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Ms Ingabire illegally detained

Completing her 3rd month in prison, the illegally detained� opposition leader Ms. Victoire INGABIRE was finally summoned by the High Court for a bail appeal hearing due on Monday, 17th January 2011, at 08:00.

The detention order expired on 25th� December 2010 and the GASABO intermediate Court rejected� her emergency motion� in that respect. This has been a breaking point, and another confirmation that she will never get a fair trial in Rwanda under the current regime, meddling into the case at all levels.

The president, who visibly is taking this case too personal,� is still pulling the wires. In fact the Rwandan News Agency RNA reported on 12th January 2011: �Jailed opposition politician Ingabire Victoire came to Rwanda with the thinking that the country�s laws did not apply to her � which western critics encouraged her to do”, says President Kagame�.

The independence of the Rwandan judicial remains a very serious question.

Today, a Military High Court panel headed� sentenced� in absentia Lieutenant General KAYUMBA NYAMWASA and Dr. Theogene RUDASINGWA to 24 years while Colonel Patrick KAREGEYA and Dr. Gerard GAHIMA were given a sentence of 20 years each. After they left the ruling party, they recently in exile launched an opposition political party, the Rwandan National Congress.

The Court is not qualified to try a Lieutenant General and the legal basis to try civilians in this case is not clear either. No appeal is possible.

Today was closed the hearing of the case against other opposition leaders accused of illegal protest and endangering the state security. A verdict is due on the 11th February 2011.

Mr. Bernard NTAGANDA, Founder-president of Parti Social Imberakuri; Ms. Alice MUHIRWA, FDU-INKINGI Treasurer; Mr. Sylvain SIBOMANA, FDU-INKINGI Interim Secretary General; Mr. Martin NTAVUKA, FDU-INKINGI Kigali leader are the main defendants.

Very narrow is the hope for the verdict not to reflect the anger of the presiding judge Pie MUGABO, who publicly threatened and abused� the lawyer Mr. GATERA GASHABANA� and the defending opposition members.

Those who believed that the August 2010 elections masquerade would bring peace in Rwanda did not expect this endless score settling intimidation campaign. The incumbent scored a Stalinist 93.5 % landslide vote but his judicial and state police are cleaning up the �political mess� before the local elections due in March 2011.

Boniface TWAGIRIMANA
FDU-Inkingi Interim Vice President.

by Eugene Ndahayo

Ms. Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza in Rwanda: the year One of the struggle for democracy and dignity.

Dear compatriots,

Dear friends of Rwanda,

Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza

January 16, 2010, it’s already a year ago, when Ms. Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, Chairperson of the United Democratic Forces, FDU-INKINGI knelt down for the first time and kissed her homeland that she left 16 years before.

A year of achievements, dedication and courage. A real struggle for democracy, for freedom, for the right to life and personal security, the right of association, freedom of expression, for political rights. A thrash against the iron fist of the dictatorship.

A year of solidarity with Rwandans in the country for the right of remembrance for all� victims of the Rwandan genocide and other crimes against humanity; for all victims’ rights; for all the voiceless; for the rehabilitation of second class citizens. A real struggle for equal access, equal opportunities for all the children of our homeland.

A wrestling against an unfair justice that has deprived Rwandans of the right to a� defense of one’s choice and the right to a due process. The controversial �Gacaca� justice parody has thrown hundreds of thousands of litigants to humiliating community services with no hope of return.

A� year of solidarity with the population of Congo (DRC) facing the consequences of military invasions responsible of over 5 millions of victims, and the plundering of the country’s natural resources. Since 1990, the whole region is engulfed in an endless turmoil.

The Rwandan President, praised by some people and some partisan media to be an all fields miracle champion, a super star, a country’s development success story, believed himself in his political invincibility.

By her presence in Rwanda, Ms. Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, has brought to light the true dimension of the dictatorship: a totalitarian regime monopolized by a handful of military and ethnocentric militants who, by the means of a political police and a sprawling network of secret services, has an upper hand over all public institutions, the judicial and the civil society.

