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In an exchange of views between Geoffrey York and Christopher Vourlias about the Rwandan political opponent Victoire Ingabire, Christopher Vourlias, alias “postcardjunky”, writes:

�The UN�s damning report on mineral and weapons trafficking in the Congo last year directly linked Ingabire�s UDF-INKINGI party to FDLR elements��

Geoffrey York has answered this question (see article Is Victoire Ingabire �the poster child� for the Western Press?).

Here follows another comment posted by ‘Nzi Nink’ comments on this issue on M. Vourlias website:

These malicious fabrications and lies reveal nothing else but the interference of the Rwandan regime in fuelling rumours to the above experts? panel.

Indeed, in conivence with Africa Rights (a Human Rights Organization based in London) the Rwandan Government managed to insert in one of the annexes of the above UN Report a statement that some UDF-Inkingi members are in contact with FDLR military leadership.

Mrs. Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza has never been in the military. She can�t even fire a toy gun but surely fires very well principles of democracy with her speech.

She repeatedly has denied having any ties with the FDLR. She even sent an open letter to the UN Secretary General H.E. Ban Ki-Moon to protest the above statement and no one, including �postcardjunky�, has undisputable proof that she does, other than hear-says and innuendos.

‘Nzi Nink’ comment – http://postcardjunky.wordpress.com/2010/03/08/how-free-is-free/#comment-147.

Victoire Ingabire

Little known but committed Victoire Ingabire is a woman of all seasons. She has since her arrival back in Rwanda been trying to familiarise herself with the developments so far in a country she left 16 years ago. A career accountant-turned politician, she hopes, subject to the registration of her political party, to contest the forthcoming presidential election this August. Many agree she stands no chance but her introduction into the Rwandan political fold has already created a few surprises.

Government propagandists under different pseudo names are already engaged in a tarnishing campaign to ensure all she says is never believed. Already, her political aide has been arrested and jailed over a Gacaca court conviction that Ingabire�s supporters and sympathisers believe is faked.

But as Kagame prepares to assume yet another seven year term, the world has been introduced to a politically charged mercenary type of society where opposition politics is only present on paper. It appears Kagame and his men are more at ease with the already established and very disorganised nine political parties who they know and have always controlled so easily. They are not ready for a party whose leader has been brave enough to raise critical issues. As part of a more detailed story to follow in one of the leading newspapers in the UK, I asked Ingabire about her thoughts on recent events:

You have been a subject of constant criticism from several government spin doctors and there is every indication you may not get to register your party, do you still believe it is possible?

I have indeed been subjected to all sorts of harassments from government sponsored media and services. But I have so far managed to keep on with my agenda of registering my party. Given the kind of hurdles that I have gone through, I can not rule out any scenario. The government may reject the registration application of my party on flimsy reasons, in order to hang on power. It is clear that the ruling party is not ready for competition of ideas, in a genuine multiparty system.

The fact that one of your aides has been charged with a genocide crime and imprisoned as a result must surely make you doubt and fear for your life. How has the events of the past weeks affected your overall desire to bring to Rwandans what you think they deserve?

The rough beating and subsequent arrest and detention of Joseph Ntawangundi brought to limelight the true colour of our government. In a rule of law, we expected the assailants to answer for their deeds, more so when the government claimed that they had been arrested. Instead, the victim was arrested and jailed, as if to cover up the assailants. We were both targeted by the mob and I narrowly escaped. I would have been equally beaten if I had been caught. Yes I fear for my life, as any human being, but this will not derail my desire and determination to bring changes in Rwanda.

You are a strong lady, aren�t you? Who is Victoire Ingabire?

I can not gauge my strength, I leave it to others. As for my background, I am 42 years old, married and mother of three children. I hold a degree in Commercial and business administration which I got in Holland, where I worked in private sector. I majored in Enterprises management. My political career started in late nineteen. I was also involved in many NGO�s activities. I believe in no violence as a way of bringing political changes.

Elections will be here in 6 months time but yet one would think Uganda will be voting earlier than Rwanda. What do you think is the reason for no morale about the coming elections in Rwanda?

