African Great Lakes Observer

Public Protest in London In front of the Department for International Development To request Immediate Release of Victoire Ingabire and other Rwandan Political Prisoners, or otherwise stop UK aid to Paul Kagame's regime   Friday 26/11/10 from 12.00 am to 3.00 pm Department for International Development DfID 1 Palace Street London SW1E 5HE The objectives of the protest are: · to request from UK, EU, US to put pressure on Paul Kagame, president of Rwanda, to open up Rwandan political space, to free all political prisoners including Victoire Ingabire, Chair of FDU-Inkingi , to form a Transitional Government of National Unity including the real political opposition which would aim at preparing Free and Fair Elections , to set up a Truth and Reconciliation Commission · to request justice from the UN by setting up an International Criminal Tribunal for Congo (ICTC) to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of war crimes, crimes against humanity and acts of genocide committe...

On 4 February 2002, a Rwandese delegation comprising General James Kabarebe, Deputy Chief of Staff and now acting Chief of Staff of the Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA), Major Dr. Theogene Rudasingwa, special adviser to the Rwandan dictator General Paul Kagame and Mr. Jean de Dieu Mucyo, Rwandan Minister of Justice, and other officials arrived in Washington on an official visit. General James Kabarebe, along with General Paul Kagame and other members of their inner circle are responsible of numerous and still unpunished acts of genocide against Hutus, war crimes, crimes against peace and humanity committed by the RPA in Rwanda since October 1990 and Democratic Republic of Congo since August 1996. They are also allegedly linked to international criminal networks active in the black market in arms, diamonds, gold and other forms of wealth which continue to fuel wars in Africa.  These international criminal syndicates supply them with all kinds of weaponry used in their massacres of civi...

By Ruben Koops Radio Netherlands Worldwide 12 November 2010 Victoire Ingabire was refused bail on Friday by the Rwandan High Court in Kigali on the grounds of being a security threat to the Rwandan state. After a heated debate between public prosecutor Bonavanture Ruberwa and Ingabire’s legal team, led by lawyer Gatera Gashabana, Judge Johnston Busingye ruled that she had to stay in prison. According to the public prosecutor, there are new factors in her case that demand Victoire Ingabire to stay in custody. “We are very happy with this verdict, because there are new developments in the case.” Ruberwa said. “We are preparing the final file on her case. I expect that we can send it to the court on Sunday”. The prosecutor would not say what the new evidence is. Devastated Ingabire’s husband Lin Muyizere is devastated by the ruling: “I expected that she would be released today, this is an enormous blow.” According to Muyizere, today’s ruling is another episode in a political tr...

09.11.10 - ICTR/KAREMERA - PRESIDENT OF MRND MILITIA WORKED FOR RPF, ACCORDING TO WITNESS Arusha, November 09, 2010 (FH) - Former close Protection Officer for Rwandan President Paul Kagame alleged before the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) Tuesday that President of Interahamwe militia of the ruling MRND party in 1994, Robert Kajuga worked for the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) now in power in Kigali. ‘'It is not only Kajuga who worked for the RPF but there were many others from the government.'' Aloys Ruyenzi, former close protection officer to President Kagame told the court in the defence case of the former MRND President, Mathieu Ngirumpatse. When asked by Don Webster, the Prosecuting counsel to say more about Kajuga, Ruyenzi responded ‘'he was Tutsi working for the RPF to kill members of the population.'' Earlier during examination in chief by defence co-counsel, Frédéric Weyl, the witness explained ‘'RPF did not care to kill ...

Kagame, Bashir: Birds of the same feather… "In fact it is too late. I don't know why I didn't invite him for my inauguration…" Those were the words Kagame used, while responding to a question as to why he didn't invite Sudan President Omar Al-Bashir for his inauguration ceremony last month. For those who know a thing about African politics, it was a real surprise to see Gen. Bashir missing, as all other African despots especially from west and central Africa were in Kigali, albeit for an MDG meeting at the time. Apparently, Kagame and Bashir have a lot in common that I think the latter should have been the chief guest in Kigali when Kagame was crowned. The two are army generals who seized power through the gun, established ruthless military governments in their respective countries and are among the world's worst dictators; they both feature on 'Foreign Policy's list detailing the 23 'worst of the worst dictators' released recently. Simp...