, the genocide past should not be used to close freedom to express ones views in relation to past's events and pathways to take to ensure justice and reconciliation. The scare of illeguralities and ignorance of due process identified during Ingabire trial demonstrated the judiciary commitment to collaborate with the executive in silencing criticism using the law and its unwillingness to deliver really justice. Global Campaign for Rwandans Human Rights urges the Rwandan government to: - Immediately release Victoire Ingabire and other political prisoners including Bernard Ntaganda and Deo Mushayidi who were also imprisoned as result of various political motivated charges. - Immediately release all imprisoned journalists whose trial seriously undermined the freedom of media principles. - To amend and clarify the 'genocide ideology'' law in order to prevent its use in silencing opponents and closing up criticism. - Allow justice system whose judges and prosecutors are totally independents and witnesses are not harassed. - Remember period of troubles in Rwandan history have mainly caused by lack of freedom, human rights respect and equal opportunities. Oppressing rights has high potentiality to take back Rwanda into that dark period. Lack of those fundamental freedoms also prevents Rwanda to achieve its development potentiality. - Open up political space, so that Rwandans can embrace really democracy that will ensure people rights to participate freely in order to create a democratic society. For headquarter (UK) Rene C Mugenzi info@rwandansrights.org For Rwanda team rwanda@rwandansrights.org

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Rwanda – Victoire Ingabire, La Femme Qui A Osé S’opposer Au Dictateur Kagame

 

http://www.lecongolais.cd/rwanda-victoire-ingabire-la-femme-qui-a-ose-sopposer-au-dictateur-kagame-ecope-de-8-ans-de-prison/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rwanda-victoire-ingabire-la-femme-qui-a-ose-sopposer-au-dictateur-kagame-ecope-de-8-ans-de-prison Rwanda – Victoire Ingabire, La Femme Qui A Osé S'opposer Au Dictateur Kagame, Écope De 8 Ans De Prison En août 2010 s'est tenue la deuxième élection présidentielle au Rwanda. Le général Paul Kagamé, leader du Front patriotique rwandais, au pouvoir depuis 2003, a été réélu à 93 % – un taux digne de la Corée du Nord qui s'explique par les chansons débiles à sa gloire qui passent en permanence à la radio et sa faculté à organiser des rassemblements populistes un peu partout dans le pays, un peu tout le temps. Les élections se sont déroulées dans un climat plutôt bon. Trois ou quatre grenades ont explosé au centre de Kigali, la capitale, pendant la campagne électorale, mais rien de bien méchant. Paul Kagamé déteste l'idée que quelqu'un puisse un jour le déposséder de ses fonctions. Si vous lui posez la question, il vous répondra certainement que l'opposition existe et que des partis se sont présentés face à lui pour l'élection de 2010. Mais si l'on regarde de plus près, les candidats qui ont pu se maintenir face à lui avaient un programme strictement identique au sien – et surtout, étaient des anciens membres de son parti. En d'autres termes, ils semblerait que ces « opposants » aient plutôt été des alliés engagés pour jouer les figurants dans ce pantomime démocratique. Les vrais opposants, eux, font face à quelques difficultés. Le vice-président du Parti démocratique vert, André Kagwa Rwisereka, a été retrouvé décapité dans un marais aux environs de la capitale deux mois avant l'élection de 2010. Bien qu'il n'existe aucune preuve, il semblerait que cet incident soit lié à la volonté de cet homme de déloger Paul Kagamé. Victoire Ingabire, quant à elle, leader des Forces démocratiques unifiées (FDU) et potentielle opposante de Paul Kagamé, subit depuis deux ans une forme de répression un peu différente mais tout aussi révoltante. En août 2010, elle s'est ainsi fait accuser de « complicité de terrorisme, propagation de l'idéologie du génocide, atteinte à la sûreté intérieure de l'État et création d'un groupe armé anti-Kagamé », ce qui l'a empêchée de présenter sa candidature. Depuis cette date, Victoire Ingabire a fait des allers-retours en prison dans l'attente de son jugement, chaque fois reporté aux calendes grecques. Le verdict a enfin été rendu aujourd'hui, comme une mauvaise plaisanterie qui aurait beaucoup trop duré : elle a été condamnée à 8 ans de prison ferme pour « menace à la sécurité intérieure du pays ». THOMAS BERTRAND/VICE/LC

