Your source for credible news Issue no 013
October, 2020
High Noon for genocidaires after Belgium apprehended three
NEWS
Genocide revisionist Judi Rever persona non-grata amongst respected journalists. Page 2
OP - ED
Kampala propaganda media claims Mugambage “wants to retire in Uganda” fail the laugh test. Page 6
PROFILE L-R: Genocide fugitives, Christophe Ndagali who was recently arrested in Belgium, Celestin Ugirashebuja and Vincent Bajinya aka Vincent Brown who lives in theUK. Rwanda calls for extradition or charge of all Genocide perpetrators.
In the wake of the recently announced development when the Belgian Federal Prosecutor Office announced that on May 29 and 30 two Genocide fugitives identified as Pierre Basabose and Séraphin Twahirwa in Brussels, another known as Christophe Ndangali was arrested in the city of Hainaut; Rwandan authorities have expressed satisfaction. Page 2 “Rukokoma” Twagiramungu says MRCD will not cease terror acts against Rwanda
Uganda fuelling violence in Ituri; pits Hema against Lendu communities
MRCD-Ubumwe, the Brussels-based group headed by the recently arrested Paul Rusesabagina who is facing terror charges, is now in a quandary. Its leader is cooling his heels in Mageragere, with the evidence stacked heavily against him.
On October 4, Commandonepost, a tool of misinformation run by Uganda’s Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence, published an article claiming “Kigali-backed militia are wreaking havoc near the Uganda border.”
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Profile: Chaste Gahunde, man who sings the ideology of ethnic hate in France. Page 9
REGIONAL
Ugandan Military Intelligence and Police in a clash of confusion following police arrest of RNC cadres in Mubende. Page 10
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Issue no 013 October 2020
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High Noon for genocidaires after Belgium apprehended three
L-R: Genocide fugitives, Christophe Ndagali who was recently arrested in Belgium, Celestin Ugirashebuja and Vincent Bajinya aka Vincent Brown who lives in the UK. Rwanda calls for extradition or charge of all Genocide perpetrators.
By Moses Gisa In the wake of the recently announced development when the Belgian Federal Prosecutor Office announced that on May 29 and 30 two Genocide fugitives identified as Pierre Basabose and Séraphin Twahirwa in Brussels, another known as Christophe Ndangali was arrested in the city of Hainaut; Rwandan authorities have expressed satisfaction. The trio is well-known for its direct involvement in the massacres of Tutsi and its incitement in the general public. According to the Rwandan prosecution, Belgium has set a good precedence in the quest to bring Genocide criminals to book. Yet, according to the authorities, the problem remains enormous. Twenty-six years down the line after the 1994 Genocide Against Tutsi, many of the perpetrators are still harbored, and shielded from facing justice by a number
of Western and African countries. This situation constantly raises the question by Rwandan authorities: when will those countries ever begin to arrest, charge, or extradite the fugitives for trial in Rwanda? Or even try them in their own jurisdictions? As if to rub salt into the injury, many of the major genocidaires that live in Western countries are actively involved in activities like genocide denialism or negationism, and many are actively involved with rebel groups bent on destabilizing Rwanda. Some of these genocidaires – such as five UK-based suspects – have successfully evaded extradition because Human Rights Watch successfully lobbied UK courts on their behalf. These are Celestin Mutabaruka, a resident of Kent, Vincent Bajinya, aka Vincent Brown of Islington, North London, Celestin Ugirashebuja of Essex, Charles Munyaneza who resides in Bedford, and Emmanuel Nte-
ziryayo in Manchester.
Belgium’s pronouncement.”
According to Rwanda’s Prosecution in the last 12 years over 1000 Genocide indictments were sent to 32 countries in Europe, Africa, North America, and New Zealand. Reports show that only a few countries have heeded Rwanda’s call to prosecute or extradite the genocide perpetrators.
The CNLG and Ibuka have commended France’s apprehension of Kabuga, but said there still are too many genocide suspects on her soil. France arrested the notorious Felicien Kabuga after 26 years in hiding, many of those years in Paris. Afterwards, in July French prosecution launched an investigation into Col Aloys NtiwiragaboHabyarimana’s former head of Military Intelligence over his role in the Genocide. The culprit was discovered in the city of Orleans where he hid for 14 years.
