RWANDA: CONCLUSION OF CONSULTATIONS BETWEEN FDU – INKINGI AND RWANDA NATIONAL CONGRESS

CONCLUSION OF CONSULTATIONS BETWEEN FDU – INKINGI AND RWANDA NATIONAL CONGRESS (RNC).

Following a meeting that was held in Brussels (Belgium) on 19 December 2010 , representatives of the Support Committee of FDU-Inkingi, upon authorisation by the said party, held a retreat with representatives of the Rwanda National Congress (RNC) in Switzerland from the 21 to 25 January 2011. The purpose of the retreat was to hold consultations on the nature of the critical problems that confront the Rwanda nation today and exchanging ideas as to how the two organisations can harness their collective resources to find appropriate solution to these problems.

The following persons attended the retreat on behalf of the two organisations:

Nkiko Nsengimana, 1st Vice President, Support Committee, FDU-INKINGI

Condo Gervais, Adviser, Interim Coordination Committee, RNC

Dr. Mberabahizi Jean Baptiste, 2nd Vice President, FDU-INKINGI

Musonera Jonathan, Member of Interim Coordination Committee RNC, Responsible for Mobilisation

Joseph Ngarambe, Interim Coordination Committee, RNC

Ndereyehe Charles, Member, Support Committee, FDU-INKINGI, Responsible for Strategies.

Sixbert Musangamfura, Member, Support Committee, FDU-INKINGI, Responsible for External Relations.

Gerald Gahima, Member of RNC delegation.

Following the above mentioned consultations on the above issues, the two organisations agreed as follows:

1. Our vision of the Rwanda that the people of Rwanda deserve is a democratic state, that is governed in accordance with the principles of the rule of law, independence of the judiciary, respect of the inherent dignity of every citizen, equality and non-discrimination and promotion of reconciliation, solidarity and mutual respect amongst all Rwandans. The successive governments that have ruled Rwanda since the 1959 Revolution have proclaimed ,in their official documents and statements their commitment to the above principles and values, but the changes they brought about only resulted in change of the outward form, rather than the nature or character, of government.

2. The current system of Rwanda’s government is characterised by dictatorship, discrimination and marginalisation, deception and deplorable conduct such as destruction of citizens property, illegal expropriation of private property, arbitrary arrests and detentions, depriving children of poor citizens of access to university education and forceful implementation of ill-conceived educational reforms without any public consultation.

3. There is no doubt that unless the system of Rwanda changes, it will yet again lead the Rwanda nation to catastrophic tragedy.

The two organisations are of the opinion that the strategies that would help the people of Rwanda to realise the system of Government of Rwanda to which they aspire include the following:

1. To fight genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and other gross violations of human rights

2. To establish a genuinely democratic system of government, based on plurality of political parties;

3. To establish a system of independent and impartial administration of justice, eradicating impunity once and for all. An independent and impartial system of administration of justice is an indispensable system of administration of justice.

4. To prepare a national dialogue bringing together Rwandans of all backgrounds and political persuasions to discuss a peaceful future of Rwanda.

5. To build a Rwanda in which discrimination and marginalisation of any kind have no place, assuring every citizen access to equal opportunity.

6. To promote gender equality.

7. To definitively resolve the chronic problem of Rwandan refugees.

8. To promote genuine reconciliation amongst Rwandan of all backgrounds and to repair the psychological wounds that the conflict Rwanda has experienced have left.

9. To promote equitable and inclusive development

10. To assure the security of all citizens by ensuring that security sector institutions work for the benefit of citizens instead of serving the personal interests of individual or group of individuals.

11. To stop, once and for all, the habit of continually waging war and aggression against neighboring states and to build sustainable security and peace.

The two parties also agreed on the following matters:

1. The two organisations support political change in Rwanda by peaceful means.

2. The two organisations resolved to establish a common coordination mechanism to facilitate their collaboration in mobilising the people of Rwanda for democratic change.

3. The organisations agreed to sensitise other organisations that are struggling for peaceful democratic change to join them in working together to promote that objective.

4. The FDU-Inkingi and the RNC have decided to implement above strategies to achieve the objective of peaceful democratic change.

Further:

The participants in the meeting reiterated their appreciation of the courage and sacrifice of Madame Victoire Ingabire in the struggle for democracy in Rwanda, and again demand that President Kagame release her from detention without pre-conditions. The participants equally demand that all other political prisoners, including Bernard Ntaganda, President of PS-Imberakuri; Déo Mushayidi (President, PDP Imanzi); Dr. Théoneste Niyitegeka and Charles Ntakirutinka. All the above political prisoners must be have unrestricted freedom to continue their political activities in their motherland.

The participants in the meeting deplore the manner in which the government continues to use judicial institutions to eliminate political dissent, criticism, and opposition, The participants, in particular, condemned the parody of justice conducted by the Rwanda Military High Court that led to its judgement of 14 January 2011 against General Kayumba Nyamwasa, Dr. Théogène Rudasingwa, Colonel Karegeya Patrick and Dr. Gerald Gahima, whose objective is to persecute and defame the said individuals on account of their political views.

The participants in the meeting demanded that the Government of Rwanda cease the persecution of journalists and clergy, including Fr. Emile Nsengiyumva.

The meeting also condemned the Rwanda Government’s continued use of members of FDRL to fabricate and peddle allegations against opponents of the regime. It is most surprising to observe how these armed insurgents that are collaborating with the authorities are given free reign to defame and spread lies against persons who have no connection with the FDRL organisation.

The meeting agreed that all possible precautions ought to be taken to prevent the recurrence of genocide, crimes against humanity and any other policies that deprive Rwandan citizens of their lives or otherwise violate fundamental human rights.

Concerning the United Nations report on the Mapping Exercise on atrocities that were committed against Rwandan refugees in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the meetings calls for an end to activities intended to minimise the significance of the report.

The participants in the meetings encourage all Rwandans to rise, to overcome fear and to understand that the struggle to liberate their motherland is their responsibility.

We request foreign governments and international organizations to more strongly support democratic change in Rwanda.

Done at Montreux, Switzerland on 25 January 2011.

For and on behalf of:                                                            For and on behalf of

FDU-INKINGI                                                                   RNC

Dr Nkiko Nsengimana                                                         Condo Gervais,

1st Vice President,                                                               Adviser

Support Comittee, FDU-INKINGI                                      Interim Coordination Comittee, RNC.

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