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http://www.rnw.nl/africa/article/ingabire%E2%80%99s-daughter-%E2%80%9Cyou-get-used-it%E2%80%9D Ingabire's daughter: "You get used to it" Published on : 31 October 2012 - 5:35pm | By Saskia Houttuin (Photo: Saskia Houttuin) More about: Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)   Ingabire trial   Ingabire's daughter   M23   Netherlands President Paul Kagame   Raissa Ujeneza   Rwanda   Rwanda high court   Victoire Ingabire Raissa Ujeneza is a 23 year old studying international and European law in the Netherlands. Her mother is Rwandan opposition leader Victoire Ingabire, whom Rwanda's high court sentenced Tuesday to eight years in prison for treason and genocide denial. RNW visited Ujeneza at her home to hear what she was thinking and feeling shortly after the verdict was announced. "She only went [to Rwanda] to bring peace and to reconcile the Rwandan people. And anybody who would understand that would not fight her and would definitely not put her eight years into prison," says Ujeneza. Relative to the life sentence that her family had envisioned as a worst-case scenario, the ruling may seem quite mild. But her daughter feels little satisfaction. "I am also disappointed because it is my mother who they are sentencing [to] eight years while she is innocent," she says. "It is not just." The global gaze According to Ujeneza, the international criticism that her mother's case drew spared Ingabire from receiving a life-long imprisonment. "They are aware that the international community is watching them," she says about Rwanda.  "The government has been criticized several times on different aspects," she explains, referring to accusations of Rwanda "participating with the rebel group M23 in the Congo areas" and "meddling" with the Ingabire case. "Also, my mother's case has been in the media on several occasions," she continues. "And the Rwandan government, in trying to show that they are doing a [good] job and that they are acting [according to the] law...they of course gave her eight year sentence instead of the required life sentence...I think and I believe truly that they wanted to give her life." Life in the Netherlands Raissa Ujeneza, 23, at her home in the Netherlands Photo: Saskia Houttuin Ujeneza's life in the Netherlands comes in stark contrast to her mother's. Ujeneza lives in a colourfully decorated apartment in a small Dutch village. Ingabire left for Rwanda in 2010 to run against the country's sitting President Paul Kagame. Ingabire was jailed. Kagame won. "It's been quite difficult and quite chaotic. It happened actually that every time she would end up in prison in the beginning, before she was arrested, I had an exam," says Ujeneza when asked how she has coped with her mother's situation. "I try to separate myself, having one side which focuses on school and everything that is going on in my own life. And another side that is focused on her trial and everything that comes along with it." But how does the young woman prevent herself from feeling split into two? "You get used to it," she says. "You get used to switching off a button and do what you have to do and when you have to do it, and switch it on when you have to focus on this area which is quite confronting my emotions." Looking forward Now that the verdict has been announced, Ingabire and her supporters are expected to bring the case to a higher court. "We will not take this verdict for what it is. We know that the court has favoured in the Rwandan government's demands actually and we want justice to be served," says Ujeneza. "We will go to the Supreme Court and, if necessary, we will also take this trial abroad outside the Rwandan country," she says, noting that the case could be appropriate for the African Court on Human and People's Rights. Although she might not see her for years and admits to missing her very much, Ujeneza clearly wants her mother to persevere. RELATED CONTENT Eight years for Victoire Ingabire Big Brother Kagame is watching all Rwandans Rwanda: violator or victim? Victoire Ingabire: verdict postponed On the eve of Victoire Ingabire's verdict Still, one can't help but wonder if on the day Ingabire is liberated, whether her own family will want to keep her in close reign. "I realize that my mother would probably not let herself [be] held down," says her daughter, with a laugh. "She is very determined and I recognize that in my brothers and myself. Once we want something we really go for it and we have that from her. She cannot be stopped and she shouldn't be stopped. Definitely not. She's living out what she believes: she believes that Rwanda can be healed again. And she should be supported in that and she should not be stopped." Ujeneza confidently adds: "Not even by her own children."