Dr Jean Damascene BizimanaSecretary-General of the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide (CNLG) has many times reiterated that Rwanda’s judicial system is impartial, and competent. Most important is to ensure justice is delivered to the Genocide survivors. “We commended Belgium, France, and Holland for supporting the cause of justice, other countries should follow suit but a lot more needs to be done, said Bizimana in the wake of
In Africa one of the countries harboring the most fugitives is Uganda, with over 260 genocide perpetrators all over the country. Despite Rwanda’s efforts to have these people extradited, providing all the proof of their implication, Uganda has preferred to turn a deaf ear.
Genocide revisionist Judi Rever persona non-grata amongst respected journalists By Jean Gatera The Bayeux Calvados-Normandy Award, annually held in France, for war correspondents has revoked an invitation to Judi Rever, a Canadian national that has gained notoriety for her denialism of the 1994 Genocide
Against the Tutsi. The revocation of Rever’s invitation to their event, however, seemed too much to bear for the author of a book, In Praise of Blood, a revisionist book that uses the testimonies of genocide masterminds like Theoneste Bagosora to actually blame the Genocide on
the RPF. Rever has taken her complaints on social media, and attacked the organizers of the war correspondent award. In a Twitter rant she claimed that her canceled invitation was the
result of “external pressure”, and moaned that the Prix Bayeux and the organizers of the award, “no longer defended the free press.” In reality, organizers most probably discovered that Judi Rever is
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Issue no 013 October 2020
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not a journalist but rather a propagandist of genocidaires that pretends to be a journalist. The organizers of the prize must have taken their cue from the words of Dr. Gregory H. Stanton describing the 10 stages of Genocide denial. The last stage of denial includes attempts to blame victims. “They deny that they committed any crimes, and often blame what happened on the victims”, Stanton. Blaming survivors is something that is Rever’s specialty, according to those familiar with her writings. “Organizers of the war correspondent awards saw right through Judi Rever,” a media analyst said. “She is not a corre-
spondent or a media personality, but rather a propagandist for high criminals. She cannot hide behind ‘freedom of press’ to be accepted by decent, media professionals, and they cannot accept her,” he added. In retaliation, Rever is now accusing the prize’s organizers of “bowing to pressure”, but with nothing to support the accusation. For years, Judi Rever claimed the mantle of “expert” on Rwanda, or the Great Lakes Region. More recently, she has tried to pass herself off as an author. But impartial experts that have been working in the region for years are exposing people like Rever. Linda Melvern, a world-renowned scholar on the Genocide Against the Tutsi has warned about what she describes as “unscrupulous
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journalists and experts” like these. “They often use testimonies of convicted Genocidaires to refute the Genocide. Judi Rever, for example used the speech of Augustin Bizimungu, a convicted genocidaire,” Melvern wrote.
Genocide revisionist and peddler of its ideology Judi Rever was rejected by the Bayeux Calvados-Normandy Award organizers for her involvement in genocide denialism.
On social media, the conspiracy theories that “external pressured” had somehow managed to influence the prestigious Bayeux Calvados-Normandy Award was ridiculed. “She only has herself to blame for the cancellation of her invitation”, a follower of the Award said, “She should not have masqueraded as a correspondent or a journalist”.
Rusesabagina’s overseas people attempt to incite subversion with hateful propaganda By Jean Gatera The Hotel Rwanda Rusesabagina Foundation, an organization now dedicated to spreading misinformation that “Rwanda wrongly arrested and tried Paul Rusesabagina”, working together with his family has claimed it is “mounting new efforts to secure his release.” They made this call at the beginning of this month, and is if to incite subversion they are “urging people to act.” In the press conference, Kitty Kurth the Chicago-based spokesperson of the Rusesabagina Foundation appeared to be issuing threats or ultimatums. “If by this week (the first week of October) Rusesabagina is not released we will boycott Rwanda, call on business people to stop doing business in Rwanda, and request international organizations to stop aid given to Rwanda.”
