OntheWilderSide

Green Party urge Obama to press for an investigation, citing obstruction, violence against opposition parties by the Rwanda government

The Green Party of the United States expressed shock and sadness over news of the barbaric killing of André Kagwa Rwisereka, Vice President of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda (http://www.rwandagreendemocrats.org). Mr. Rwisereka’s body, discovered July 14 after he was missing for several days, showed evidence of murder.

US Greens have joined Green Parties around the world in extending their sincere condolences to Mr. Rwisereka’s family and community and the Rwandan Green Party. Green Party leaders are calling on the Obama Administration to support a full investigation of this murder and the deeply disturbing allegations that André Kagwa Rwisereka’s assassination was politically motivated, tied to the current political leadership of the Rwandan government of President Paul Kagame and his ruling Rwanda Patriotic Front (RFP), which has close ties to the US. The Kagame government has consistently prevented Greens and other opposition parties from freely registering as political parties.

“Rwanda is portrayed by the Obama Administration as an ‘African success story,’” said Marian Douglas-Ungaro, co-chair of the Green Party’s International Committee (http://www.gp.org/committees/intl), member of the Green Party Black Caucus (http://www.gp.org/caucuses/black/index.php) and DC Statehood Green Party, and a veteran international elections monitor. “Yet, this same government stands accused of human rights abuses including crimes against humanity and political repression. Five times it has prevented the Rwanda Democratic Green Party from convening, once violently, thereby bureaucratically blocking them from appearing on the ballot for the upcoming August presidential elections. How is this a beacon of democracy in Africa?”

US Greens are preparing a letter to be sent to President Obama urging him to press for a full inquiry into the assassination and for prosecution and punishment of the assassins.

See also:

• “Death Announcement: Rwandan Democratic Green Party Vice President Assassinated”
  Democratic Green Party of Rwanda press release, July 14, 2010
  http://rwandagreendemocrats.org/spip.php?article83
• “Rwandan Opposition Leaders and members have been assaulted, arrested and hundreds are still missing”
  Democratic Green Party of Rwanda press release, June 24, 2010
  http://rwandagreendemocrats.org/spip.php?article79
• Global Greens statement on the assassination of Rwandan Greens Vice-President Mr. André Kagwa Rwisereka
  http://www.globalgreens.org/statements/kagwa_rwisereka_assassinated
• “Greens in the US protest attempts by the government of Rwanda to suppress the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda”
  Green Party of the United States press release, November 2, 2009
  http://www.gp.org/press/pr-national.php?ID=260
• “Rwandan opposition parties condemn grenade attacks in Kigali”
  San Francisco Bay Guardian, February 21, 2010
  http://sfbayview.com/2010/rwandan-opposition-parties-condemn-grenade-attacks-in-kigali/

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