Stop Killing Rwandans or Resign: RNC Tells President Kagame

Calls upon the USA and the UK to support peaceful and democratic reforms in Rwanda.

(KIGALI, Rwanda) - In a not so rare confession of intent to commit murder, the Rwanda Patriotic Front-owned and Rwanda Intelligence-run The New Times, May 3, 2011, in an opinion titled “Osama bin Laden’s Lessons for Local Terrorists”, opens with ominously familiar warning to all pro-democracy voices and Rwandans in general: “You can run. You can hide. But you won’t escape. Osama bin Laden learnt the lesson of this simple truth”. In short, Kagame is telling Rwandans, “accept my rule and keep quiet, or else I will kill you, as I have killed many others...”

“In Rwanda we have our own criminals and terrorists sheltering in foreign countries. What has happened to Osama bin Laden should serve as notice to them that they cannot hide forever. Justice, in whatever form, will catch up with them.

“Other politicians, like Victoire Ingabire and Deo Mushayidi, who have tried to use terrorism to get to power now know the perils of that route and, unless they are idiots, are unlikely to advise anyone to go the same way.”

“But there will always be idiots for whom history has no lessons. The group that is now known as the Gang of Four (Kayumba Nyamwasa, Gerald Gahima, Patrick Karegeya and Theogene Rudasingwa) all of whom have committed crimes ranging from abuse of office to treason are trying to reinvent themselves as political saviours of Rwandans. The indication that they have learnt nothing is that they have chosen the terrorist route to political power”….The criminal quartet and other unsavoury characters to whom they are allied in a terrorist enterprise will soon find out that the jungles of foreign countries and villas in upmarket areas of foreign capitals are not very safe.”

“They can run and hide, but will run out of options and then their actions will catch up with them”.

There is little or no surprise that President Kagame and his regime would, once again, turn to assassination, intimidation and insults in dealing with Rwandan citizens demanding peaceful and democratic change in their motherland.

To Kagame, critics in academia, civil society, media and members of the political opposition are all genocidaires, revisionists, divisionists, terrorists, idiots, gangs, unsavoury characters and criminals who should be hunted and killed like Osama bin Laden.

What is surprising is that the Kigali regime’s previously secret policy of killing real or imagined opponents within and outside Rwanda has now become official open policy. The regime’s criminal nature, its decadence, arrogance and incredible impunity is alarmingly turning uglier, blatant and scandalous.

Osama bin Laden’s death should be a teachable moment to all humanity. Unfortunately, like all tyrannical regimes, Kagame’s regime is both unwilling and incapable of deriving the right lessons from an event like this, the foremost of which is that those who live by the sword die by the sword.

On the African continent and the world at large, no other ruler’s profile comes close to resembling bin Laden’s as President Kagame’s.

Kagame’s endless list of victims, itself a who is who in Rwanda and the Great Lakes region, probably is by far longer than bin Laden’s, and includes, over a decade and half, his comrades-in-arms, politicians, military officers, children, men, women, and other leaders in Rwanda and neighboring countries. The ghosts of these innocent victims ceaselessly haunt him and have turned him into a paranoid serial killer and sleepless character who must not rest till he finds another victim.

If he was a good student of history, he would know that killing citizens has never saved dictators. On the contrary, such unparalleled onslaught on citizens’ fundamental rights and yearning for freedom makes Rwandans ever more courageous to resist Kagame’s regime.

Rwandans firmly believe that Kagame and the RPF regime he has criminalized will one day be caught up with justice in the courts of law. Unlike him, however, RNC and other pro-democracy are not calling for his death. Killing people is not the RNC way. It is the Kagame way. RNC and the majority of Rwandans are trying to change, and change for good, this violent way that disregards the dignity and worth a Rwandan, by peaceful and democratic means.

The Rwanda National Congress calls upon President Kagame to resign immediately if he cannot stop killing, jailing and exiling innocent citizens. Rwandans need a leader who has moral integrity, who is honest, who can help them talk to each other truthfully as a genuine way to reconcile and heal. Rwandans need a leader who helps them overcome fear so as to build a shared future together. Out of the 11 million Rwandans in and outside our Rwanda, there are those who can surely lead us out of the present dangerous political impasse. Clearly, Kagame is not that leader. He has selfishly gambled away enough of Rwandans’ and international goodwill.