fact remains that Rwanda has a government elected by Rwandans, which has the mandate to protect them. Arresting a suspect on terrorism is exactly what as a responsible government it has to do and ultimatums by friends of suspects can never change anything.” The Hotel Rwanda Rusesabagina Foundation was founded purportedly “to raise awareness about peace, truth and reconciliation in the Great Lakes Region of Africa and provide assistance to genocide survivors mainly orphans.” But the true purpose of Rusesabagina’s foundation is as a facade to conceal the terrorism
activities for which he has been arrested. It is also a useful tool to raise money in the West from groups of individuals, some who may think it is going to assist widows of orphans. But the record shows that this money ends up funding his MRCD-FLN terror groups. During Rusesabagina’s initial court hearing last month Rusesabagina admitted that he sent money amounting up 20,000 Euros to FLN and $3,000 to “Gen.” Irategeka the former leader of the National Council for the Democratic Renewal (CNRD). The Belgian Police too had shared many documents with Rwanda, detailing different fundraising and money transfer activities that were carried out by Rusesabagina and his people, aimed at sustaining FLN operations. FLN, the armed wing of MRCD among other things has perpetrated two attacks in southwest Rwanda in 2018 that left five people dead, several injured, some vehicles burnt, and property looted.
She issued these statements to an audience following live on Facebook. “These people should know that Rwanda is a sovereign state with an impartial judiciary and cannot be influenced by their hateful propaganda,” said a Kigali-based analyst. He added: “they are free to issue threats to Rwanda in their individual capacity. But the
Kitty Kurth who speaks for terror suspect Rusesabagina’s Chicago-based organization with attempts to threaten the Rwandan government by issuing ultimatums
Rusesabagina’s supporters, including those overseas that work for his foundation, are fighting a losing battle because all the evidence pins him, unless what they really are fighting for is impunity, our source added.
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Issue no 013 October 2020
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“Rukokoma” Twagiramungu says MRCD will not cease terror acts against Rwanda By Fred Gashema MRCD-Ubumwe, the Brussels-based group headed by the recently arrested Paul Rusesabagina who is facing terror charges, is now in a quandary. Its leader is cooling his heels in Mageragere, with the evidence stacked heavily against him. Enter Faustin Twagiramungu, aka Rukokoma, who last Friday issued a statement that, “nothing will discourage MRCD in the battle it is fighting towards opening political space in Rwanda through all possible ways!” Thus reads in part MRCD’s communiqué, signed by Twagiramungu. Such statements are merely coded words encouraging terrorism, going by this man’s record. Twagiramungu is a man that actually had “political space” as Rwanda’s post genocide prime minister, only to abandon his duties to go into terrorism. “It is beyond funny to listen to Twagiramungu, who as a member of MDR – not RPF – was prime
Twagiramungu aka Rukokoma- Vice President of MRCD terrorist coalition vows to carry on crimes of terrorism against Rwanda. Right is his ally terror suspect Rusesabagina undergoing trial in Rwanda.
minister for several years always claiming alleged ‘lack of political space’ as justification for insurrection,” said a retired former colleague of Twagiramungu in government. Now the man is solidly with groups that have killed innocent people, burnt vehicles, or looted property. Contrary to the claims by the group that “Rusesabagina
is innocent”, the man himself in the pre-trial hearing confessed to having created and sponsored MRCD and its armed wing FLN, which is responsible of terror attacks that claimed lives of unarmed and innocent Rwandans. Rusesabagina himself said he regretted the attacks and sought forgiveness from those affected.
Social media platform users were quick to mock Twagiramungu. “This old Rukokoma now will go to Nyungwe bushes?” laughed a Facebook account. “Rukokoma will never stop making people laugh! If more energetic fellows such as Rusesabagina and former FLN mouthpieces Callixte Nsabimana and Herman Nsengimana are facing justice, and more than 20 FLN fighters have been put behind bars while a number of their fighters are also facing justice, what makes Twagiramungu thinks he is tougher than them?” asked the commenter. Other observers point out that Twagiramungu is putting himself into more liability by words that incite terror with his statements. “Twagiramungu is freely promoting terrorism through the so-called communiqués he issues in the name of MRCD, but he too will find himself facing justice. It is a matter of time,” remarked an observer.
Kambanda’s words of terrorist incitement set him up to be answerable to Rwandan justice, analysts violence, such as“calling on Rwandans to take up arms and overthrow Rwanda’s leadership.”
