The coordinating team of the Support Committee for FDU-INKINGI (SC) met in Brussels from December 10-12, 2010 to discuss the situation prevailing in Rwanda, assess its activities and set up the course of actions for the coming year 2011."click here for the original report:
The SC is shocked by the lifestyle, the insolent opulence and the debauchery of colossal resources, ostensibly squandered by President Paul Kagame and the ruling class of his regime, inside the country and when they travel abroad, while on a daily basis, the vast majority of the population is sinking into poverty that cannot be hidden by the current booming of buildings in Kigali City.
The SC castigates the complete locking of the political space and public expression marked this year by the following key facts:
- The refusal to register opposition political parties, namely the United Democratic Forces, FDU-INKINGI and the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda,
- The exclusion of the democratic opposition from presidential elections,
- The split, by the regime’s interference, of the opposition party, Parti Social-IMBERAKURI,
- The suspension of independent newspapers, including the tabloids Umuvugizi, Umuseso and Umurabyo, followed by imprisonment and assassination (Jean Leonard Rugambage) of independent journalists,
- The judicial system fully controlled by the regime,
- Imprisonment of senior army officers and assassination attempts (General Kayumba Nyamwasa),
- The assassination of political opponents (Andre K. Rwisereka, Deputy-Chair of Green Party).
The year 2010 ends with the imprisonment of all democratic opposition leaders including, the Chair of FDU-INKINGI, Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, the Chair of People’s Defense Pact, Deogratias Mushayidi, the Chair of Parti Social-IMBERAKURI, Bernard Ntaganda, the Chair of National Democratic Party, Andrew Muganwa and former presidential candidate in 2003 Dr. Theoneste Niyitegeka and one of the founders of Party for Democracy and Renewal, former minister Charles Ntakirutinka.
The SC strongly condemns the threats, persecution and moral and physical attacks that the regime, through its political services and police, inflicts to democratic opposition leaders, be they inside Rwanda or in forced exile abroad.
The SC welcomes the results achieved so far by the opposition despite that situation:
1. An increasingly strong willingness of the Rwandan people to regain the control of their destiny: mobilization of Rwandans both inside Rwanda and around the world particularly through demonstrations, sit-ins, commemorations of the victims of the Rwandan conflict, petitions, meetings, press conferences, etc.
2. The widespread revelation of the criminal and totalitarian nature of the regime. Such a nature was long hidden by the regime's propaganda.
3. Diplomatic setbacks suffered by the regime:
- Increasing pressure on President Kagame and his regime for a democratic opening with threats of sanctions or enforcement of sanctions (cutting off direct aid to budget).
- Revelation through the UN Mapping Report of war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide committed by the Rwandan President and his regime in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
4. Refusal of the majority of Rwandan language speaking populations in eastern DRC to continue being manipulated by the Rwandan regime in its quest for the partition of the DRC.
The SC reiterates its unwavering support to Ms. Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza who is passing through hard times and promises to do everything so that her struggle, which also is its own, can succeed.
The SC informs the public opinion that the arrest of our Chairperson on the basis of trumped up charges, fabrication of charges against other members of the provisional executive committee, local leaders and members of our movement inside Rwanda, as well as against nearly all members of the coordinating team of the Support Committee is actually a road map to the decapitation of FDU-INKINGI in order to definitively bury the democratic impulse triggered by their presence in Rwanda.
The SC calls upon the Rwandan people, inside and outside Rwanda, to get mobilized so that Rwandans can find the necessary space for expression and contribute to the restoration of a climate conducive to lasting peace.
During the coming year, the SC decides to intensify its efforts for change and advent of a democratic Rwanda, particularly by ensuring that those responsible for crimes documented by the UN Mapping Report are prosecuted.
Finally, in order to live up these challenges, the SC decides to expand, restructure and strengthen its institutions.
Done in Brussels, December 12, 2010
Eugene NDAHAYO
Chair
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