In just one year, the regime has accumulated political errors and serious violations of human rights:

- Assassination of late Andr� Kagwa Rwisereka, Deputy-Chair of the Democratic Green Party of Rwandan, on July 13, 2010,

- Assassination of the Journalist Jean-L�onard Rugambage, Editor of Umuvugizi newspaper, on June 24, 2010,

- Life attempt against General Kayumba Nyamwasa on June 19, 2010,

-Kidnapping followed by the arrest of Mr. Deogratias Mushayidi, Chair of PDP-IMANZI on March 3, 2010,

- Arrest of Ms. Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, Chair of FDU- INKINGI on April 21, 2010, bailed out, under house arrest the next day and rearrested on October 14, 2010,

- Arrest of Professor Peter Erlinder, US attorney, defense lawyer for Ms. Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza on June 17, then bailed out� after weeks,

- Arrest of Mr. Bernard Ntaganda, Chair of PS-IMBERAKURI on June 24, 2010

- Arrest and detention of Journalists Ms. Agnes Uwimana Nkusi and Saidati Mukakibibi,� (Umurabyo newspaper) on July 8-10, 2010,

- Arrest of a dozen of party leaders of FDU-INKINGI and PS-IMBERAKURI on June 24, 2010 then released on bail,

- Arrest of Mr. Theogene Muhayeyezu, Rwandan lawyer for FDU-INKINGI on June 24, 2010 then released 15 days later,

- Rigged Presidential elections on August 9, 2010 with total exclusion of the opposition,

- Arrest of several high-ranking officers in the Rwandan Army: General Charles Muhire, Major General Karenzi Karake, Colonel Rugigana Ngabo, etc.

- Publication on October 1, 2010 of the UN Mapping Report on war crimes, crimes against humanity and a possible genocide committed in Congo mainly by the Rwandan army.

Yes, in less than a year, the superstar Paul Kagame has faded from the limelight! The touted and self portrayed �African new generation leader� is just real, a tyrant to avoid.

His apologists are just confused and on the brink of loss of credibility. How do they justify the total seal off the political space; assassinations; arbitrary arrests and detentions of democracy leaders? How do they explain the repeated landslide Stalinist election score of 93%?

And gradually, the economic miracle of sustained growth appears to be the result of an unfortunate combination of a criminal economy, unbalanced, uneven and sorry. The Congolese blood minerals and other natural resources have a share in the miracle. There is a puncture of rural savings of 90% of the population in favor of an urban economy represented by 10% of the Rwandan population as well. The gap caused by uneven national income distribution is very deep. According to the UNDP reports, 10% of the richest population owns over 50% of the national wealth while 50% of the poorest population owns less than 10% of the national wealth.

That is the record of a year of achievements of our Chairperson, a record of FDU-INKINGI. Together with all our supporters, we are proud.

Our leader is in maximum prison since October 14, 2010. We all keep in our minds her words, just a few days back to the homeland:

�I believe in the political project that I share with my colleagues in this struggle, I love my country and all its inhabitants and I know I am not alone in this and Rwandans from all social classes, ethnic backgrounds and generations are with us. It is my source of strength and an oath that I would never betray. I will not waver in my dedication as I promised my colleagues and friends. I know and I have thoroughly thought about it, the regime may persecute me, imprison me. Let me say in conclusion that I am ready to face and endure all the difficulties and obstacles on my way until the final victory. And in case the regime attempts on my life, I trust you shall continue from where I will fall.�

In prison, where she is incarcerated, the morale of our Chairperson Ms. Victoire Ingabire is high. She is free in her mind and soul. Not because of her innocence and belief that the justice system will set her free. No, she does not believe at all in the dictator’s justice. She saw how his judicial works: trumped up accusations; fake witnesses; witness preparation and rehearsals; lack of independence; interferences and orders taken from� the State House.

No, she is simply strong because she is courageous and trust that we shall empower the momentum of the wind of freedom and the seeds of democracy she already sowed.

It is the correctness of her political struggle that will set her free. It is the faith in our political project, it is our ability to organize, it is the strength and impact of our current and future political rationale and alliances that will set her free.

Thus, our determination, our consistency in the political struggle shall overcome the dictatorship and its international� backers or lobbying organizations.

Together, we will set free the Chairperson of FDU-INKINGI and beyond, we set free our people.

Done in Brussels, on January 16, 2011

Chair of the Support Committee for FDU-INKINGI

Eugene Ndahayo.