By Joan Karera A self-proclaimed “researcher and human rights activist”, Charles Kambanda – who has long been exposed as a genocide denier and anti-Rwanda campaigner – has appeared on a YouTube channel, “Inday’Ingoma” to make claims against Rwanda that are characteristic of the smears he has become known for. Inday’Ingoma is run by Rugema Narcisse, alias Rugema Kayumba a known RNC terror agent who is often on missions with operatives of Ugandan Military Intelligence (CMI) to recruit rebels in the plot, facilitated and funded by Uganda, to destabilize Rwanda. In the interview last Saturday, Kambanda was talking about the arrest of Paul Rusesabagina, but he also spent much time saying things of a nature to incite
“To say that Rusesabagina confessed in court to have created the FLN is a ‘lie from the Government of Rwanda’; never did Rusesabagina create a military wing,” Kambanda claimed. “FLN was created by CNRD-Ubwiyunge,” Kambanda said. According to observers he was further trying to insinuate that Rusesabagina “knew nothing of these events.”Kambanda continued with claims such as that the Nyabimata attacks were carried out by Rwanda Defense Force.”
Charles Kambanda who spends time smearing Rwanda and as an apologist of genocide
“I always wonder what kind of deranged person Kambanda is,” an observer of security trends said.“Now he is directly contradicting things Rusesabagina himself said, in a video the whole world saw, even long before the
man was arrested! “Again, Kambanda also knows it well that the Nyabimata attacks were carried out by FLN as admitted by its former spokesperson Nsabimana “Sankara” when he appeared in court, and not by RDF as he is lying.” But it is a favourite method of Kambanda in his constant effort to smear Rwanda, to distort matters because it is his job; he is part of the terrorist structure,” our source said. Kambanda claims that Rwandans have the “right to take up arms to overthrow the Kagame leadership.” But with such terrorist talk, Kambanda is warned, at the end of the day he too will surely find himself in Rwanda, facing justice for his crimes, remarked a social media account.
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NEWS
Issue no 013 October 2020
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Families of two Rwandan victims of Uganda’s CMI demand to see them, dead or alive By Patience Kirabo The lawyers of two Rwandan nationals that fell victim to the harassment,illegal imprisonment, and torture at the hands of Ugandan Military Intelligence (CMI) who then disappeared in 2019 are demanding that the Ugandan state produce them. The two, Theogene Sendegeya and Rwembo Mucyo, went missing following their reported transfer to Butabika Hospital from CMI’s torture dungeons. Up to date they still nowhere to be seen. Sendegeya was arbitrarily arrested early in 2019, following abduction by CMI in conjunction with operatives of UPDF Second Division, headed by Maj. Fred Mushambo the head of counterintelligence based in Mbarara. He was dragged to Makenke Military Barracks in Mbarara, but was later transferred to CMI headquarters Mbuya Barracks
where torture is rampant, reported to be a favorite method of Maj. Gen. Abel Kandiho head of CMI. While at Mbuya, Sendegeya suffered torture alongside several other Rwandans, two of them Rwembo Mucyo and Emmanuel Mageza. Mageza suffered mental breakdown as a result of the torture at the hands of Kandiho’s men, and subsequently died at Butabika hospital where he had been transferred along with Mucyo and Sendegeya.They, like every Rwandan national arbitrarily arrested in Uganda, were held incommunicado for months without family, or the Rwanda High Commission in Kampala’s knowledge. They were denied access to lawyers and a chance for a trial in court to defend themselves. The victims suffered extreme inhumane torture and abuse,
CMI head Abel Kandiho
including waterboarding, electrocution, severe beating, hanging, drowning, and pressure points for months to no end. As a result, the physical and psychological trauma of the ongoing pain drove them to the edge, hence losing their mind. The lawyers, Kiiza and Associates of Kampala that have been representing hundreds of innocent Rwandans illegally detained in Uganda filed a complaint in court inquiring about the illegal detention of their clients. However, it was only during a court appearance that Brian Musota, the state attorney indicated that Sendegeya was no longer in CMI’s custody but rather in Butabika Hospital. On further probing, the Joint Chief of Staff of the UPDF Lt. General Joseph Musanyufu said“Sendegeya was forwarded to Butabika Hospital on August 23rd, 2019 for treatment.” Musanyufu then claimed that “Sendegeya escaped from Butabika and his whereabouts are unknown.”
The anti-Rwanda hostility of the regime of President Museveni has led to Ugandan security forces, mainly CMI led by Abel Kandiho, harassing countless Rwandan nationals, many with torture, some who have died.
