Rwanda National Congress strongly condemns President Kagame’s speech during his visit to the northern part of the country (Nyabihu) ON June 5, 2014. The Speech was a response to the U S State Department statement where the United States expressed deep concerns about arrests, disappearances, and the lack of freedom of expression in Rwanda.
In his speech, President Kagame acknowledged the illegal arrest, and disappearances, but promised instead, to take a step further, and start shooting in broad daylight those suspected to pose a security threats to his government. To President Kagame, security threats can be anything including calling his government a dictatorship. Rwanda National Congress would like to advise the International Community, not to take Kagame’s speech lightly.
Rwanda still experiencing the horrors of 1994, and President Kagame just put the world on notice of what he intends to do. The world should therefore, never again stand still, and keep the people of Rwanda, in the hands of a President that promised to kill his own people, who are simply guilty of seeking their freedom. About three years ago, the world intervened in Libya shortly after, its former president called the people who opposed him “rats”, Rwanda should not be treated differently. The International Community should take this opportunity to ask President Kagame to free all political prisoners, open up political space and dialogue in Rwanda, that will allow political parties to compete in the upcoming 2017 Presidential elections, when President Kagame second, and supposed to be the last term in the office expires.
Jean Paul Turayishimye
Spokesperson,
June 5, 2014
