Rwanda: Direct talks between FDLR and Government would pave way for lasting peace in the region

"A democratic government is urgently needed in Kigali. In my opinion, it is obvious that a democratically elected government in Kigali would not need to sponsor armed groups in the provinces of North and South Kivu.

In addition, such a democratically elected government in Kigali would refuse to offer back-up bases to any Congolese armed groups, including the one belonging to the Tutsi rebel Laurent Nkundabatware, whose rebellions would shortly die off by themselves. Concerning the Rwandan armed groups, including the FDLR combatants, a democratically elected government in Kigali would not be afraid to directly discuss with them.

Direct talks between these combatants and the democratically elected Rwandan government would set up new relationships under which the armed struggle would be meaningless. These armed groups would not have any reason to refuse to face justice in Rwanda, should some of their combatants have to respond for their acts, just as any other Rwandan in similar situation would have to, especially the RPF members who are accused of several crimes, including crimes against humanity.

A democratically elected government in Kigali would provide impartial justice for all Rwandans without any discrimination. Therefore, there would be no need for such a democratic government in Kigali to request that these combatants be sent "elsewhere".

Their home is in Rwanda. That is where they belong and no where else. Most importantly, it is up to the Rwandan people to judge their fellow citizens, and not to anyone else. With numerous uncertainties and political machinations mostly owing to regional and international geopolitics, the international community can only offset the inability of the RPF regime to create suitable conditions for a fair and impartial trial in its own courts", Jean Baptiste Mberabahizi, November 11, 2008, 

In [Dealing with the reality, achieving common ground, and betting on the future].

http://hungryoftruth.blogspot.com/2009/01/rwanda-dealing-with-reality-achieving.html

Rwanda: Direct talks between FDLR and Government would pave way for lasting peace in the region

"A democratic government is urgently needed in Kigali. In my opinion, it is obvious that a democratically elected government in Kigali would not need to sponsor armed groups in the provinces of North and South Kivu.

In addition, such a democratically elected government in Kigali would refuse to offer back-up bases to any Congolese armed groups, including the one belonging to the Tutsi rebel Laurent Nkundabatware, whose rebellions would shortly die off by themselves. Concerning the Rwandan armed groups, including the FDLR combatants, a democratically elected government in Kigali would not be afraid to directly discuss with them.

Direct talks between these combatants and the democratically elected Rwandan government would set up new relationships under which the armed struggle would be meaningless. These armed groups would not have any reason to refuse to face justice in Rwanda, should some of their combatants have to respond for their acts, just as any other Rwandan in similar situation would have to, especially the RPF members who are accused of several crimes, including crimes against humanity.

A democratically elected government in Kigali would provide impartial justice for all Rwandans without any discrimination. Therefore, there would be no need for such a democratic government in Kigali to request that these combatants be sent "elsewhere".

Their home is in Rwanda. That is where they belong and no where else. Most importantly, it is up to the Rwandan people to judge their fellow citizens, and not to anyone else. With numerous uncertainties and political machinations mostly owing to regional and international geopolitics, the international community can only offset the inability of the RPF regime to create suitable conditions for a fair and impartial trial in its own courts", Jean Baptiste Mberabahizi, November 11, 2008, 

In [Dealing with the reality, achieving common ground, and betting on the future].

http://hungryoftruth.blogspot.com/2009/01/rwanda-dealing-with-reality-achieving.html

Rwanda: The prosecutor seems to ignore where the Interim Secretary-General of FDU-Inkingi is detained!

http://www.fdu-rwanda.com/en/rwanda-le-procureur-ne-sait-pas-ou-est-detenu-le-secretaire-general-des-fdu-inkingi/#more-2785

Rwanda: The prosecutor seems to ignore where the Interim Secretary-General of FDU-Inkingi is detained!

MAY 27, 2013  

Kigali , May 27, 2013.

 

On Monday, May 27, 2013, Mr. Sylvain Sibomana, the Interim Secretary-General of FDU-Inkingi, and Dominique Shyirambere, were supposed to appear before the High Court of Kigali. The hearing did not take place due to the absence of all of the defendants. As a reminder, Mr. Sylvain Sibomana is detained in Muhanga Prison while Dominique Shyirambere is held in Remera prison.

 

The court was meant to hear both parties the plaintiffs and the defendants, on the extension of the provisional detention of 30 days which expired before the appeal hearing session was held. In his ruling, the judge of Kabuga Intermediary Court had ordered that the accused should be detained in Remera prison. Such a court's ruling was simply ignored given the fact that on May 18, 2013, Mr. Sylvain Sibomana was forcibly transferred to Gitarama.

 

This transfer seems to be a delaying tactic aimed at preventing their case from being heard in a court of justice. Indeed, it is becoming increasingly clear that the government takes away the defendants from the prisons to which the court has assigned them to prevent them from showing up in courtroom on the day of their hearing.

 

When the court noted the absence of the accused, the defense counsel, lawyer Claude Munezero, asked why his clients are not being held in the prison to which the judge assigned them, namely, the Remera prison. He regretted the fact that such a court's decision was ignored by the prison authorities. When the prosecutor was asked about their current location of detention, he seemed to ignore it.

 

The party FDU-INKINGI once again regrets that court's decisions are torpedoed by occult orders to prison authorities in order to obstruct subpoenas by refusing to organize the transfer of detainees.

 

Mr. Sylvain Sibomana and Dominique Shyirambere were arrested on March 25, 2013, within the premises of the Supreme Court where they had come to attend the political trial of Mrs. Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, FDU-Inkingi's Chair. Their obvious presence at the trial, which the authorities had hoped that it would be discreet, landed them the accusation of holding unauthorized public protest and of attempted subversion against the regime.