RNC further calls upon the United States and the U.K. Governments, and the rest of the international community, to use the leverage of their strong links with the government of Rwanda to support democratic change and respect for fundamental human rights by the state institutions. We recommend the following measures are necessary to convey an unequivocal message to the Government of Rwanda that it must carry out reforms to ensure respect of the legitimate demands of the citizens of Rwanda for freedom:

(a) Calling for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners;

(b) Demanding an end to persecution (including arbitrary arrests and detentions, torture; involuntary disappearances and extra-judicial killings) of government opponents and critics and their relatives;

(c) An end to the practice of channeling the development assistance directly into budget support, and conditioning the development assistance that the UK, USA and international community provide to the Rwanda government on political reforms, including opening up political space;

(d) Using regional and United Nations human rights mechanisms to ensure that President Kagame and his security officials are held accountable for gross human rights violations that are committed against innocent citizens;

(e) Encouraging the government of Rwanda to agree to a comprehensive and unconditional dialogue with the opposition on ways for resolving the political impasse, engulfing Rwanda;

f) Calling on the United Nations, the African Union, UNHCR, the international community and member states to prevent the impending application of the cessation clause (end of 2011) for the Rwandan refugees, and instead support creating an enabling environment within Rwanda for their voluntary and peaceful repatriation; and,

g) Supporting a political and peaceful process for ending the long standing DRC-based rebellion by Rwandan armed groups.

Dr. Theogene Rudasingwa
Co-ordinator
Interim Committee
Rwanda National Congress (RNC)

Submitted by: Jennifer Fierberg, MSW; a correspondent, Assistant Editor, and Volunteer Coordinator for NGO News Africa through the volunteer project of the UN. Jennifer is also the media co-coordinator and senior funding executive for The Africa Global Village (www.africaglobalvillage.com)

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Gatwa Poontien April 24, 2012 7:08 am (Pacific time)

I apologize for my poor English.Considering those comments,i see that Rudasingwa become a thorn to kigali regime.Mwe muvuga rero mushyigikira amafuti yo mu Rwanda,mumbaze ,i suffer from that decentralization sytstem.Let RNC lead the peaceful and democratic change in Rwanda.Saying that Obam died ....it is no sens.

Jim Peterson May 16, 2011 8:23 am (Pacific time)

UBL is not the point. The point is the precedent that is set by the USA by the apparent disreguard for the rule of law. To simply declare a human a terrorist and execute him is a new tool that is being added to the concept of suppression of dissidence. Politicians in Iran, Lybia, Egypt, Rwanda and many other nations have taken notice and I am not sure we are prepaired for the consequences.

Mike May 16, 2011 3:14 am (Pacific time)

Keep telling lies to those who don't know anything about Rwanda and enjoy your safe haven for now... It will not last though, Justice will soon prevail, you and your "gang of four" will face the Law and answer to the crimes you committed in Rwanda! Those who harbor you will one day get to know your real face and kick you out. The clock is ticking my friend...

Mycah Morrison May 15, 2011 12:36 pm (Pacific time)

Jim Peterson I believe it is not moral to kill any unarmed person, but it's safe to assume regarding OBL, that you and I were not there, so who know's how things went down on that operation. Considering that the SEAL's were drawing fire (reports) as they were clearing the structure, any judgement by those not there would be nothing more than supposition. I personally have considerable confidence in our special operations personnel, and zero in our inexperienced politicians and general public. I imagine in time more info will become available, but just the same, in a combat situation far better to not second guess those who were there and wanted to come home to their loved ones.

Jim Peterson May 14, 2011 12:38 pm (Pacific time)

The real question here: Is it moral for any countries leader to arbitrarily order the exicution of an unarmed man who is not resisting if that countries Constitution guarantees due process under the predication that of Innocent untill proven guilty?

May 13, 2011 1:49 am (Pacific time)

This says volumes about Rudasingwa

Edouard Bizumuremyi May 12, 2011 9:50 pm (Pacific time)

President Paul Kagame is a model in socio-economic development, security management and national unity and reconciliation to name the few. Under his leadership, Rwanda is known as a country with: - universal insurance health coverage; - 8% annual growth rate; - top reformer in business facilitation; - Food self-sufficient; - good governance; - zero tolerance for corruption; -model for the African countries which are now many to go to learn as Singapore was for its neighbors in the 60s. Building a country from scratch and attaining such remarkable records should be studied in universities. There is political theory called Kamalism, referring to principles of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's impressive reforms upon which modern Turkey was established. In the years to come, probably after our death, people will certainly learn worldwide a certain theory called "Kagamism". And to complete better this theory, academicians will not miss to say that Kagame was nevertheless criticized, that some of his generation including some writers had not enough clear-sightedness to understand his vision. The analysis will also not miss to mention some so-called political opponents driven by self-interests and hopeless such as Rudasingwa that we qualify in Rwanda as bigarasha.

