© As International - Community for SurViVors

We HAVE A CARD THAT SAYS GET OUT OF JAIL FREE

(dedicated to our Umuhoza, Ingabire yacu still in Kagame’s joal)

We feel tears running down our faces
As we sit in this quiet lonely place
We think of you and need you here

Umuhoza Wacu, Ingabire Yacu

We wipe away our falling tears
We hit the floor on bended knees
We ask,We beg, We start to plead
Please bring HER home
God, no longer do We want to be Alone
Is there an Angel you could send to us
And give us a miracle in God We trust
She's unlawfully detained, She needs to be free
Please God bring Her home to us
We believe in love, We believe in you
Please God is there something you could do
We'll make it up to you God, you know We will
We'll be good and honest, grateful and true
So please send us an Angel, is all We ask of you
We'll say this prayer each and every day
Until She is in our arms and home to sta

We love you & miss you so much!

RWANDA: URUBANZA RWA MADAME VICTOIRE INGABIRE UMUHOZA

KANAMA 25, 2013

IKIGANIRO KU RUBANZA RWA MADAME VICTOIRE INGABIRE UMUHOZA
RADIYO ITAHUKA
TARIKI YA 05 KANAMA 2013

Joseph Bukeye, Komiseri Ushinzwe Ubukangurambaga muri FDU-Inkingi

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/radioitahuka/2013/08/06/inkingi-yamahoro-urubanza-rwa-madamu-victoire-ingabire

Q. Tubanze twibutse abatwumva. Harya urwo rubanza rwatangiye ryari mu rukiko rukuru rwa Kigali ? Victoire yaregwaga iki ?

R. Madame Victoire yafashwe bwa mbere tariki ya 21/04/2010, amaze amezi atatu gusa ageze muRwanda. Icyo gihe yaregwaga ibyaha bitatu aribyo: ibikorwa by’iterabwoba, ingengabitekerezo ya génocide, guhakana génocide no gukwirakwiza impuha.

Q. Kuba madame Victoire yarajuriye byatewe n’iki ? Ni iki atishimiye mu mikirize y’urubanza mu rukiko rukuru rwamuburanishije?

R. Mu mikirize yarwo urukiko rukuru rwamuhanaguyeho ibyaha byose yari yarezwe n’ubushinjacyaha, uretse kimwe cy’ibikorwa by’iterabwoba urukiko rwahinduyemo icyaha cyo kugambana. Gusa icyatangaje ni uko urukiko rwarenze ku birego rwari rwashyikirijwe rukiyongereraho ikindi cyo gupfobya genocide. Nkaba nakwibutsa ko haba mu ibazwa imbere ya police, haba imbere y’ubushinjacyaha cyangwa mu rukiko, madame Victoire ntiyigeze abazwa iby’iki cyaha gishya.

Q. Bikaba rero ari byo byatumye madame Victoire Ingabire ajurira?

Mme Ingabire Victoire Umuhoza
Uwali kuba Perezida w'igihugu
Iyo Kagame atamufunga

R. Si ibyo gusa. Madame Victoire Ingabire ananenga uburyo iryo tegeko rihana ingengabitekerezo ya genocide ryakoreshejwe bamucira igihano cy’akamama cy’imyaka umunani. Mwibuke ko madame Ingabire yari yarashyikirije urukiko rukuru ikibazo avuga ko iryo tegeko ritubahiriza itegeko nshinga. Mu buryo budafututse urukiko rw’ikirenga rwari rwavuze ko nta nenge rubona muri iryo tegeko. Nyamara muri iyo minsi, ministre Karugarama wari ushinzwe ubutabera, yahamije ko iryo tegeko rifite inenge ndetse anasaba inteko y’abadepite kurisubiramo. Aha umuntu akaba yakwibaza uburyo ubucamanza bwo mu Rwanda bukora.

Ikindi madame Ingabire yinubiye mu mikirize y’uru rubanza ni ukumuhambiraho umutwe w’ingabo atazi. Byaje no kugaragara ko uwo mutwe utabaho.