Previous elections held in Rwanda in 2003 and 2008 were marred by massive rigging. This was confirmed among others, by EU observers in their report. Since the composition of the electoral commission has not fundamentally changed, there is no guarantee of a more transparent election. This is the reason why we are calling for a broad based electoral commission and an electoral code that has the blessing of all political parties involved in the election. The ruling party can not be a judge and jury. The recent resignation from the ruling party of the chairman of the electoral commission is a mere smoke screen move, to hoodwink donors and it is our prayer that some of these things get sorted out. He still is member of the party which does not change much.

Reports from both Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International seem to hint on the excessive lack of political space in Rwanda viewing dissent as anti-progress. Is that a view you share especially after spending a few weeks in the country now?

I totally share the assessments of HRW, as far as political space is concerned in Rwanda. Freedom of expression and equal access to public and private media is paramount for democratic elections. No issue should be a taboo. People should be free to challenge the government on its achievements and generally the way it conducts its affairs. Government critics should not be treated as enemies of the nation, but as watch dogs. Democracy is a universal commodity. It should not be twisted merely to suit interest of a group or political organisation. This is what I am struggling for.

There is this allegation that FDU-Inkingi is connected to FDLR which has been labelled a terrorist organisation by the US, tell us this is true?

These are fabrications aimed at tarnishing my image and delaying the registration of my party. Of late, government lobbies have been going around, brandishing a UN experts report as evidence. This UN report which by the way was heavily criticised by Tanzania and Burundi, is so biased that it went to the extent of saying that the commander in chief of FDLR is my brother! This is rubbish? The report further alleges that I am connected with FDLR because I attended a meeting with FDLR members in Barcelona. The so called Barcelona meeting took place under the auspices of a Spanish NGO and was attended by Rwandan of all ethnic groups, including RPF well known individuals from Rwanda. This can be cross-checked from the minutes of the meeting. The agenda of the meeting was to see ways and means of organising an inter Rwanda dialogue. How came these RPF members who attended the meeting are not labelled FDLR supporters? The truth of the story is that the government does not want a true dialogue and want to demonise any dialogue initiative that is not under it iron fist. Had the Barcelona meeting been a conspiracy meeting, the organisers would have not invited delegates from Rwanda including staunch supporters of the ruling party.

What do you want and wish for Rwanda?

Peace, stability and reconciliation. I don�t want to see any more Rwandan being killed as a result of his ethnic, religious, region or political origin. I don�t want to see any more Rwandan seeking asylum abroad, or living in makeshift camps around Africa or being hunted like animals in neighbouring countries.
I want an independent judiciary and state machinery that pays allegiance to a cause, a nation, and no more to an individual or political organisation. I want a Rwanda where there is a rule of laws and equal economic opportunities. This is my dream.

After the attack on you a few weeks ago, do you now feel safe? We read in the papers that you have written to the president for security, what is the latest on this?

It is the duty of any government to ensure security for its entire citizen. This is what I expect from my government. I am not begging for favours.

If winning had to be about you (FDU) merging with the Green Party of Rwanda, and that is of course assuming that you both get registered, would you welcome a coalition?

Let�s not cross the bridge before reaching it. For the time being the issue does not arise. But I can assure you that I will support any move that can bring changes in Rwanda. I am not struggling for my own ego, but for the good of my countrymen. I share the Green party thirst for freedom and democracy.

Eleneus Akanga – http://ellyakanga.wordpress.com/

In an exchange of views between Geoffrey York and Christopher Vourlias about the Rwandan political opponent Victoire Ingabire, Geoffrey York writes:

Christopher Vourlias criticises Geoffrey York in these terms:

… The UN�s damning report on mineral and weapons trafficking in the Congo last year directly linked Ingabire�s UDF-INKINGI party to FDLR elements, and Ingabire herself has repeatedly refused to answer questions related to the bankrolling of her campaign. This is not something to gloss over � especially when your audience would most likely miss this point entirely.

The FDLR is considered a terrorist group by the UN; its ambitions for the eradication of the Tutsi people are widely known. By failing to draw this connection for your readers, you ignore one of the central points of dispute between the government and Ms. Ingabire. When she ruefully said, �I don�t know why the government is so afraid of me,� it would have been a good time to push her on the subject of her relationship to the FDLR. At the very least, it would have given her a chance to dispute the most damning accusations made against her in The New Times.