Erkirari May 12, 2011 2:40 pm (Pacific time)

Stop telling lies too! UK you call upon, not only appreciates good policy reforms Rwanda is making but also is planning to do similar reforms. The “ Big society” plan that David Camerons launched last year talks by itself. Follow the link below:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-10680062

0r google in “Camerons Big Society” and discover the reality where he says: “ The truth is we need a government that helps to build a big society”. This is what the government of Rwanda did in the decentralization model the country initiated, implemented and now is showing positive results.

The last regional Common Wealth conference of local government ministers, held in Kigali, commanded the participants to adopt the Rwandan decentralisation model. The Rwandan model of decentralization existed even before we were born. The Traditional Rwanda had, in each village, even before the Germans came to Rwanda, what were called “Umutware w’ubutaka” , “ Umutware w’ umukenke”and "Umutware w'ingabo". This is nothing else than the “managing officer of land businesses" , the“managing officer of livestock businesses” and the security officer. Land and cows being 2 pillars of rwandan economy, our ancestors knew that it was important to bring the development services near the citizens and of course assure then the security. All this is done nowdays.

Look now how the poorest on rwandan villages are empowered by “Girinka”; can you imagine how the 10 billions fund of “Umurenge SACCO” have been accumulated in a periode less than 3 years ! A shorter periode when compared to the planned one.

Watch the Rwandan TV on internet and experience yourself the progress of the country! Myself,I am not living in Rwanda, but I follow everyday the change in all sectors. Each day is different from the previous one.

Erkirari May 12, 2011 2:40 pm (Pacific time)

saro May 12, 2011 3:05 pm (Pacific time)

Rudasingwa, Please, be honest with you: you are not the person that Rwandans need today!! Do not waste your time, some have tried and had failed. You know your qualities and weaknesses, stay where you are, where you are not known Rwandans know you very well, they will never support you

Bizumuremyi May 12, 2011 11:01 am (Pacific time)

President Paul Kagame is a model in socio-economic development, security management and national unity and reconciliation to name the few. Under his leadership, Rwanda is known as a country with: - universal insurance health coverage; - 8% annual growth rate; - top reformer in business facilitation; - Food self-sufficient; - good governance; - zero tolerance for corruption; -model for African countries which are now many to go to learn as Singapore was for its neighbors in the 60s. Building a country from scratch and attaining such remarkable records should be studied in universities. There is political theory called Kamalism, referring to principles of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's impressive reforms upon which modern Turkey was established. In the years to come, probably after our death, people will certainly learn worldwide a certain theory called "Kagamism". And to complete better this theory, academicians will not miss to say that Kagame was nevertheless criticized, that some of his generation including some writers had not enough clear-sightedness to understand his vision. The analysis will also not miss to mention some so-called political opponents driven by self-interests and hopeless such as Rudasingwa that we qualify in Rwanda as bigarasha.

Cruse May 12, 2011 11:54 am (Pacific time)

Ridiculous!! Rudasingwa, you are saying irresponsibly: “To Kagame, critics in academia, civil society, media and members of the political opposition are all genocidaires, revisionists, diversionists, terrorists, idiots, gangs…”. That is a very quotation, the little I know about Kagame, he cannot say that!! But all we know, if the media and journalists, political parties, civil society, the academia…had played their role, the genocide was not going to happen in Rwanda. To my knowledge, they were good channels of divisionism, hate for Tutsi and mobilization to commit genocide. I think it very wise for the government of Rwanda to watch these institutions and individual journalists and new political parties to see if they changed their approach of talking to a society still traumatized by the 1994 Tutsi genocide. I don’t see anything wrong that the government of Rwanda is doing. May be you have your own problems!!

Wesley,N. May 12, 2011 11:39 am (Pacific time)

Rudasingwa, I don’t know you and I never met you before, I knew you from newspapers telling who you stole the public funds in Rwanda and run away to USA, not as criminal but as a victim looking for political-asylum. I knew from newspapers telling how you created a wrong website REDCOM to steal money from people when you were still at the university. Instead of telling Kagame what to do, tell Rwandans and the world when you repented. It is ridiculous to see a criminal without any moral authority to challenge Kagame, one of the best leaders in the on this planet.

