KIGALI, RWANDA — Rwandan police arrested the
country's most prominent opposition leader Thursday and accused her of being
involved in the formation of a terrorist organization, months after she was
barred from challenging the president in an election.
Human rights groups
have accused the Rwandan government of using terrorist allegations to stifle
opposition in the country, where the campaign leading up to the August vote
was marred by a series of attacks on outspoken government critics. Rwanda's
government has denied any involvement.
Authorities said Victoire Ingabire was implicated during investigations
into the activities of a man who was a former commander of a Hutu militia
group operating in neighboring Congo.
Vital Uwumuremyi, who was arrested Wednesday, was accused of forming a
terrorist organization, Coalition of Democratic Forces. Police claim it is
the military wing of Ingabire's political party.
Ingabire returned to Rwanda in January after 16 years to challenge
President Paul Kagame but she was barred from contesting the August poll and
Kagame was re-elected in a landslide.
Ingabire already faced charges of genocide ideology after she stated
publicly that crimes committed during the 1994 Rwandan genocide against Hutu
citizens should be investigated.
More than 500,000 Rwandans, mostly ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus, were
slaughtered in the genocide. Rwandan President Paul Kagame, an ethnic Tutsi,
has tried to downplay the role of ethnicity, and people in the country
rarely refer to themselves as Hutu or Tutsi and can face charges for
speaking publicly about ethnicity.
Ingabire said in an interview with The Associated Press earlier this year
that members of her party had been tortured while in police custody.
"Our country is on the brink of chaos," Ingabire said in June. "The
rising tension, nervousness, repression and the shrinking of the political
space call for the postponement of the presidential elections. Otherwise the
elections masquerade (parade) only the ruling party and its allied groups
while excluding the opposition leaders
Si Madame Victoire Ingabire parvenait à subir des exactions, tortures,
traitements inhumains et dégradants comme il est d' usage et tradition des DMI
de Kagame, alors qu' elle est bel et bien innocente devant tout le monde,
Kagame sera personnelllement responsable de ces actes odieux, inventés de
toutes pièces pour étouffer l' opposition démocratique et responsable.
Que Kagame sache par avance que les rwandais ne pourront plus continuer à
assister impuissament aux tortures et assassinants des opposants politiques
comme il l' a fait depuis sa naissance.
Les Rwandais en ont assez de voir le sang des innocents couler pour plaire à
cet homme maquillé de sang.
Qu'il sache que tous les Rwandais responsables feront tout pour que justice
soit faite.
S' il veut que c' est dans le sang qu'on lave un tel outrage, ce qui est un
constat d' échec et amère, mais ils le feront pour au moins sauver un peuple
qui est en danger, bien qu' il n' yait pas de sang noble sur cette terre.
Qu' il laisse les gens tranquille et vivre en Paix dans leur Pays longtemp
considéré comme un havre de paix, et qu' il a transformé en enfer sur terre.
Trop c' est trop.
