PRESS RELEASE
The Rwandan opposition political platform received with great relief the
strong commitment made by Prime Minister Theresa May that “we shall not
tolerate such a brazen act to murder innocent civilians on our soil”,
following an attempted plot, allegedly hatched by the Russian
government, to murder by poisoning, two UK residents of Russian origin
Mr Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia. The response to the
alleged plot to murder was indeed swift and robust. It is our sincere
hope that this time round the same commitment stands regarding those who
try to murder British citizens of Rwandan origin on UK soil and the
Rwandan government that sends the criminals.
The UK Police informed Mr Marara Noble, a British citizen of Rwandan
origin that had credible information that he faced an imminent danger to
his life from agents of the Rwandan Government on Friday March 9, 2018.
This follows another foiled assassination plot against two British
citizens of Rwanda origin in May 2011. This is not a simple attempt to
murder but is also a terrorist act which is defined as “the use of
violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political
purposes”. The aim of the Rwandan government is to use violence for the
sake of intimidating or coercing its critics into fear and political
submission. Other non-lethal methods of intimidation and coercion have
included accusing tutsi, critics of the Rwandan government, of having
embezzled funds or working with FDLR while Hutus are accused of
committing genocide, revisionism, genocide denial, genocidal ideology,
preaching double genocide or supporting FDLR.
We cannot express enough our deep gratitude to the UK Police for having
saved three lives and proving once again its world reputation as a
professional, efficient body that acts without fear or favour. We also
pay tribute to the UK judiciary for its exemplary independence from the
Executive.
We would like to recall that following the first assassination attempt
in May 2011, the shadow Foreign Secretary, Douglas Alexander and the
chairman of the All-Parliamentary Group on the Great Lakes Region of
Africa Government called for a full investigation and making public its
findings where appropriate and urged ministers to regard it “as a
priority”. Unlike the tough measures announced against Russia, the
Minister for Africa responded by saying that the Ministry of Foreign and
Commonwealth Office and DFID “take every opportunity to raise with the
Rwandan government our concerns over political space, media freedom and
extra-judicial killings.” We are not aware of any such investigation and
financial aid has continued to flow.
We call on the UK government to be tough to the Rwandan government for
attempted murder of British citizens of Rwandan origin as it has done
towards the Russian government following allegations that two UK
residents of Russian origin were poisoned by a Russian government agent.
Not doing so sends a wrong message that all human beings are not equal
in dignity. These measures should include making full investigation into
these murder plots to identify and dismantle intelligence networks of
the Rwandan government in the UK; banning visas to Rwandan officials or
withdrawing resident permits from those who are connected with criminal
activities aimed at Rwandans living in the UK.
Done in London on March 16, 2018
Justin Bahunga
Chair Diplomacy Commission – P5-Platform
[email protected]; Phone: +44-7988-883-576