Vincent May 12, 2011 10:12 am (Pacific time)

Heeee Rudasingwa, can you stop your misleading lying. You know very well how comptent is our President HE Paul Kagame, and may our God bless him. You also how when others were interested in rebuilding the country, you used to be involved in stealing the little the country could have. You know also how false are your statements. Heeeee, please stop in doing evil comparison. You have to come and go to justice in Rwanda instead of lying people here in US. Your tactic is hopeless. Stop stop stop. Can the US administration arrest you and bring you to justice !!!! .

Jim Peterson May 12, 2011 9:36 am (Pacific time)

Rwanda Like the United States Constitution demands that a person is innocent until proven Guilty. Many totalitarian leaders have noticed that the United States is now breaking down doors and executing unarmed men without due process. I am not sorry that UBL is dead but I do believe that the United States showed poor judgement in the process. This poor judgement by the United States has emboldened these "big men" and has helped them to rationalize the departure from the rule of law and due process.

susan thomson May 12, 2011 7:47 am (Pacific time)

Question: If Kagame does resign (I am not sure he should), who would become Rwanda's next President?

faustin May 12, 2011 7:30 am (Pacific time)

Now Rudasingwa. Bin Laden has died. Are you going to predict Psdt KAGAME's fall everytime somebody in the world passes away? Ngo urwifuriza muka so rugatwara nyoko. You call Death to take your step mother and it goes back with your mum. You was with Kagame before and now you call for his fall. When was you right when was you wrong? No matter anyway. Trusting you is unthinkable.

Kamugisha George May 12, 2011 6:06 am (Pacific time)

A crimial like Rudasingwa pretending that he is a patriot? never! we your ways Rudasingwa. Other than your achieving political power, what else do you do with your arrogance, falsehood, pride etc? You want to say that are have now fallen in love with poor Rwandans you never even wanted to get closer to your car? I wonder what constituency you represent when you used to consider yourself above everybody around you; the poor citizens who suffered your arrongant ways. Go deceiving those who do not know you but Rwandans know. Or you were baptised in western may be your a new creature? I keep wondering the kind of transformation you have undergone that made you an ordary man!! Well, talk but i know you will keep when those who have not known you will one day discover who you are.

Steve May 12, 2011 5:48 am (Pacific time)

It is surprising that Rudasingwa can claim to be a democrat when he is known in Rwandan circles as a criminal who stole public funds and has excaped from justice in Rwanda. He is synonymous with arrogance, conning and beleiving that he is the only educated! Forget mr Redcom Rwanda has advanced and the gang of four justice evaders will never appeal to any serious Rwandan.

Janvier May 12, 2011 5:38 am (Pacific time)

Rudasingwa,you're telling lies.You and your collabos are the real threat for Rwandans,Leave alone Kagame the man who transformed Rwanda from ashes to one of the besst secure and united countries in the world to live,invest,travel and even die if ever it happens.You and the Genociadaires you're associating with have nothing good to deliver to neither Rwanda nor the World.Justice will find you soon!Janvier.

Eric May 12, 2011 1:51 am (Pacific time)

Please Rudasingwa stop your lies and leave alone our beloved President.

Eric May 12, 2011 1:14 am (Pacific time)

Please Rudasingwa stop your rubbish you are a liar,crook and criminal yourself,better go serve your jail term than laying to the world.

Mukayisinga May 12, 2011 5:56 am (Pacific time)

Mr Rudasingwa,you get people who used to know you really confused. How can you today be telling such malicious naked lies about President Kagame. For us living in Rwanda appreciate and indeed support the national development agenda led by Kagame. Don't you read about the good things Rwanda and Rwandans are doing for this country. The achievements in health,education, growth in GDP, good governance? Don't you read about the many delegations from amny parts of the world esp.African countries coming to Rwanda to learn from our succeess in many areas of socio-economic development? Where do you get all the bad things you talk about your motherland. Why do you hold so much hatred for Kagame?? A man who gave you a rare chance to serve your country at high level and you failed yourself. It is time to reconcile with your conscious and stop that viscious orgy of hate that can only lead to your destruction. At least do it for the sake of your children. May God bless you. Mukayisinga

Anonymous May 12, 2011 5:28 am (Pacific time)

Dr Rudasingwa,I am glad that you have quoted The New Times saying that "You can run. You can hide. But you won’t escape. Osama bin Laden learnt the lesson of this simple truth”. This was a clear message to you and other terrorists who are preparing another genocide in Rwanda. Us Rwandans and the rest of the World will never let you do that. We will hunt you down until you are brought to justice. Do you believe in Karma Dr Rudasingwa? I do.

