PRESS RELEASE
“Statistical assessments of the risk of an onset of state-led mass killing identify Rwanda as one of the 25 countries worldwide currently most vulnerable to this kind of catastrophe”.
President Kagame at the closing ceremony of one month ideological/military training of teen age students ( July 2017)
On behalf of the youth of the Political opposition platform composed of the following political organisations, Amahoro PC; FDU-Inkingi, PDP-Imanzi; PS Imberakuri and RNC, I would like to condemn in the strongest terms possible against the cynical exploitation of the patriotic spirit of the Rwandan youth and transforming them into a paramilitary wing of the ruling party RPF. It was during the closing ceremony of the 9th session of the ideological/military training of students studying abroad and students who have excelled at the secondary school leaving exams on the 19th of July 2016, that President Kagame promised to increase military training sessions and reduce ideological lectures starting from the 10th intake of students in the ideological training course that takes place in Gabiro military barracks. The President is seen telling students the different parts of a Kalashnikov gun.
At the end of their training the students take oath to fight those who criticise government in social media, printed media and on internet. We may recall that in the political discourse of the ruling party RPF, anyone who criticises government policy is considered an enemy of the state who must be eliminated before he/he acts. For example, on the 11th September 2016 while addressing an estimated 2090 students who had completed training in the Ruling party ideological school, Itorero, President Kagame asked them to be imbued with his personal mind set of killing any person who tries to take away from them what they value most, before he/she acts. Giving an example of the convention Centre in Kigali where the ceremony was taking place, President Kagame said: “if I know of anyone planning to destroy this building, I would kill him before he does so”, “I would not be ashamed of doing that, adding “I invite you to be imbued with the same mind set.
In the political discourse of the ruling party, under article 463 of the penal code anyone who criticises government policy is accused of spreading rumours intended to incite the population against the government and therefore a threat to state security.
It is quite frightening that not only the youth are being trained but that the top brass publicly encourages the use of violence including the President, the Minister of Local government and the Minister of Defence.
on June 5, 2014 while addressing residents of Nyabihu District, Northern Rwanda. President Kagame said in response to criticisms by the US government about enforced disappearances by security agents: “we will continue to arrest suspects and when needed shoot in broad daylight those threatening to destabilise the country”
On the 14th of January 2014 addressing a prayer breakfast stated about the death of Patrick Karegeya “Rwanda did not kill this person [Karegeya] and it’s a big no. But I add that, I wish Rwandans did it. I really wish it.” “Anyone who betrays our cause or wishes our people ill will fall victim. What remains to be seen is how and when you fall victim”.
On the 13th commemoration of genocide on April 7, 2007 at Murambi, President Kagame is on record addressing people present saying “what I shall regret in life is things moved so quickly that millions crossed the border without us having the opportunity to vent my anger on them” and now we are obliged to welcome them back now”
Minister of Local government
The Minister of Local government Francis Kaboneka on a visit to Canada in September 2015, told a meeting of Rwandans living in Canada: “Put aside Hutu and Tutsi issues. “Let us deal with what matters i.e. Rwandanness. Then we will kill anyone who causes trouble to Rwanda.” He is also quoted telling a public rally on 30 August 2016. “You have to know people who are accommodated in your village or cell and what they do. You have to leave here with a pledge of knowing what is taking place in every house”.
The Minister of Defence General Kabarebe, while addressing a public rally in Nyabihu, Northern Province, days later, referred to the assassination of former colleague and chief spy, Colonel Patrick Karegeya in South Africa, “When you choose to be a dog, you die like a dog, and the cleaners will wipe away the trash so that it does not stink for them. Such consequences are faced by those who have chosen such a path. There is nothing we can do about it, and we should not be interrogated over it”.
The President, the Local Administration Minister and the Minister of the Defence are the key people that address he graduates of the ideological/military school. There are reasons to believe the intensification in training of the unsuspecting youth is to be unleashed against any potential resistance or critical voices after the flawed presidential elections of August 2017. Hence the prediction of state sponsored massacres is very plausible.
We call on the international community and in particular those who bankroll the Rwandan regime to use their influence to bring Kagame to stop the militarisation of the youth to fight critics of his policies, to release all political prisoners and prisoners of conscience and to open the political space.
Done in Brussels on July 27, 2017
Fidele Kabera
Chair
Youth Commission – P5- Platform
petitkmf@yahoo.fr