Q. Twumva ariko ko ngo n’ubushinjacyaha bwari bwajuriye ?

R. Nibyo koko ubushinjacyaha bwari bwajuriye. Bwo ariko bukaba bwarinubiraga ko ngo imyaka 8 madame Victoire yakatiwe yari mike, ugereranije n’ibyaha bwari bwamureze. Bwageze n’aho bugereranya ibirego bye n’ibya Mushayidi bukavuga ko butumva ukuntu atakatiwe gufungwa burundu.

Q. Reka tugaruke mu bujurire imbere y’urukiko rw’ikirenga. Iburana ryatangiye ryari ?

R. Urukiko rw’ikirenga rwatangiye kumva ababurana tariki ya 25 mars 2013. Icyo gihe muribuka ko urubanza rwari rwitabiriwe n’abarwanashyaka benshi. Kubera ko ubutegetsi butashakaga ko bigaragara ko madame Victoire Ingabire afite abantu bamuri inyuma bangana gutyo, bwahisemo gukwirakwiza imishwaro abo bantu. Ndetse Umunyamabanga Mukuru w’agateganyo w’ishyaka FDU-Inkingi, Bwana Sylvain Sibomana nibwo yafashwe akorerwa ibya mfura mbi kugeza ubwo akutse amenyo. Na n’ubu aracyari mu munyururu aburagizwa.

Q. Madame Victoire yifashe ate imbere y’urwo rukiko ? Uko guhutaza abamushyigikiye ntibymutesheje umutwe cyane cyane ko abamurinda banamubujije gusuhuza abari aho nk’uko bisanzwe ?

R. Madame Ingabire yabimbuye ubujurire ageza ku rukiko ibibazo by’ibanze (Questions de procédure):

1) Ububasha bw’urukiko rukuru mu guhindura amasezerano u Rwanda rwagiranye na RDC ku byerekeranye n’itahuka mu mahoro kubahoze ari abarwanyi muri FDLR.

Bariya basirikare batatu bamushinja aribo : Uwumuremyi Vital, Nditurende Tharcisse na Karuta JMV, akaba yibaza ukuntu bakurikiranwa ku bintu bakoze muri Congo ku buryo bunyuranije n’ayo masezerano. Ku baba batazi igikubiye muri ayo masezerano, yavugaga ko abarwanyi ba FDLR bafata icyemezo cyo gutaha bashyize hasi intwaro batazakurikiranwa ku byaha baba barakoreye hanze y’igihugu, uretse ibyaha bijyanye na génocide n’ibyaha by’intambara cyangwa ibyaha by’inyokamuntu (crimes de guerre et crime contre l’humanité).

2) Ububasha bw’urukiko rukuru mu kutubahiriza icyemezo cy’urukiko rwo mu Buholandi n’amasezerano yakozwe hagati y’u Rwanda n’Ubuholandi m’uburyo ibyo bimenyetso byagombaga gukoreshwa.

Aha naho nakwibutsa abumva Radio Itahuka ko igihe inzego z’ubucamanza z’igihugu cy’Ubuholandi zoherezaga bimwe mu bintu byari byavanywe mu isakwa ryakorewe aho madame Victoire yabaga mu Buholandi, u Rwanda rwari rwemeye ko rutazabikoresha mu rubanza uretse ku byaha by’iterabwoba. Siko byagenze kuko ahubwo zimwe mu nyandiko zakoreshejwe mu kumuhamya icyaha cyo gupfobya génocide.

Q. Kuki madame Ingabire atashakaga ko inyandiko zose zavuye iwe zikoreshwa uko ubucamanza bw’u Rwanda bubishatse ? Haba hari ibyo yashakaga guhisha ?

R. Nta kintu kirimo kidasanzwe. Gusa ubuzima gatozi bw’umuntu ntibuvogerwa. Ni ihame rikomeye. Twese mu ngo zacu tugira icyo bita « intimité » tutifuza ko ivogerwa. Madame Victoire nawe ni umuntu ukeneye « intimité ». Ikindi ni ikibazo cy’irindi hame. Iyo ugiranye amasezerano n’umuntu urayubahiriza. Inteko ishinga amategeko y’ubuholandi yari yatanze ibintu bigomba kubahirizwa kugira ngo leta yabo igeze k’u Rwanda ibyo bimenyetso. Izo ngingo zigomba kubahirizwa, bitaba ibyo u Rwanda rugasobanura impamvu rutabikoze.