Nyiraneza May 12, 2011 5:18 am (Pacific time)

Mr Rudasingwa, I am glad that you quoted The New Times saying that "You can run. You can hide. But you won’t escape. Osama bin Laden learnt the lesson of this simple truth”. It was a clear message sent to you and other people like you who are preparing another genocide in Rwanda. Us Rwandans and the rest of the World will never let you do that. Just like Osama Bin Laden and his other terrorists fellows, yes, we will hunt you down until we get you, so you can face justice for trying to destabilize our country and for other crimes you have committed in Rwanda before you came here in US to hide and tell lies to cover yourself up. Do you believe in karma Dr Rudasingwa? I do.

Iyamarere May 12, 2011 5:03 am (Pacific time)

So Mr. Rudasingwa for you President Kagame is worse than Osama Bin Laden? Wait is this President Kagame the champion of eradicating malarai and HIV? the champion of 100% school enrolment? the Champion of the most secure country in Africa? the doing business champion? the MDGs champion? The guest of all high level forums of this world? The hero of the RWandan Youth who defeated the forces that wanted them to be imprisoned in dreadful ethnic politics? the one who brought the third fastest internet connection in Africa? The gentleman who spends sleepless nights of hard work?The vivid spirit with always an insightful message to spread? the champion of decentralization? The Inkotanyi stronger than our grandparents and Fathers, who brought us back national dignity? Yeah he is simply too great for you, so you decided at least to be great by becoming his stinker. That is not opposition, that is obsession. You don't have the common good of Rwandans at heart but your anger against a man whom 11 Million of Rwandans and the most distinguished ladies and gentlemen on this earth do trust. The only thing that still has to get answered is how such a low spritited man like could last so long in Rwandan leadership..but as Shakespeare once said Brutus was a gentleman.

Gasarasi May 12, 2011 3:54 am (Pacific time)

Rudasingwa has ever been at logger heads with everybody including himself, whenever leadership and financial interests are at stake.His contradicting character has brought him today to become the mastermnder of a gang of failed individuals who left their country and live in self-imposed exile for fear to be prosecuted for public service total failure and search for personal interests. No wonder he utters such nonsense and tarnishes a country and her leader simply in an attempt to hide his personnal misdeeds and indeed those of failed individuals of his like. Run, run, run Ruda, your shadow will always be after you. Remember the story of the dog's tail?

Paul May 12, 2011 3:53 am (Pacific time)

Is it you Mr REDCOM that the country needs today? You will sack out even the little incomes that the Rwandans have been able to accumulate in your absence. Please give us a rest! Paul

Hope Keza May 12, 2011 3:49 am (Pacific time)

The world needs more educators not liers like Rudasingwa and the group. How could one be blinded to an exttent that he can not even interprete a simple image/experince. I am happy that the saying now goes true 'What goes a round comes .....' Rudasingwa must be starting to experinece what he and his brothers were doing to Rwandans when they had powers. Hah, these untouchable fellows, who no ordianry citizen could dare seek appointment with... in fact they don't feet in today's Rwanda! Please lie to ignorant who are equally blind but real people are able to see for themselves. Keza

bubu May 11, 2011 10:16 pm (Pacific time)

Kagame is our hitler, a new generation of world wide criminal, so be carefully he may kill all of you who doesn't know who he is real.

Ralph E. Stone May 11, 2011 12:03 pm (Pacific time)

Remember the 2010 report by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, which implicates Kagame/Rwanda in the massacre of hundreds of thousands of Rwandan and Congolese Hutus in Zaire, most of whom were children, women, and the elderly between 1993 and 2003. Hopefully, Kagame will be tried by the International Criminal Court for his role in this second genocide.

John May 10, 2011 11:40 pm (Pacific time)

Mr. Rudasingwa, what else would a man like Osama, due to the crimes committed, say if he had a chance of writing down a piece in a newspaper? you are your group was prosecuted and convicted and the Rwandan Govt wants you home to serve your jail term. Indeed Osama bin Laden was always branding the US as a terrorist country, bent on taking control of the Arab countries b'se of its riches. But this never saved him from being taken by the whole world to be a terrorist though he tried by all means to potray himself as the saviour of the Arab world. So you may try the tactic, but one day, one time, the long arm of the law will get hold of you and your group!

Peace May 11, 2011 2:27 am (Pacific time)

Killing will never solve the propblem in Rwanda and therefore Kagame should stop as the writer of this news suggests. One Day, Rwanda will be free from Dictatoriship, killings... God bless Rwandans

John May 10, 2011 11:40 pm (Pacific time)

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