 

FDU-INKINGI

Boniface Twagirimana

Interim Vice President

Rwanda: The prosecutor seems to ignore where the Interim Secretary-General of FDU-Inkingi is detained!

http://www.fdu-rwanda.com/en/rwanda-le-procureur-ne-sait-pas-ou-est-detenu-le-secretaire-general-des-fdu-inkingi/#more-2785

Rwanda: The prosecutor seems to ignore where the Interim Secretary-General of FDU-Inkingi is detained!

MAY 27, 2013  

Kigali , May 27, 2013.

 

On Monday, May 27, 2013, Mr. Sylvain Sibomana, the Interim Secretary-General of FDU-Inkingi, and Dominique Shyirambere, were supposed to appear before the High Court of Kigali. The hearing did not take place due to the absence of all of the defendants. As a reminder, Mr. Sylvain Sibomana is detained in Muhanga Prison while Dominique Shyirambere is held in Remera prison.

 

The court was meant to hear both parties the plaintiffs and the defendants, on the extension of the provisional detention of 30 days which expired before the appeal hearing session was held. In his ruling, the judge of Kabuga Intermediary Court had ordered that the accused should be detained in Remera prison. Such a court's ruling was simply ignored given the fact that on May 18, 2013, Mr. Sylvain Sibomana was forcibly transferred to Gitarama.

 

This transfer seems to be a delaying tactic aimed at preventing their case from being heard in a court of justice. Indeed, it is becoming increasingly clear that the government takes away the defendants from the prisons to which the court has assigned them to prevent them from showing up in courtroom on the day of their hearing.

 

When the court noted the absence of the accused, the defense counsel, lawyer Claude Munezero, asked why his clients are not being held in the prison to which the judge assigned them, namely, the Remera prison. He regretted the fact that such a court's decision was ignored by the prison authorities. When the prosecutor was asked about their current location of detention, he seemed to ignore it.

 

The party FDU-INKINGI once again regrets that court's decisions are torpedoed by occult orders to prison authorities in order to obstruct subpoenas by refusing to organize the transfer of detainees.

 

Mr. Sylvain Sibomana and Dominique Shyirambere were arrested on March 25, 2013, within the premises of the Supreme Court where they had come to attend the political trial of Mrs. Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, FDU-Inkingi's Chair. Their obvious presence at the trial, which the authorities had hoped that it would be discreet, landed them the accusation of holding unauthorized public protest and of attempted subversion against the regime.

 

FDU-INKINGI

Boniface Twagirimana

Interim Vice President

RWANDA : POLITICAL OPPOSITION WELCOMES TANZANIA PRESIDENT J. KIKWETE’S WISE AND HISTORIC ADVICE FOR LASTING PEACE

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

RWANDA : POLITICAL OPPOSITION WELCOMES TANZANIA PRESIDENT J. KIKWETE'S WISE AND HISTORIC ADVICE FOR LASTING PEACE

MAY 31, 2013  

PRESS RELEASE.

Date : 31^st May 2013.

In Addis Ababa, on 26^th May, 2013, in a speech before the African Union, at the first meeting of the regional oversight mechanism of the peace, security and cooperation framework for the DRC and the region, H.E. Jakaya Mrisho KIKWETE, President of the United Republic of Tanzania advised that comprehensive and lasting peace will be realised at the negotiating table and that time has come to reach out to FDLR, ADF and other negative forces with the view to ending the circle of violence. The President of Tanzania reiterated that supporting a peace deal in the Democratic Republic of Congo, necessitated a global peace deal that would include negotiating with the rebel groups.

"I am of the view that the enlargement of MONUSCO and the deployment of Intervention Brigade to play a dissuading role will not end the war. Ultimately, and comprehensive and lasting peace will be realised at the negotiating table. Let us give serious attention to peace talks. Let the Mechanism support the process in Kampala. Time has come to reach out to FDLR, ADF and other negative forces with the view to ending the circle of violence", he said.

We, the undersigned, representing the political opposition to the Kigali regime, welcome President Kikwete's wise and historic advice. For there to be a just and lasting peace in Rwanda and the Great Lakes region, the RPF government in Kigali has to engage, unconditionally, the Rwanda's political opposition and other forces.

The RPF government has now launched a vicious media and PR campaign against H.E. President KIKWETE. This is a misguided and counter-productive approach that does not contribute to peace and security in Rwanda and the Great Lakes region.

Tanzania has historically been a major player in resolving the conflicts in Africa, and specially in Burundi, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Tanzania is providing troops to the Intervention Brigade in eastern DRC as part of a United Nations mandate to support the peace process. Tanzania is a respected member of the international community.

We call upon Rwandans, Africans and the whole international community to support President KIKWETE's call for a global peace process in the Great Lakes region of Africa.

We call upon the Government of Rwanda to stop its gross human rights abuses, release all of the political prisoners, open the political space, and unconditionally start dialogue with the opposition. This is the only viable pathway toward sustainable peace, security and development in Rwanda and the Great Lakes region.

Dr. Nkiko Nsengimana

Coordinator

FDU-Inkingi

Lausanne

Switzerland

Alexis Bakunzibake

Vice President

PS-Imberakuri

Kigali

Rwanda

 

Etienne Masozera

President

Amahoro -People's Congress

Ottawa

Canada

 

Dr. Theogene Rudasingwa

Coordinator

Rwanda National Congress (RNC)

Washington DC

USA

 

Contact: sixbert.musangamfura@gmail.com

Opposition welcomes Kikwete's historic remark on Rwanda