Q. None se ntacyo madame Ingabire yavuze ku bujurire bw’ubushinjacyaha ?

R. Birumvikana ko nta kuntu yari kubuca iruhande cyane cyane ko ubushinjacyaha bwamusabiraga gufungwa burundu bumwegekaho urusyo.

Madame Ingabire yatangiriye ku cyaha y’ingengabitekerezo dore ko ari cyo cyari cyafashe umwanya munini mu kirego cy’ubushinjacyaha no mu bujururire. Mu kirego ubushinjacyaha bwari bwatanze ingingo zirenga 10 ngo zerekana ko madame Ingabire icyo cyaha kimuhama. Gusa kubera ko urukiko rukuru rwari rwemeje ko ingingo 2 ari zo zonyine zubahirije amategeko, madame Ingabire yagize icyo avuga kuri izo ngingo gusa, arizo :

1. Amahame ya FDU-Inkingi (charte constitutive)
2. Ijambo madame Ingabire yavugiye ku Gisozi

Kuri izo ngingo ebyiri madame Ingabire akaba yaranenze urukiko ndetse n’ubushinjacyaha kuba bwaribanze kubyo bita mu matekegeko “doctrines” (inyandiko z’abahanga). Akibaza impamvu badakoresha amategeko y’u Rwanda. Keretse niba nabo batakiyemera. Yatanze ingero nyinshi.

Ubusanzwe mu mikirize y’imanza hakoreshwa mbere na mbere amategeko. Iyo adahagije hakoreshwa ibyo bita “jurisprudence” aribyo umuntu yagenekereza akabyita “uko imanza zisa n’urwo zaba zarakijijwe”. Iyo ibyo byose bidahagije bitabaza “doctrines”, umuntu yavuga ko ari inyandiko z’abazobereye mu mategeko. Mu rubanza rwa madame Victoire siko byagenze rero.

Q. Ikibazo se cyo gukurikiza inyandiko z’abahanga ni ikihe, cyane cyane ko ari abahanga nyine?

R. Biroroshye gusubiza iki kibazo iyo urebye abantu biyita abahanga ku kibazo cya genocide yabereye mu Rwanda muri 1994 ukuntu bangana n’ukuntu bivuguruzanya. Buri wese yiyita umuhanga ku buryo uhatera umutwe. Haramutse hari abahanga batabogamye nta kibazo. Gusa iyo ukoresheje uwitwa umuhanga ariko abogamye birumvikana ko biyobya ubucamanza. Niko byagenze.

Q. Ibyo turabyumvise ariko ntacyo uratubwira kuri ziriya ngingo ebyiri ari zo Amahame ya FDU-Inkingi na discours yo ku Gisozi. Abatwumva bakeneye gusobanukirwa.

R. Ku mahame ya FDU-Inkingi, ubushinjacyaha buvuga ko madame Victoire Ingabire apfobya genocide ngo kuko FDU yaba yarabishyize mu mahame remezo yayo. Ndetse abambari b’ubutegetsi bavuze ko ngo mu ndahiro abantu binjira muri FDU bagomba gukora, ibyo kwemera “double genocide” byaba birimo. Icya mbere, nta ndahiro tugira muri FDU-Inkingi. Baribeshye bakeka ko turi FPR-Inkotanyi. Ushaka kujya muri FDU ashyikirizwa amahame remezo y’ishyaka; yayemera tukamwohereza mu rwego rw’ibanze, rushobora kumuha ikarita y’ubunyamuryango cg rukayimwima. Ibyo kurahiza abantu ni ikinyoma cyambaye ubusa.

Icya kabiri muri FDU twemera mu buryo butaziguye génocide yakorewe ubwoko bw’abatutsi. Aho dutaniye na FPR ni uko twemera ko hari abahutu bishwe, kandi benshi. Twemera kandi ko abo bahutu bishwe na bamwe bari mu ngabo za FPR. Si twe twenyine tubivuga. Tugasaba ko ibi byaha byakurikiranwa nk’uko byasabwe n’abandi benshi ndetse na LONU (Mapping report). Ibi ntaho bihuriye na “double genocide”. None se FPR yakwihandagaza ikavuga ko nta bahutu bishwe? Niba ari byo ishaka ntabwo tuzabikora.

