Press Release : ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT OF LT.GEN KAYUMBA NYAMWASA BRINGS FEAR AND UNREST TO RWANDANS

Press Release : ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT OF LT.GEN KAYUMBA NYAMWASA BRINGS FEAR AND UNREST TO RWANDANS

Press Release :

ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT OF LT.GEN KAYUMBA NYAMWASA BRINGS FEAR AND UNREST TO RWANDANS

The Democratic Green Party of Rwanda, strongly condemns the assassination attempt of Lt.Gen Kayumba Nyamwasa that took place on 19th June 2010 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The General is a former Army Chief of Staff of Rwandan Defense Forces and Ex-Ambassador to India. The sad news of his assassination attempt has caused a lot of fear and unrest to both the Rwandan politicians and the Rwandan Public in general.

This assassination attempt, as details get unveiled from the South African Police, seems to have been well-planned and coordinated. The question remains on who was behind it.

We call upon the South African Government to investigate thoroughly well this matter and bring to justice all those behind this killing mission. We would also like to call upon the International community and most especially the American Government to help with the services of the Federal Bureau of Investigation-FBI and take a special interest in this case, like it is doing in the assassination case of the Congolese Human Rights activist Floribert CHEBEYA, who was killed in Kinshasa on 1st June 2010.

Yesterday, 21st June 2010, in Gisenyi, Northern Rwanda (Bordering Goma-DRC), BBC Great Lakes reported the assassination of Denis Ntare Semadwinga, former Chief of Staff to General Laurent NKUNDA who is under house arrest in Rwanda for over a year and has never appeared in court despite several demands by his legal team and family.

The Democratic Green Party of Rwanda is very concerned because even its Founding President, Frank HABINEZA has also received several death threats. Even though we reported the matter to the Rwandan Police and wrote to the Minister of Internal Security requesting for protection, we never received any response. The death threats suggested that Frank HABINEZA would be killed before the August 2010 presidential elections.

We are also very seriously concerned, since Lt.Gen Kayumba Nyamwasa was linked to the Green Party. Two Newspapers (UMUSESO and UMUVUGIZI) reported this matter in December 2009. The alleged leaked intelligence report indicated that Lt.Gen Kayumba Nyamwasa was among the many said to be behind the formation of the Green Party. We held a press conference on 24th December 2009 and published a Press Release on the same day, where we strongly denied all those allegations.

Today there seems to be a deepening military crisis in the Rwandan Army : three Generals are under house arrest but have not appeared in any court yet (Lt.Gen Charles Muhire, former Air force Chief of Staff and Ex-Commandant of the Reserve Forces, Maj.Gen Karenzi Karake-former Chief of Staff for Land Forces and of recent Brigadier General Jean Bosco Kazura –former Security Adviser to the President of the Republic and head of the Rwandese Football Federation). All these details are happening after Lt.Gen Kayumba Nyamwasa went into exile in South Africa in February 2010.

We now have army foot patrols in almost all small roads and paths in the City of Kigali. There are also road blocks in some places. The situation is indeed very scaring and alarming. It’s like we are living in a state of emergency, though it has never been approved by Parliament.

This is indeed the time when the International Community should show its true friendship to the Rwandan people. Before the 1994 Genocide, there were all signs and indications that Rwandan people were going to be killed, even the former Commander for the UN Mission to Rwanda (UNAMIR), Lt.Gen Romeo Dallaire, raised these concerns to the UN Security Council but instead of acting positively, they even took away the few soldiers that were present, and Rwandans cried for help but in vain. Over one million people were killed.

The Democratic Green Party of Rwanda, strongly believes that the timely intervention of the United Nations and the International Community will help in resolving this Rwandan crisis and help to reduce the political and military tension we are experiencing now, while we are preparing for the 9th August 2010 Presidential elections. Rwandans need to be assured that life will go on even after the Presidential elections. It’s your call.

Done at Kigali, 22nd June 2010.

Frank HABINEZA

Founding President

Democratic Green Party of Rwanda