I agree that the Kagame government has a lot to answer for, especially in how it regards the opposition and the press. But I still feel Ingabire has a lot to answer for, too, even as she is being snatched up by the Western press as the poster child of the repressive Kagame regime.

Geoffrey York answers: March 9, 2010.

Chris � you�re being rather glib and facile when you describe her as �the poster child� for the Western press.
First of all, she is one of the major opposition leaders, like it or not. She is the only politician who is attacked daily in the New Times, suggesting that she is the leader who is most feared by the government. And as a Hutu leader, she is obviously the greatest threat to the RPF in an election. So it�s only logical that her campaign should be watched closely by any media.
We�re not creating her from nothing. She exists, and the RPF�s reaction to her is a fascinating story.

As for the UN report: look again. It�s a 99-page report which contains only 2 brief sentences about Ingabire. It basically says that she attended meetings where FDLR representatives were present.
I did, in fact, quiz her about this. (You are quite wrong to say that I gave her a �free pass� on this.) She says she organized an �inter-Rwandan dialogue� (which the UN report also confirms) and the dialogue was attended by representatives of all factions, including the RPF, not just FDLR.
The New Times is twisting this by claiming that Ingabire has been �blacklisted by the UN� and �put on the UN terrorist list� which is manifestly not true.
Now, is there evidence that some FDU members have some links to the FDLR? Perhaps there is, but I�ve seen nothing that directly implicates Ingabire personally for direct funding links to the FDLR. If you have such evidence, please cite it publicly, but I think you have to go beyond the UN report.

via How free is free? � This Is Africa.

See also our article:
Is Victoire Ingabire Connected To FDLR?

Ms Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza has been asked the following question related to his alleged connection to the rebels organisation FDLR. Here follows the question and the answer she gave:
Question:
There is this allegation that FDU-Inkingi is connected to FDLR which has been labelled a terrorist organisation by the US, tell us this is true?

Answer:
These are fabrications aimed at tarnishing my image and delaying the registration of my party. Of late, government lobbies have been going around, brandishing a UN experts report as evidence. This UN report which by the way was heavily criticised by Tanzania and Burundi, is so biased that it went to the extent of saying that the commander in chief of FDLR is my brother! This is rubbish.

The report further alleges that I am connected with FDLR because I attended a meeting with FDLR members in Barcelona. The so called Barcelona meeting took place under the auspices of a Spanish NGO and was attended by Rwandan of all ethnic groups, including RPF well known individuals from Rwanda. This can be cross-checked from the minutes of the meeting. The agenda of the meeting was to see ways and means of organising an inter Rwanda dialogue. How came these RPF members who attended the meeting are not labelled FDLR supporters?

The truth of the story is that the government does not want a true dialogue and want to demonise any dialogue initiative that is not under it iron fist. Had the Barcelona meeting been a conspiracy meeting, the organisers would have not invited delegates from Rwanda including staunch supporters of the ruling party.

From interview by Eleneus Akanga – ellyakanga.wordpress.com.

Paul Kagame

Kigali: President Paul Kagame hinted on Wednesday that the way the security apparatus handled the fugitive General Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa could have contributed to his fleeing, a criticism likely to lead to some heads rolling, RNA reports. The exiled journalist Mr. Charles Kabonero also came under the President’s radar.

Gen. Kayumba was summoned by security officials on Thursday night � a day before he fled the country over serious criminal charges, the President revealed. However, the officials who handled his case could have been influenced by �family relations�, according to Mr. Kagame.

�In Rwandan society, there are still so much family relations and friendship,� said Mr. Kagame. �They even gave him the time to go and think about the accusations so that they can start from there the next day.�

He added: ��there was overwhelming evidence backing the charges that he was not able to respond to some. If those interrogating him had followed this lead, he could not have left.�

Mr. Kagame said Gen. Kayumba could have fled the country because his plans had been revealed to him by security officials who indicated to him that they were aware of whatever he was planning.

�Never� a coup in Rwanda, �not like Niger�

The President also dismissed suggestions that General Kayumba and Col. Karegeya were close to him. �Those were not my colleagues. Am above these people and what they stand for,� he said.