Q. Ibyo koko birumvikanye, cyane cyane ko FDU-Inkingi nk’ishyaka itigeze iregwa icyo cyaha, haba hanze y’u Rwanda, haba mu Rwanda. Naho se kuri discours madamu Ingabire yavuze ku Gisozi?

R. Aha naho ni andi mariganya. Ubushinjacyaha bwabanje kwitwaza ko kuvuga byonyine ko hari abanyarwanda bo mu bwoko bw’abahutu bishwe na bamwe bo mu ngabo za FPR ari ugupfobya génocide. Hagati mu rubanza ubushinjacyaha bwavuze ko kuba byaravugiwe kuri mémorial yahariwe abatutsi ari ryo shyano. Hanyuma buvuga ko irindi shyano ari ugukoresha ijambo « génocide » ku bahutu bapfuye kandi nta rukiko rwigeze rubyemeza.

Biragaragara ko uku guhindura imvugo ari ukubura uko bagira. Icya mbere ntabwo madame Victoire yagiye ku Gisozi ajyanywe no kuvuga iriya discours. Yari azinduwe no kwibuka abanyarwanda bazize génocide. Kandi byari bimuri ku mutima. Abanyamakuru bamubajije ikibazo yasubije uko umutima nama we umutegeka.

Ibyo yavuze ni ukuri kwambaye ubusa. Nta bwiyunge nyabwo buzagerwaho mu Rwanda, igihe cyose buri wese atazumva akababaro k’undi. Wabyita génocide wabyita ukundi, ikibazo cy’abahutu bishwe bazira ubwoko bwabo kigomba kuzafuturwa. Kurenzaho bizahora bikurura urwikekwe n’inzangano mu bana b’u Rwanda. Ntaho madame Victoire yaciye inka amabere abivuga.

Madame Ingabire ariko akaba yarasobanuye ko atigeze na rimwe ashaka gushinyagurira abanyarwanda bo mu bwoko bw’abatutsi avuga ayo magambo.

Q. Mu yandi magambo rero madamu Ingabire yemera génocide yakorewe abatutsi ndetse na FDU-Inkingi irayemera ?

R. Rwose nta shiti. Bitavuga ariko ko babindikiranya ubwicanyi bwakozwe na zimwe mu ngabo za FPR. Ariko kuki FPR yakwigira indakoreka ? Ubu se ushobora kubwira umuntu mwene wabo akiri mu muringoti haruguru y’urugo ko uwamwishe ari indakorekwa, ko azahama aho mu muringoti adashyinguwe mu cyubahiro? Tugomba kugira umuco mwiza wo kwubaha abacu bishwe nta vangura.

Q. Ibyo ndakeka ko bireba icyaha cyo gupfobya génocide. Hari ariko n’icyaha cy’iterabwoba.

R. Mu isomwa ry’urubanza, urukiko rukuru rwari rwagihinduyemo « Kugambana (conspiration)». Gusa naho harimo urujijo. Mu iburanishwa uwunganira madame Victoire yabajije urukiko uwo bagambanye arabura kuko madame Victoire Ingabire ari we wenyine waregwaga icyo cyaha. Ndetse ni we wenyine cyahamye. Umuntu se agambana wenyine? Mu mikirize ariko byaje kugaragara ngo ko madame Victoire Ingabire yaba yaragambanye na majoro Uwumuremyi Vital. Kuki rero byagizwe ibanga mu iburanishwa ? Kuki madame Victoire Ingabire atahawe urubuga ngo yisobanure ndetse abe yahuzwa na Vital imbere y’urukiko buri muntu yisobanure (confrontation)?

Q. Uko kugambana ahubwo twe twakekaga ko kureba bariya basirikare bose bahoze muri FDLR.

R. Ibyo biragarura ikibazo cy’uriya mutwe mpimbano witwa CDF (Coalition of Defense Forces) ngo waba warabonye inkunga ya madame Victoire Ingabire.

