By David Himbara
The Kagame regime locked Diane Rwigara and her family in their home for 7 days, from August 29, 2017. The regime took just about everything from the home – computers, telephones, money, passports and all forms of identity.
Then on September 4, 2017, the regime staged a raid to deceive the world that this is the first entry into the Rwigara home.
In the embedded video, Diane Shima Rwigara is telling the Kagame security forces: “why terrorize my family? Take me. This is about elections…”
Diane Shima Rwigara dared to attempt to run against Kagame in the 2017 on human rights and civil liberties platform. Rwigara was blocked. But she bravely persisted in her human rights advocacy.
Diane Rwigara is paying the price. Rwandans must take Diane’s cause. We should all remember the words of Martin Niemöller, prominent Protestant pastor who emerged as an outspoken public foe of Adolf Hitler and spent the last seven years of Nazi rule in concentration camps.
Niemöller is remembered for the quotation:
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.