13 March 2018
Contact:[email protected]
London, U.K.— Global Campaign for Rwandans Human Rights (Rwandans Rights), the African Great Lakes Action Network (AGLAN) and the Amahoriwacu Campaign call upon the United Kingdom Parliament and the Department for International Development to immediately halt aid given to the Rwandan government in light of its repeated assassination attempts against U.K. citizens. The UK government should place Rwanda’s militia known as Intore who are trained in brainwashing camps known as Itorero on its terrorist watch list. Visa recipients to the U.K. from Rwanda must be screened to ensure they are not members of this dangerous militia sent to the U.K. on assassination missions or to harass critics of the Rwandan government. Those who apply for citizenship and permanent residency must also be screened for any past association with the Intore Militia or related Rwandan criminal networks.
The latest assassination attempt by the Rwanda government was thwarted by U.K. law enforcement officials. Rwanda’s president, Paul Kagame’s crack assassination outfit targeted Noble Marara, a U.K. citizen of Rwandan ancestry. Mr. Marara is a fierce and open critic of Rwanda’s government and its president Paul Kagame. Mr. Marara was warned this weekend by law enforcement that he is in imminent danger of assassination. The police have taken extra measures to ensure his safety at U.K. taxpayers expense.
In addition to Mr. Marara, members of Rwandan Rights, AGLAN and Amahoriwacu Campaign have also been targeted for assassination, threats and harassment. In May of 2011, the Metropolitan Police informed the chairman of Rwandans Rights and member of the Amahoriwacu Campaign, Rene Mugenzi that “reliable intelligence states that the Rwandan Government poses an imminent threat to your life.” The statement also added that “the threat could come in any form.” Mr. Mugenzi was also informed that the police is aware of others who have been harmed in a similar manner. The police statement read “you should be aware of other high-profile cases where action such as this has been conducted in the past. Conventional and unconventional means have been used.” The U.K. police clearly knows about these assassinations by the government of Rwanda. “It is quite shocking that the U.K. government is aware of assassination plots against British citizens but has yet to take any action against the Rwandan government. In essence, British tax payers are paying the Rwandan government to carry out assassination plots against British citizens.” Says Claude Gatebuke, executive director of AGLAN who is also a genocide and war survivor from Rwanda.
U.K. citizens have become subject to harassment, intimidation, and assassination attempts by a foreign government. Mr. Mugenzi put it best during a previous interview with Channel 4 TV when he stated that he feels like he is sponsoring his own assassination by paying taxes as a citizen when part of his taxes are given to a government that turns around and uses the funds to try to assassinate him. Peter Mutabaruka, spokesperson for the Amahoriwacu campaign added “the U.K. must take this unlawful use of force by the Rwandan Government against the United Kingdom and its citizens as seriously, if not more seriously than the recent suspected Russian attack against former Russian Spy and his daughter in the U.K. Besides, Rwanda is a repeat offender. The U.K. must prioritize the safety of citizens and take a strong and public stance against state sponsored assassinations by the government of Rwanda.”
The latest attempt against Mr. Marara demonstrates clearly that any measures previously taken by the U.K. government have been ignored by Paul Kagame and his Rwandan regime. Rwanda has a history and pattern of targeting U.K. citizens of Rwandan ancestry who have been critical of the Kagame regime. Stronger measures should be taken by the UK government to protect its citizens besides repeated warnings. In addition, the UK government should do better to hold the Kagame regime accountable. The UK should stop foreign aid to Rwanda; impose sanctions against top military and government officials and anyone linked to Rwanda’s dangerous militia known as Intore. It is unconscionable for the U.K. to continue providing aid to a country that carries out assassination attempts against U.K. citizens. It is not only misuse and abuse of hard earned taxpayers’ money, but it also increases the cost to taxpayers. Law enforcement officials have to take additional costly measures to thwart the threats to U.K. citizens from a foreign government.