Umuntu yakivugabo ibintu bibiri :

Icya mbere, byaragaragaye ko uriya mutwe utigeze ubaho. Abari babivuze imbere y’urukiko rukuru bose bisubiyeho basobanura ko utigeze ubaho, kandi ni nabyo. Nta kindi kimenyetso kigeze kigaragaza ko wabayeho.

Icya kabiri madame Ingabire yibajije, ni ukuntu yahamwa ko yatanze amafranga yo kugura intwaro z’umutwe w’ingabo utabaho. Iki ni ikindi kinyoma.

Q. None se uko kwisubiraho kw’abamushinjaga bahoze muri FDLR byaba byaraturutse he ?

R. Sinabyita ukwisubiraho ahubwo nabyita ukuvugisha ukuri. Barashutswe bavuga amatakira ngoyi kuko bari bafungiwe Mutobo igihe batanze ubwo buhamya. Habonetse umutanga buhamya wabyemeje. Ubushinjacyaha bwakoze iyo bwabaga ngo bumuteshe agaciro, ariko yerekanye uburiganya bwose bwakorewe i Mutobo.

Q. Uwo mutanga buhamya se kuki atari yaragaragaye mu rukiko rukuru ?

R. Mu by’ukuri uwo mutangabuhamya yari azwi kandi yagombaga gutanga ubuhamya mu rukiko rukuru. Gusa igihe madame Victoire yavaga mu rubanza akanasaba abamwunganira kuruvamo, ntibyari bigishobotse ko uwo mutanga buhamya aza mu rukiko. Ariko urukiko rwari ruzi ko ahari.

Q. Igishya se yazanye ni ikihe ?

R. Yemeje ko umugambi wo guhimbira madame Victoire Ingabire ibyaha wapangiwe i Mutobo ndetse atanga ibimenyetso simusiga. Ubushinjacyaha bwagerageze uko bushoboye kumunyomoza , ariko byabaye iby’ubusa. Ndetse n’iterabwoba ryarakoreshejwe ariko ntacyo ryatanze.

Q. Umuntu akwumvise yavuga rero ko madame Ingabire yashoboye kwambika ubusa ibirego byose aregwa ?

R. Kugira ngo abatwumva bibabere bigufi, madame Victoire yari yarahamijwe ibyaha bibiri aribyo : « Ugupfobya génocide (minimisation du génocide) », no « kugambana (conspiration) ».

Ku cyaha cyo gupfobya génocide, urukiko rwari rwitwaje discours madamu Ingabire yavugiye ku Gisozi. Madamu Ingabire yatanze ibimenyetso bihagije ko nta kintu kirimo gipfobya génocide. Ndetse naho bavugaga ko udashobora gukoresha ijambo rya génocide nta rukiko rwabyemeje, yibukije ko kuri urwo rwibutso hari inyandiko zivuga génocide yakorewe abantu bo mu gihugu cya Armenie kandi nta rukiko rwayemeje. Yanagarutse ku yindi nyandiko ivuga génocide y’abantu bo mu bwoko bwa Herero bwo muri Afurika y’amajy’epho nayo ikaba nta rukiko rwemewe rwigeze ruyemeza. Biragaragara rero ko nta cyaha cyakozwe avuga ko abahutu bishwe bagomba kwibukwa nabo, kabone n’iyo yabivugira ku rwibutso rwagenewe abatutsi. Nkeka ko abatutsi bari bakwiye kwumva ko iyi mvugo itagamije kubatoneka.

Ku cyaha cyo kugambana, nacyo cyataye agaciro igihe umutwe w’ingabo bamushinja utigeze ubaho; ndetse n’abaregwaga ko bari bawuri ku isonga bakaba barabivuze.

Q. N’ubwo bigaragara ko ibirego byose bisa n’ibyataye agaciro ntawamenya uko urubanza ruzacibwa tariki ya mbere Ukuboza 2013. Madame Victoire Ingabire yaba yiteguye kwakira ate imikirize y’urubanza ?

