Rwanda Information Portal

Rwanda: Police arrest protestors

Kigali – Police officers on Thursday morning bundled up several people on police vans in front of the US embassy after it was learnt that they were intending to demonstrate, RNA reveals.

At around 8:30am a disorganized group of people started converging at the US embassy which is located in the upper class Kacyiru area � just a few yards from the Office of the President and the Police headquarters.

It is not clear why these people were trying to meet at the embassy, but RNA has been told there was planned to be an opposition demonstration.

Police spokesman Eric Kayiranga told RNA that information surfaced within the security agencies suggesting there was going to be an �illegal assembly�.

�We had information that some people were planning an unlawful gathering,� said Kayiranga. �We are interrogating them�we shall let you know who they are and what they were thinking.�

Among those rounded up by about a dozen Police officers included the embattled Green Party leader Frank Habineza and his deputy, but they were not part of the protestors. Instead the two were coincidentally at the US embassy. They were released later after about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, it emerged Thursday morning that troubled opposition faction of PS Imberakuri party controlled by Bernard Ntaganda was organizing a demonstration for Thursday but has not been seen since Wednesday night. The group sought permission from Kigali city, which did not reportedly respond to the letters written.

On Wednesday, Ntaganda informed coalition partners in the Green Party and FDU-Inkingi that �silence means acceptance� for the demonstration to continue. It had been planned to start from the Office of the Prime Minister, on to Parliament and later the Ministry of local government.

Available information indicates the protest was to be against the National Electoral Commission � which they accuse of being partisan. The three also claim they have been denied by government to register as political parties � and thereby blocking them from vying for the presidency.

The Commission starts to receive candidacy applications on Thursday for those who want to stand in the August elections.

By press time, Ntaganda had not returned our calls as the phone was off. Party colleagues say they have not heard from him since Wednesday night.

[ARI-RNA]

Related:
Rwandan opposition party FDU Inkingi protests against elections masquerade

- If you want to receive per email, articles published on Rwandinfo in English, click here.
- If you want to receive Rwandinfo articles in English through your RSS Reader, click here.

June 24, 2010   No Comments

Rwandan opposition party FDU Inkingi protests against elections masquerade

The FDU-Inkingi has decided to peacefully demonstrate today for the postponement of the presidential elections.
Here is the declaration of the FDU’s Secretary General Sylvain Habimana.

WE PROTEST AGAINST ELECTIONS MASQUERADE.

In a press conference held in Kigali yesterday by the Foreign Affairs Minister and the General Prosecutor, the public opinion was briefed on the reasons why Ms. Victoire Ingabire
Umuhoza and her political party, FDU INKINGI, were denied their rights to compete the presidential elections.

According to the Rwandan government, the court proceedings will not start before some countries cooperate with the investigations. This is another proof that the false charges, the arrest and intimidation were decided before any proper investigation.

There is no doubt anymore that those are delaying tactics in order to rig the presidential elections and to thwart the opposition.

Those manoeuvres to deprive the Rwandan people of the free and fair election of their President to which they are entitled are unacceptable. It is the reason why we have decided to peacefully demonstrate today in front of the Ministry of Justice for a due, prompt and fair process and for the postponement of the presidential elections. Rwandans will never accept the legitimacy of this kind of elections masquerade.

FDU INKINGI
Secretary General
Sylvain Sibomana.

- If you want to receive per email, articles published on Rwandinfo in English, click here.
- If you want to receive Rwandinfo articles in English through your RSS Reader, click here.

June 24, 2010   1 Comment

Peter Erlinder’s Arrival back to the USA after Rwanda nightmare

After a 21-day nightmare experience in Rwanda attorney and professor Peter Erlinder makes it back to the USA.
�I have no complaints at all with respect to the way individual Rwandans reacted to this situation, in spite the lies they have been told about how the genocide has happened.�

“I am a very privileged guy, because I have seen how it works. They have made the Stasi and the KGB look like amateurs.”

- If you want to receive per email, articles published on Rwandinfo in English, click here.
- If you want to receive Rwandinfo articles in English through your RSS Reader, click here.

June 24, 2010   1 Comment

Rwanda: Fear and unrest after failed assassination of fugitive Lt. Gen. Kayumba Nyamwasa

by Frank Habineza.

Assassination attempt of Lt. Gen Kayumba Nyamwasa brings fear and unrest to Rwandans

Today there seems to be a deepening military crisis in the Rwandan Army.”

…The death threats suggested that Frank HABINEZA would be killed before the August 2010 presidential elections.

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…
Frank Habineza.

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

- If you want to receive per email, articles published on Rwandinfo in English, click here.
- If you want to receive Rwandinfo articles in English through your RSS Reader, click here.

June 24, 2010   1 Comment