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IHURIRO NYARWANDA RNC RIRAMAGANA UBUTEGETSI BWA KAGAME KUBA BWAKATIYE VICTOIRE INGABIRE GUFUNGWA IMYAKA UMUNANI

 

http://www.facebook.com/theogene.rudasingwa?fref=ts IHURIRO NYARWANDA RNC RIRAMAGANA UBUTEGETSI BWA KAGAME KUBA BWAKATIYE VICTOIRE INGABIRE GUFUNGWA IMYAKA UMUNANI Uyu munsi, tariki ya 30/10/2012, Urukiko Rukuru yw'i Kigali, mu Rwanda, rwakatiye Madamu Vitoire Ingabire, Umukuru wa FDU-Inkingi, igifungo cy'imyaka umunani, ku mpamvu zidafashe aregwa z'ingengabitekerezo ya jenoside no kugambanira Leta akoresheje intambara n'iterabwoba. Ihuriro Nyarw anda RNC riramagana ryihanukiriye aka karengane mu bucamanza bunakingira bamwe ikibaba, ingeso ibaye karande mu butegetsi bw'igitugu bwa Polo Kagame. Ihuriro Nyarwanda RNC ryifatanije muri ibi bihe bikomeye na Madamu Victoire Ingabire, umuryango we, FDU-Inkingi n'abandi Banyarwanda bose bakunda amahoro n'ubwisanzure. Mu kuyobora ubwo bucamanza bw'ikinamico buhohotera Ingabire wamamaye mu guharanira ubwigenge bwa Muntu, ubutegetsi bwa Kagame bwerekanye bidasubirwaho ko noneho butakigira amajyo, ko bwiteguye gukomeza inzira y'iterabwoba kugeza bukongotse. Ni iki cyakorwa? 1. Twirinde guta igihe mu maganya. Abanyarwanda bagombye kurushaho guhagurukana ubutwari, bagatsinda ubwoba, bitabira urugamba rugamije guca akarengane. Ubwoba niyo ntwaro y'imena y'ubwo butegetsi. Nitumara kwerekana ko twatsinze ubwoba, Kagame azaherako abarirwa iminsi. 2. Ukwizera ni ngombwa, ariko ntiguhindukamo ingamba zo gutsinda ingoma y'igitugu. Tureke kwicara ngo dutegereza ko ubwo butegetsi buhirima ubwabwo. Tugomba kwerekana ko tutemera gukandamizwa, tukarwana urugamba dukoresheje uburyo bwose butari ubw'intwaro z'intambara. Tugomba gutabarana urugamba, bitaba ibyo ubwo butegetsi bukatwica cyangwa bukadufunga umwe-umwe, cyangwa bukaturoha mu buhunzi.  3. Tugomba kurwana kandi tugatsinda, kandi gutsinda bisobanura gukuraho burundu ubutegetsi bw'igitugu, tukabumbira hamwe Abanyarwanda mu bwisanzure, bityo bagatangira inzira yo kwiyondora, kwiyunga no kwiteza imbere. Gutsinda urugamba birasaba guhaguruka ku bwinshi no gushishoza dukwirakwiza imbere mu gihugu amashyirahamwe ayobowe by'intangarugero. Tugomba kuba muri buri mudugudu, buri shuli, buri ministeri, buri kiriziya, buri rwego rwa RPF, buri rwego rw'umutekano, buri nkambi y'impunzi, ahari Umunyarwa hose haba mu buroko cyangwa mu mashyamba ya Kongo, muri buri shyirahamwe rya Diaspora, muri buri shyirahamwe ritegamiye kuri Leta, dufite imvugo imwe: ubutegetsi buriho burahirima, dushyire hamwe amaboko yacu tugere bwangu ku ntsinzi izakuraho ibitubabaza. 4. Tube ba nyamwete, dusange kandi dusabe inkunga abavandimwe bacu b'Abanyafurika, cyane cyane abo muri Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi na Repubulika Iharanira Demokarasi ya Kongo, dore ko benshi muri bo banahuye n'ingorane bakururiwe n'ingoma y'igitugu ya Kagame. Abo bose tujye kubabwira ko ubutegetsi bwa Kagame ari isoko y'impanuka za buri bwoko ku Banyarwanda kimwe no kubaturanyi bacu bose, bityo tubonereho kubasaba ubufatanye mu gushaka amahoro n' umutekano birambye mu karere kacu no muri Afurika.  