It is known that among CMI’s ways of doing things, when a Rwandan succumbs to their torture they just dump the body
somewhere and should there happen to be an inquiry they deny knowledge of that deceased. For Mageza, his story only became known after some Ugandan media reported on it. His life ended on January 21, 2020, in Butabika hospital, and his family and the government of Rwanda learned it from an article in The Daily Monitor. Now the families of Sendegeya and Mucyo fear the worst. Despite the government of Rwanda’s request to Uganda to clarify the circumstances of the mysterious disappearance of its two citizens as part of seven demands for the restoration of the two countries’ relations, Uganda has not said a word despite its obligations to fulfill the terms of the agreement of the Luanda MoU, one of them being the immediate release of Rwandans languishing in illegal custody. “In this case Uganda would also be obliged to produce, and repatriate any bodies of Rwandans that their security operatives killed, for decent burial,” said a Kigali official that requested anonymity. In fact, Mucyo and Sendegeya’s family now demand to see them, dead or alive.
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OP-ED
Issue no 013 October 2020
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Kampala propaganda media claims Mugambage “wants to retire in Uganda” fail the laugh test with physical and mental trauma. Another thing that Mugambage did which has earned him the enmity of Kampala is that he was unrelenting in reporting, and protesting with diplomatic notes verbale Uganda’s acts of anti-Rwanda hostility. When Uganda began aiding and facilitating the activities of Kayumba Nyamwasa’s RNC in many different ways in Uganda: recruiting, mobilizing for funds, even helping RNC’s chief financiers open big businesses in Uganda, Mugambage communicated Rwanda’s awareness of these activities. He pointed out how contrary to good relations activities to destabilize a neighbor was.
Amb Frank Mugambage, Rwanda’s outgoing High Commissioner to Uganda would never have any reason to retire in Uganda, contrary to Kampala misinformation
By Alex Muhumuza In their tireless work concocting fictions about Rwanda and its officials, Commandonepost, one of the several Ugandan Military Intelligence (CMI) controlled outlets of misinformation has come up with misinformation that outgoing Rwandan High Commissioner to Uganda Amb Frank Mugambage wants “to retire in Uganda, in Jinja”. In an article published earlier this week the website, whose chief editor Bob Atwine gets his marching orders from the CMI leadership, throws around claims that “the reasons why Mugambage wants to retire in Uganda” is because he allegedly is in trouble with his bosses in Kigali. The fictitious picture they paint is that the ambassador is “in trouble” for the reason that “Kigali is angry because he “failed to kidnap Ugandans, and Rwandans living in Uganda.” Looked at another way, this is the usual Ugandan regime’s games of projection: to smear Rwanda with crimes which they actually have been the ones committing. The number of
Rwandan nationals, or Ugandans of Rwandan origin that Ugandan security agencies have since 2017 harassed with arbitrary arrests, illegal imprisonment and torture would fill a ten-carriage train. They number in the hundreds upon hundreds. Those that have been following media reports have seen stories whereby Rwandans just in Uganda for social functions, or merely to visit relatives; or others going to school; even grandfathers going to visit children have been abducted from buses in Uganda, or from houses, or from shops, banks and everywhere else. Each time the Ugandan security operatives, most notoriously CMI claim they are arresting them for “espionage”, or “illegal possession of weapons,” and other concocted charges. Media reports have detailed how none of these people are ever afforded the chance to defend themselves in court. The lucky ones have gotten out alive. A number have died of torture; some like the unfortunate late Mageza – whose case even Ugandan media reported upon for how inhuman the torture was – lost his mind and they took him to
Butabika mental health hospital where he died. “CMI is just a criminal enterprise in the guise of an ‘intelligence organ,’” many have observed. One of CMI’s briefs is to run an anti-Rwanda propaganda campaign, which is how they are smearing Rwanda, that its ambassador was supposed to engage in crimes, though there isn’t a single Ugandan that ever reported problems with Mugambage, or with the Government of Rwanda. In fact for the past three years Mugambage has been at the forefront in the fight to liberate Rwandans that were kidnapped and tortured by the Ugandan intelligence. His office received hundreds of innocents Rwandans’ families desperately searching for their loved ones. The ambassador wrote countless diplomatic notes in an attempt to secure visits for arbitrarily arrested Rwandan nationals held incommunicado in the Ugandan regime’s torture dungeons. The Rwandan embassy fought hard for the release of its innocent citizens, and Mugambage witnessed firsthand the sorry state of those lucky enough to be released. Some were released
