Kigali, 22 October 2012.
On 17 October, 2012, at around 9pm, Mr. Michel Niyomugabo and Mr. Eugene Nsabimana residents of Kangondo II Village, Nyarutarama Cell, Remera Sector, Gasabo District, while gathered in family at home, were suddenly besieged by individuals who usually team up with state security services. A police vehicle was rushed to the place shortly after reserve forces personnel. They quickly seized the two young men, threw them into that vehicle and took them to the police station of Remera for the whole night. In the morning, the two young men were taken to undisclosed location and their whereabouts remain unknown up to date. When the father of Michel Niyomugabo tried to inquire about the whereabouts of his son and his employee, the kidnapers intimidated him saying that if he too would like to be taken he should get in the vehicle right away.
This took place when on that same day several members of FDU-Inkingi, including the above mentioned two young men, led by the party Interim Secretary General, Mr. Sylvain SIBOMANA, went to UK High commission to deliver a call upon the key bilateral partner ofRwanda to help defuse unrelenting manhunt against political opponents to the current regime inKigali. Specifically, they requested the unconditional release of all political prisoners, journalists and opinion leaders.
In the night of 20 October 2012, Andre Gatwa and Cyprien Havugimana were arrested by reserve forces of Cyibiraro I Village, in Nyarutarama Cell. Among these reserve forces there was one named Daniel. The victims were taken away, severely beaten and dumped afterwards back in Kangondo II Village, Nyarutarama Cell, Remera Sector, Gasabo District.
Such acts of intimidation against political opponents are taking place while on 2 October 2012 Mr. Theophile Ntirutwa was arrested by the administrative officials in Nyarutarama Cell. He was briefly jailed within the premises of Nyarutarama administrative office. He was later released, but continued to be harassed and intimidated by several services including intelligence operatives. One may also recall that on 17 October, 2012, Mr. Theophile Ntirutwa was again arrested by the reserve forces and taken to the administrative office of Nyarutarama Cell and later to the police station of Remera. He was released the next day on 18 October, 2012 but was prevented from spending that night in his home. Indeed, a plain cloth military officer drifted in and confiscated some of his belongings. Afterwards, he was arrested along with his whole family by the military police and held in Remera police custody. The Kanombe military authorities gave an order to return his confiscated belongings to no avail.
Eight members of FDU-Inkingi are currently incarcerated in Gitarama prison after attending a talk with the party interim Secretary General in which he criticized the way the implementation of some government programs is ignoring the aspirations of the population and the fact that rural areas are neglected with regard to economic development in general.
FDU-Inkingi vehemently condemns the unrelenting intimidation of the opposition and calls upon theKigali regime to release without delay all of the above imprisoned people, disclose the whereabouts of the abductees and unconditionally release all political prisoners.
FDU-Inkingi
Boniface Twagirimana
Interim Vice-President
29Oct