Rwandan Greens buckle, join parties forum
Rwanda's youngest opposition party, the Democratic Green Party of
Rwanda (DGPR), has agreed to join the National Consultative Political
Parties Forum.
For seven months since its registration in August, the Rwandan Greens
were reluctant to join the forum on the suspicion that the grouping is
used to gag dissenting voices.
The Frank Habineza-led party announced on March 10 that its political
bureau had resolved to join the forum with immediate effect, raising
concerns that it could have acted under duress.
"The DGPR has finalised discussions on the National Consultative
Political Parties Forum and resolved to apply to join in order to give
the party a chance to share its political programme with other
political leaders and promote the culture of debate as an opposition
party with those in the ruling coalition on different matters
affecting the state," the party said in a statement.
Dr Habineza denied that the party was under pressure from any quarter
to join the Kacyiru-based forum, which brings together the ruling
Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) Inkotanyi and 10 "opposition parties"
which have rarely posed a threat to President Paul Kagame and his
party's power ambitions.
"Our decision was informed by different reasons," said Dr Habineza.
"We realised as a party that some of the changes we call for may never
be realised or implemented because we lack the platform to push for
these things to take place.
"So, we are of the view that, if we join the forum, maybe it can be
one of the avenues we can use to push our political programmes and
ideas by talking directly to those concerned."
Dr Habineza said it was becoming difficult to advocate change or
influence decisions outside the forum.
The law requiring registered political parties to join the forum was
amended last year to make it optional but it appears difficult for
parties to survive outside the forum.
The 2003 Political Organisations Act also restricted political parties
operating in Rwanda from getting external financial support or
donations, which technically meant that political organisations such
as DGPR could not get support from the Global Greens. This and many
other aspects could have made life difficult for the Rwandan Greens to
continue operating in isolation.
Sources privy to the development said although external pressure was
piling on the party, the need to benefit from financial and
non-financial privileges could also have influenced the decision.
Several parties in the forum, including the Social Democratic Party
(PSD) and the Liberal Party (PL), have been rewarded with
parliamentary seats and state jobs under RPF's so-called consensual
politics.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) senior researcher Carina Tertsakian said the
Greens' decision to join the forum will not necessarily compromise its
position as an opposition party.
"It all depends on whether it will be allowed to operate independently
within the forum and express views different from those of the RPF or
other members of the forum without negative consequences," she said.
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SIBOMANA Jean Bosco
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