When a bunch of RNC recruits was intercepted at Kikagati on the border with Tanzania, enroute to terrorist training camps in eastern DRC, the High Commissioner, Mugambage, communicated Rwanda’s displeasure with this. When CMI tortured Rwandans as part of a recruitment drive, it was Mugambage’s work as high commissioner to protest this. As a result of all the acts of bad-neighborliness by Kampala, Rwanda made the decision to advise her nationals against travel to Uganda. The reason was that with Uganda so openly hostile to her nationals, their safety and security could no longer be guaranteed once in Uganda. Kampala then began claiming “Rwanda had closed the border”, giving birth to a false narrative that accused Rwanda, yet the causes were directly the doing of the Ugandan regime. Now, in their transparent ways, Ugandan propagandists are attacking Mugambage with fake news, obviously just because he did his job. But, as a reader pointed out: Mugambage is a patriot that’s served his country a long time in different capacities. He has everything in his own country. Why would he choose to retire in a country like Uganda, with all the anti-Rwanda enmity of the regime there?
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OP-ED
Issue no 013 October 2020
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Prosecution to streamline Rusesabagina case, seeks to merge his case with 16 other terror suspects of his group By Jean Gatera The Prosecutor General of Rwanda Aimable Havugiyaremye in a press briefing has announced that Prosecution will formally seek to merge the case of Paul Rusesabagina, leader of the MRCD-FLN, and 16 others of his subordinates in the FLN. This group is the armed wing of MRCD, the group founded by Rusesabagina with the express purpose to wage violent conflict against the democratically elected government of Rwanda. The cases to be merged include those of Félicien Nsanzubukire (also known as Fred Irakiza), Anastase Munyaneza, and two former FLN spokespersons: Callixte Nsabimana and Herman Nsengimana, all already in custody. Four days ago the High Court Chamber for International and Cross-border Crimes based in Nyanza had merged the Nsabimana and Nsengimana cases as both presented similarities. The Prosecutor General explained that there are 19 individuals in the 16 cases to be merged with Rusesabagina’s. “This is a common practice, known as the principle of connectivity of offenses, which is provided for in our laws,” said Havugiyaremye. In his pre-trial hearing, Rusesabagina acknowledged his role in creating the FLN as a military wing of the MRCD platform. He expressed remorse for the crimes committed by the militia but opted to not enter a plea. In rejecting his appeal to an earlier ruling that remanded him for 30 days as he waits for his sustentative trial, the Nyarugenge Intermediate Court Judge said: “Both parties agree on the fact that FLN killed people and that is not for debate. What is left is determining the extent of Rusesabagina’s complicity or lack thereof or any other parties involved and that is for the substantive phase of the trial.” The MRCD-FLN carried out attacks on civilians in southern Rwanda twice June 2018. In both instances, they injured, abducted and killed innocent civilians and
The Rwandan prosecution announced its decision to merge terror suspect Rusesabagina’s case with his 16 accomplices.
destroyed property. Top FLN officials (Rusesabagina, Nsabimana and others) repeatedly claimed responsibility for the attacks in southwestern Rwanda on the MRCD-FLN YouTube channel, UBUMWE. It was only after his arrest in court that Rusesabagina claimed his role was only “diplomatic” and that he “condemned the attacks.” But widely shared videos have him calling for support for FLN. Callixte Nsabimana, former FLN spokesperson and MRCD second vice President, already entered a guilty plea and is already on record implicating Rusesabagina
as his superior in the Terrorist group. The other FLN spokesperson, Herman Nsengimana, used to circulate videos while clad in military fatigue armed with a machine gun in his call for terrorist attacks. “When a group of defendants is charged with the same crimes in the same place at the same time, it is in the interest of justice for court to consider the cases together,” the Prosecutor General said. The submission to have all 19
cases of suspected FLN terrorists will be subject to approval by the High Court Chamber for International and Cross-border Crimes. If approved, experts expect the merged case to yield details on the inner workings and command structure of FLN. Jean-Chrétien Ndagijimana, the son of the late FLN commander Laurent Ndagijimana, also known as Wilson Irategeka, is amongst those who would have a joint trial. Prosecution said that a full list of FLN fighters that will see their cases merged would be made available to the press.