R. Biragoye gusubiriza umuntu mutari kumwe. Ariko nkurikije uko muzi, n’ibyo mbyirwa n’abahura nawe buri munsi, nakwemeza ko madamu Ingabire ajya mu Rwanda yari yiteguye ibigeragezo byose. Imyaka itatu amaze ari muri gereza yerekanye ko atari umuntu ujegera gutyo gusa. Ikindi, mu butumwa yakomeje kutugezaho abunyujije kubo bavugana, ntiyahwemye kutugaragariza ko ugufungwa nako ari uruhare mu rugamba rwa démocratie buri munyarwanda ushaka impinduka ya démocratie agomba kwitegura kunyuramo. Ugufungwa kwe kandi kukaba kwarerekanye isura nyayo y’ubutegetsi bwa FPR-Inkotanyi bwirirwaga buvuga ko ntawe bwabujije gukora politique mu gihugu.

Ikindi madame Ingabire ahora vuga ni uko nta bwoko bumwe ubwo aribwo bwose bushobora kwiharira umurage w’u Rwanda cyangwa ngo buvuge ko ari bwo bufite umuti w’ibibazo u Rwanda rufite. Niba hagomba kuba impinduka ya démocratie, izagerwaho ari uko amoko yose agize u Rwanda abigizemo uruhare.

Nkeka rero ko madame Victoire Ingabire yiteguye gukomeza urugamba ariho rwa démocratie uko imikirize y’urubanza rwe yagenda kose.

Q. Mu kurangiza ubutwumwa se wageza ku barwanashyaka no kubatwumva bose ni ubuhe ?

R. Nabasaba gukomeza kugirira icyizere umushinga dufite wo kugera ku mitegekere ibereye abanyarwanda bose no kwemera ko iyo nzira ishobora kuba irimo amahwa. Nabasaba kandi kwemera ko iyo nzira ishobora kuba ari ndende. Nkanabasaba gushishikariza abandi kudusanga, kuko tudashobora kwemera ko akarengane kari mu gihugu cyacu gakomeza. Igihugu ntabwo ari akarima ka kanaka, igihugu ni icya twese. Kandi nidushyira hamwe twese tuzatsinda.

The Truth can be buried and stomped into the ground where none can see, yet eventually it will, like a seed, break through the surface once again far more potent than ever, and Nothing can stop it. Truth can be suppressed for a "time", yet It cannot be destroyed. ==> Wolverine

[Since 1994, the world witnesses the horrifying Tutsi minority (14%) ethnic domination, the Tutsi minority ethnic rule with an iron hand, tyranny and corruption in Rwanda. The current government has been characterized by the total impunity of RPF criminals, the Tutsi economic monopoly, the Tutsi militaristic domination, and the brutal suppression of the rights of the majority of the Rwandan people (85% are Hutus)and mass arrests of Hutus by the RPF criminal organization =>AS International]

16 August 2013
AI Index: AFR 47/002/2013

Rwanda: Official interference in affairs of human rights NGO places independent human rights work in peril

The former leadership of the Rwandan human rights organization LIPRODHOR, the Rwandan League for the Promotion and Defence of Human Rights (la Ligue rwandaise pour la promotion et la défense des droits de l’homme) has been forced out. The circumstances in which the board was replaced strongly indicate the involvement of the Rwandan authorities.

The capacity of human rights defenders to work in Rwanda has been further weakened and the space for meaningful human rights work has all but closed up.

The move followed a decision by the former leadership to leave the Collective of Leagues and Associations for the Defense of Human Rights in Rwanda (Collectif des ligues et associations de défense des droits de l'homme au Rwanda, CLADHO), a platform of human rights organizations, on the grounds that its executive committee had been put in place by the Rwanda Governance Board (RGB), an official body charged with promoting and monitoring good governance.

On 3 July 2013, the President of LIPRODHOR wrote a letter to announce LIPRODHOR’s decision to pull out of CLADHO, questioning the selection of CLADHO’s new committee and the network’s capacity to protect member organizations. Two other partner organizations also signed the letter.