5. Tube ba nyamwete ku rugamba rwa diplomacy, dusaba amahanga kudufasha gukuraho ubutegetsi bw'agahotoro bwa Kagame buhora bubunza intambara ku Banyarwanda no ku Banyekongo. Umuryango Mpuzamahanga, tugomba kuwubwira tuti: igihe kirageze cyo kwiminjiramo agafu. Ipfunwe ryo kuba utaratabaye muri 1994 rigomba gushira, uwo muryango ukerekana ko uri ku ruhande rw' Abanyarwanda, aho gutera inkunga ubutegetsi bumena amaraso bw'umuntu umwe, afatanije gusa n'umuryango we n'agatsiko kanzinya gaturuka mu bwoko bumwe butiganje. 6. Ibihe bikurikira kuvaho k'ubutegetsi bwa Kagame byaratangiye, kandi bigomba gusimbura ubutegetsi buboze, nk'uko imbuto ibora ishibukamo igihingwa gitoshye. Ibyo Kagame arimo afitira byose, nta na kimwe kizaramira ubutegetsi bwe. Nta garuriro ubwo butegetsi bugifite. Kuri we ariko yahitamo ko igihugu gicura imiborogo aho kureka ngo Abanyarwanda bibohore. Buri wese muri twe agomba rero gusuzuma ibyo yakwigoma ngo tugere ku ntego yo kubaka u Rwanda rwacu rwononekaye. Ibyo bigomba gutangirira hano, kandi aka kanya, aho Umunyarwana atuye cyangwa akorera hose. Tugomba kwibumbira hamwe, tukarenga inzitizi z'ubwoko, akarere, ubutunzi, igitsina n'ibindi. U Rwanda rushyashya rugomba gutangirana na buri wese muri twe, rugasakara mu miryango yacu ya hafi, mu moko duturukamo, mu batuye Igihugu bose no mu batuye Isi. Umurage tugomba gusigira abato ni ukwibukwa nk'abubatse umusingi w'u Rwanda rwigenga, rwunze ubumwe kandi rufite ubukungu busangiwe. 7. Tugomba gukoresha igihe cyacu, amafaranga yacu, ubwenge bwacu n'abo dushyikirana niba twiyemeje gusohoza bidatinze ino mpinduramatwara ikorwa mu mahoro. Abanyarwanda bagomba gushora ibyabo mu bizazanira imibereho myiza abana n'abuzukuru babo. Guha amafaranga ikigega Agaciro si ukuyapfusha ubusa gusa, kuko bitazabuza abanyarwanda gutera intambwe, ni n'ishyano kuko Kagame ayakoresha mu bintu bye bwite, mu gushimangira igitugu, kwica no gufunga abatavuga ruwe na we, kimwe no gushoza intambara mu baturanyi. Turangwe rero n'ubushishozi, duhundagaza amafaranga yacu mu mpinduramatwara igamije kubaka amahoro, ubwisanzure n'ubukungu busaranganyijwe. Martin Luther King Jr ni we wigeze kugira ati: umuheto w'amateka ni muremure kandi uhetama ugana ku butabera. Ibyo ni ukuri ku Banyarwanda bose no ku bandi bose, kandi igihe cyose. Inshingano zacu n'urukundo dufitiye urwatubyaye bidutegeka gukoresha buri saha, buri munsi, buri cyumweru, buri kwezi na buri mwaka tugamije kubohora Victoire Ingabire n'abandi bafunzwe ku mpamvu za politiki, tutibagiwe n'Abanyarwanda bose, tubavana mu mubabaro w'igihome n'ubuhunzi. Turaje kandi ntakizigera kiduhagarika. Ntituzasubira inyuma. Tuzatsinda! Dr Theogene Rudasingwa Umuhuzabikorwa Mukuru Ihuriro Nyarwanda (RNC) Washington DC USA E-mail: ngombwa@gmail.com 30/10/2012

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