�Kayumba, Karegeya�NO,� the President said. �I don�t drink with them, I never did.�

�It will be an insult to me to reduce myself to their level,� he added in gestures which indicated he was becoming angry with the whole situation.

Responding to another question that there have been rumours of a coup plot in which Gen. Kayumba and Karegeya have been named, President Kagame said �never�, �nobody can�, describing such a suggestion as �wishful thinking� for anybody to imagine that happening here.

�Maybe in Habyarimana�s period or before�,� he added spreading his hands in vigorous gestures.

The President also said Rwanda is �not like Niger where soldiers� do whatever they link with the country. He said Rwanda has established solid institutions for the last 16 years that cannot be possible for coup.

Regional dimension

He said people �should sleep and wake up� without any worries. �Don�t waste your time. Go to bars and drink you will wake up to find Rwanda is still going on.�

The President said his responsibility is ensuring stability. �If you are tired, you go out and leave us in our country,� he said. Mr. Kagame also revealed that Col. Karegeya has been �transacting� his activities in the region, adding that the exiled former head of the External Security Organisation (ESO) has been moving from one country to another in this region.

He said government is employing all mechanisms available �including extradition� with the countries concerned, but did not name any to have the two officers face justice. The President said just like Rwanda would not want to have destabilizing forces in neighbouring countries, Rwanda considers the same principle.

Kabonero in spotlight

The controversial tabloid UMUSESO also came under the spotlight in the President�s press conference. In the first reaction to allegations which arose several years ago suggesting that exiled publisher Mr. Charles Kabonero was in contact with exile ex-junior Abdul Ruzibiza, with plans to cause chaos in Kigali, Mr. Kagame did not mince any words.

Mr. Kagame said some journalists also have some cases to answer for in relation Gen. Kayumba and Col. Karegeya. �There are those who found Karegeya in South Africa to speak to him. There are even those who went there but have not returned,� he said, in reference to Mr. Kabonero, who is said to be in South Africa seeking asylum to North America or Europe.

Without categorically naming Mr. Kabonero, the President said there are some journalists who were found with documents detailing a plan to cause state insecurity.

��which I think is still being investigated,� he revealed.

Possible FDLR link to Kayumba

When three grenades exploded in Kigali two weeks ago and other in Huye district a week before, Police Spokesman Superintendent Eric Kayiranga said investigations had shown that Rwandan FDLR rebels were behind.

The link has not been raised again. On Tuesday, the National Prosecuting Authority revealed that Gen. Kayumba Nyamwasa and Col Patrick Karegeya were behind the grenade blasts. On Wednesday, President Kagame said the link between the two scenarios can also be possible.

Without being categorical, the President said the security apparatus is looking at all leads including a possibility that the ex-officers could be working with the rebels.
Source: RNAnews.

Victoire Ingabire

KIGALI – Victoire Ingabire, leader of the opposition party FDU-Inkingi was yesterday summoned and interviewed by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at the Police Headquarters in Kacyiru.
The details of the investigations have not been clarified by the Police.
Victoire Ingabire was questioned and was later allowed to return home.
The Rwanda News Agency quoted Kagame on Monday as charging that Ingabire was “making comments and doing all her activities illegally and as an ‘individual’ because her party has not been registered.”
Victoire Ingabire who was in the company of her lawyer Protais Mutembe during the questioning, declared afterwards to the BBC that the questioning was related to her views about genocide and crimes against humanity and her alleged relationship with the FDLR rebels.
Victoire Ingabire who returned to the country last month after 16 years in the Netherlands, has been an outspoken critic of the RPF government. She has angered Paul Kagame’s regime when she declared that Hutu who have been killed during the genocide should also be remembered and their killers brought to justice. They consider her declarations as �divisive and revisionist� and espousing the double genocide theory.
Last week, Ingabire and her assistant Joseph Ntawangundi were attacked by RPF militia at Kinyinya Sector.
Since then, Joseph Ntawangundi has been jailed as a 2007 Gacaca court convict for genocide crimes. Joseph protests his innocence and his party FDU-Inkingi claims he could not have committed such crimes as he was not in Rwanda in 1994.
These series of incidents are meant as intimidation tools meant to harass people, discourage any meaningful opposition and undermine the advent of democratic rule in Rwanda.