On 21 July 2013, a group of LIPRODHOR members, which included a former president of the organization, held an extraordinary general assembly to discuss the organization’s decision to leave CLADHO. The meeting was conducted without notifying LIPRODHOR’s governing board, which included the President and the Vice-President. According to the statute of the organization, members should receive an invitation letter at least eight days before the meeting. In addition, the number of participants in the meeting did not meet that required for a General Assembly, which needs an absolute majority. The meeting resulted not only in the reversal of LIPRODHOR’s withdrawal from CLADHO, but in the replacement of LIPRODHOR’s board and President. A new board, including a new President, were elected and scheduled to begin in post from 26 July 2013.

The election of the new board was swiftly recognized by the RGB, despite complaints by the ousted board regarding the legitimacy of the procedure. The former board of LIPRODHOR has since launched a legal action against the decision of the RGB to support the former board’s dismissal, as well as the cancellation of the decision to leave CLADHO. The case is on-going.

The Rwandan authorities have shown that they have too much influence in the internal workings of NGOs. Incidents such as these demonstrate how legitimate freedom of association can be curtailed and how an organization’s independence can be compromised.

The procedure for resolving internal conflicts in civil society organizations in Rwanda is governed by law. The 2012 law governing the organisation and the functioning of national NGOs specifies that all national NGO statutes shall provide for an organ charged with conflict resolution. To comply, Article 19 of LIPRODHOR’s statute provides for a Committee for Discipline and Conflict Resolution for handling such disputes, but this was not used.

Restrictions have been placed on LIPRODHOR’s activities. A workshop scheduled for 24 July 2013 was prevented from going ahead by the police. The workshop, organized by LIPRODHOR, was on how civil society organizations could submit evidence as part of the reporting process for the United Nations Universal Periodic Review.

Background information

Amnesty International has documented longstanding patterns of intimidation and harassment of human rights defenders by the Rwandan authorities. Human rights defenders are regularly intimidated, threatened, and subjected to public and personalized attacks or administrative obstacles. Reporting on human rights violations, especially if publically denounced, leads to hostile government reactions. Human rights defenders often avoid working on sensitive areas, and refrain from or delay publishing to minimize potential repercussions. Rwandan human rights defenders also face challenges within their own organizations which have been infiltrated by people close to the authorities.

Few human rights organizations left in Rwanda retain some level of independence, but LIPRODHOR has been one such organization. It was established in 1991 and became one of the only credible independent national human rights organisations. By 1999, it had significantly increased its operations, staff and monitoring presence. LIPRODHOR’s capacity to investigate and report on human rights violations incurred attacks from the Rwandan authorities. Its staff members have repeatedly been intimidated, harassed and forced into exile. The authorities have sought to discredit the work of the organization. A parliamentary commission report in March 2003 accused the Democratic Republican Movement (Mouvement démocratique républicain), a political opposition party, of propagating an alleged “divisionist” and discriminatory program and accused LIPRODHOR of obtaining foreign funding for the party. A second parliamentary commission in June 2004 alleged that LIPRODHOR, along with other organizations, was guilty of holding and disseminating genocide ideology and recommended its dissolution.

ENDS…/

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AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL - PUBLIC STATEMENT

16 August 2013 AI Index: AFR 47/002/2013

Rwanda: Official interference in affairs of human rights NGO places independent human rights work in peril

The capacity of human rights defenders to work in Rwanda has been further weakened and the space for meaningful human rights work has all but closed up.

On 3 July 2013, the President of LIPRODHOR wrote a letter to announce LIPRODHOR’s decision to pull out of CLADHO, questioning the selection of CLADHO’s new committee and the network’s capacity to protect member organizations. Two other partner organizations also signed the letter.

The Rwandan authorities have shown that they have too much influence in the internal workings of NGOs. Incidents such as these demonstrate how legitimate freedom of association can be curtailed and how an organization’s independence can be compromised.

Background information

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Thank you for your interest in Amnesty International. We encourage you to become a Supporting Amnesty International Organization and support Amnesty's important work.

For more information please call Amnesty International’s press office in London, UK, on +44 20 7413 5566 or visit our website at http://www.amnesty.org

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16 August 2013
AI Index: AFR 47/002/2013