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OP-ED
Issue no 013 October 2020
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Uganda fuelling violence in Ituri; pits Hema against Lendu communities By Alex Muhumuza On October 4, Commandonepost, a tool of misinformation run by Uganda’s Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence, published an article claiming “Kigali-backed militia are wreaking havoc near the Uganda border.” Citing unnamed “security sources” the website claims “the deployment is aimed at averting similar attacks on Ugandan positions in Zombo by Lendu militias of Cooperative for the Development of Congo (CODECO) which happened in March 2020.” Moreover, the website claims that there is “definite collusion between DRC government forces and the rebels” in a local conflict pitting the Lendu against the Hema ethnic group. “CODECO is drawn from the Lendu ethnic group, a predominantly farming community who has historically clashed with the Hema, a group of traders and herders,” writes Commandonepost as if to suggest that the conflict is inevitable when in fact Uganda’s hand has
been visible in all conflicts in the Ituri region for the past twenty years. What the propaganda website does not say is that the fighting between the Lendu and the Hema is fanned by Uganda’s authorities who, time and again, have pitted the Congolese against each other in order to keep looting their resources, mainly Timber and Gold in the Ituri Province. The real story is the cover-up that Commandonepost was attempting through its story. What the propaganda website washiding from the public eye is that on 21 August 2020, a close confidant acting on Maj. Gen Abel Kandiho’s behalf (Kandiho is the head of Uganda’s Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence) lured leaders of the Hema community to Uganda ostensibly to help them mobilize support from the Ugandan leadership to form a militia in Ituri region for the protection of the Hema people from the Lendu. They didn’t doubt the source because it was not the first time that Kandi-
ho had relayed a message to them through a trusted confidant. Led by Ibrahim Bamaraki, Kisembo Bitamara, and Kiswala Pele, the Hema community leaders, together with their driver, started to plan their trip to Kampala. Kandiho’s man had told them that his boss asked that they bring with them $17,000 that would be used to organize meetings with officials in Uganda. Bamariki obliged. They quickly mobilized the money and set off for Uganda. However, little did they know that Kandiho had set his boys to intercept them. Shortly after the delegation crossed the DRC border onto Ugandan soil, CMI operatives – who clearly were informed that the delegation had cash on hand – nabbed them in Fort Portal. They arrested the members of the delegation and took their money from them. The Hema leaders pleaded with the operatives, but in vain. They even ringed Gen Kandiho and his confidant. Neither was picking their calls. They called another official that the General had used on another occasion to relay a
Ugandan president Museveni and his military intelligence (CMI) head, Abel Kandiho fuelling violence in DRC.
message. He picked up and informed them that the General was unaware of their invitation to Uganda and, as a result, there is not much help he could afford them. Proving that the Hema leaders had been duped for their money, they were only kept in CMI cells for a short while before getting released, but without being given back their money and were told to get back to the DRC. This is the story that Commandonepost tried to conceal by peppering in the usual bogeyman of Rwanda’s ambition to “balkanize” the DRC. However, if anyone is interested in balkanizing the DRC it is the Ugandan authorities who, like they have done in countries like the South Sudan, are set on arming both sides of the conflict between the Lendu and the Hema as those close to the first family continue to enrich themselves by looting the Ituri region. Independent observers agree. On July 15, 2020, The International Crisis Group released as 37-page report“DR Congo, ending the cycle of violence in Ituri” that is a chronology of events that led to the intensification of conflict in the region. It states that “Uganda has played a bigger role in fuelling the Ituri Region violence through different means. “These include hosting actors that are commanding the conflict in the province.” Of these Uganda-backed groups, former members of the Congolese Rally for Democracy, the Kisangani Liberation Movement, and others are named. In the same month as the International Crisis Group report, the UN also published one on conflict minerals in DRC, again implicating Uganda. The UN said an estimated 1.1 tonnes of Gold were smuggled out of Ituri Province alone in 2019. “More than 95 percent of gold exports from Uganda was not of Ugandan origin,” it said. It added that “about US$ 100 million worth of conflict minerals were trafficked through Uganda.”
