PS IMBERAKURI welcomes resolution No.2013/264 (RSP) the European Parliament outlining its concerns in regard to “respect for human rights and the right to have a fair trial in Rwanda”.

                                                                                           OPEN LETTER

Martin SCHULZ

President of the European Parliament

Rue Wiertz, 60

1047 Brussels

Concerns:  Resolution 2013/264 (RSP) of 23 May 2013

Excellency Mr. President,

The Social Party PS IMBERAKURI welcomes resolution No.2013/264 (RSP) the European Parliament adopted on 23 May 2013 outlining its concerns in regard to “respect for human rights and the right to have a fair trial in Rwanda”.

Referring to the trial of Madame Victoire INGABIRE, President of FDU Inkingi, the European Parliament details the irregularities which tainted the trial and shows with detailed evidences the struggle facing political opposition figures, journalists and activists of the human rights that are prosecuted of “ideology of genocide and revisionism”  to silence them.

You know indeed that in compliance with the laws in force in Rwanda, the party PS IMBERAKURI has been officially registered on July 08, 2009 becoming the first opposition political party registered in Rwanda. However, while Me Bernard NTAGANDA, founder and president of party was attempting to build a strong opposition inside the country, the ruling party, Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) put everything in its power to prevent PS IMBERAKURI from operating normally and destroy it, either through some of its members, either through the institutions of the State, in this case the security organs and the Senate. After the failure of several attempts to neutralize his party, the RPF imprisoned Me Bernard NTAGANDA on June 24, 2010, the first day of filing of candidacy for the presidential elections of August 9th, 2010.

Excellency Mr. President,

The Social Party PS IMBERAKURI welcomed with great satisfaction the resolution, because the fact that your institution recognized all irregularities that we have ceased to denounce is unwavering support in our daily struggle.

Within this framework, the party PS IMBERAKURI takes advantage of the output of this resolution to remind other situations that deserve the attention of the international community:

The case of Mr. Eric NSHIMYUMUREMYI, president of our party in Gasabo district. While he was returning from the trial of Ms. Victoire INGABIRE on 15/09/2011, he was wounded by RPF police gunfire. Without the slightest care, he was imprisoned. Since then, he remains without a care, despite serious problems due to a bullet still lodged in his chest. No legal action was again initiated in his regard ;
The right to health care becomes a rare commodity in Rwanda. Access to health care is a problem across the country while the government officials continue to claim the merits of health mutual insurance. Many women with difficult pregnancies pay the heaviest burden. They are at best held hostage in the hospital or die for lack of care and, because they are not able to pay the premium the mutual health insurance. For example, one can cite :
The wife of Mr. Havugimana Jean who gave birth by caesarean section at the hospital in Muhima 04/18/2013. Because she was not able to pay her premium in health mutual insurance, she was held in this same hospital until May 14, 2013. The Rwf 95,000 she owed was paid by an anonymous person after he/she read the story in the web log “igihe.com of May 13, 2013. »;
Madame Jacqueline BAHATI from Nyabintare cell, Nyakabuye sector, Rusizi district in Western province had not this chance. While her pregnancy came to term, her family brought her to emergency room at Nyabitimbo health center during the night of Friday to Saturday (10-11/05/2013) where she arrived around 1:00 AM. As they were in default of payment of the health mutual insurance for their second child, the hospital denied the care to the pregnant mother unless her husband pays a fine of Rwf65, 000. While the husband was looking for a solution to pay this fine, Ms. Jacqueline BAHATI remained at the hospital without any care, until she died on Sunday, 12/05/2013 around 07:20 AM in the morning. After that tragic death, husband had to pay FRW10.000 for an ambulance to transport the deceased mother to the hospital of Mibilizi where procedures were to be performed to separate the child and the mother before burial.
The right to food. While more than 90 percent of the Rwandan population lives from subsistence farming, the Rwandan Government currently imposes the monoculture. In many regions, all lands are grouped and operated through cooperatives that cultivate a culture imposed by the Government based on the economic needs of few high ranking officials in the government, the army and ruling party RPF. The entire crop is sold at a low price via these co-operatives and then the farmers are obligated to buy their products at exorbitant prices for their food needs. For a single season, the price difference of the producer towards the cooperative and cooperative to the consumer (producer) is at least 100%. For example, in January 2013, a kilo (1 kg) of bean was sold to the cooperative at two hundred francs (200 Rwf) and then resold at three hundred fifty francs (350 Rwf). Thus, several regions are subject to endemic famines called “inzara NYOBOZI”, meaning “famine caused by the governance”.
Excellency Mr. President, we welcome the European Parliament decision to recall the Rwanda government about its obligations towards its population especially in term of human rights that can be achieved first of all by unconditionally releasing all political prisoners and by opening the political space so all citizens can lay the foundations of a sustainable democracy in Rwanda.

Best Regards;

Jean-Baptiste RYUMUGABE

Representative of the Social Party PS IMBERAKURI in EUROPE

C.C :

– Excellency Ban Ki-Moon

Secretary General

Plaza, P. O. Box 20

New York, NY 10017, USA

– Excellency Navanethem PILLAY

High Commissioner of the United Nations Human Rights

Palais Wilson

52 rue des Pâquis

CH-1201 Geneva, SWITZERLAND