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PROFILE
Issue no 013 October 2020
9
Profile: Chaste Gahunde, man who sings the ideology of ethnic hate in France By Mary Cyusa Chaste Gahunde, an apprentice of the excommunicated priest Thomas Nahimana, is trying to make himself a name amongst self-described enemies of Rwanda – a country he left with Gacaca Courts on his heels. Gahunde has turned himself into a dependable interviewee on genocide negationist or revisionist platforms, where he narrates stories about how he supposedly “skipped death” many times while in Rwanda. But little does his audience know that he had the best of everything in Rwanda, education, a job, and so on, and then threw it all away because of the guilt that was eating at him. Gahunde has been on the run since 2005 after he was summoned by a Gacaca Court to answer to crimes of genocide that he is suspected of. Those that know this man say his background is full of hate. He was taught to hate Tutsis since he was born, a former neighbor said.
Gahunde did come back to Rwanda after three years, and resumed his studies at Nkumba Seminary, completing in the option of Latin Sciences. Yet his background was never far behind. Gahunde went to university on a government scholarship. He got a bachelor’s degree in education, majoring in geography and economics from the former Kigali Institute of Education (KIE). In 2005, however, news from his hometown that Gahunde was that he was being sought for participating in the Genocide. After being summoned by Mushubati Gacaca Court, the man opted to flee to France where he rebranded himself a “Hutu Genocide survivor”. “Why did he have to run away? I believe that if he was really innocent, he would have faced the allegations and been cleared,” our source in Nyamasheke said. While in France Gahunde started
to engage with the likes of Nahimana Thomas,who appointed him to all kinds of positions: secretary and PR of the “Ishema” (run by Nahimana and one of the many Europe-based anti-Rwanda groups). Then Nahimana appointed Gahunde “minister of information”. He has a blog where whoever wants to say negative things about Rwanda, about any Rwanda national program, or about the Genocide, they are received with open arms. Hearing Gahunde speak with so much hate and anger in negationist interviews would make one feel pity for him. But only until they learn that he chose to backstab Rwanda, even when he received education on government expense, got a job, but chose to run away because of his own crimes. Several youths, especially sons and daughters of major genocide perpetrators: major fugitives including former officers of the ex-FAR, are the main contribu-
tors to Gahunde’s blog. Among the top stories on his blog one will find opinions on how “the Covid-19 preventive measures in Rwanda are failing, including the lockdown”, or that “Rwanda could see more than 3 million people killed by the end of May,” (They were talking of May this year, which ended before Rwanda had lost even one person to the novel Coronavirus). Gahunde’s blog referred to the lockdown as a “genocide plan”. Those that know him say Gahunde’s mind is filled with a Hutu-Power ideology which he shares with his boss Nahimana in the wider scheme of all others like them“to remove” what they call “the Tutsi regime”. His affinity to terrorism, however, may cost him dearly as he too likely will find himself, like many others, being escorted from Europe to face justice back home in Rwanda.
Now living in France, Gahunde was born in 1980, at a place called Mabanza in Rubengera Sector, in Karongi District. He attended Mushubati Primary School, and later joined Petit Seminaire de Nyundo where he was until the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi. “Although he was young, he participated in genocide,” a former neighbor in Karongi told this website. Many people that knew him still talk about that part of his background. However, years after the Genocide, every time someone asked Gahunde about what was being said that he had killed people he denied it, saying he had an alibi. He likes to claim he “only concentrated on his studies.” After genocide, he fled to Zaire with many members of the Interahamwe militias and other genocide perpetrators after the RPF liberated the country.
Chaste Gahunde a fugitive from Gacaca courts works with notorious, excommunicated priest Thomas Nahimana to disseminate genocide ideology.
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REGIONAL
Issue no 013 October 2020
3 10
Ugandan Military Intelligence and Police in a clash of confusion following police arrest of RNC cadres in Mubende Since then, the RNC cadres have been released on the orders of CMI. Analysts are bound to see this turn of events as evident of confusion and misunderstanding between Ugandan security forces regarding the operations of RNC in Uganda. On the one hand it appears that CMI is supposed to work with, and facilitate all the activities of the anti-Rwanda RNC on a hush hush basis. No one except the military intelligence and the regime boss are supposed to know of RNC existence in Uganda. On the other hand police, as part of its duty, is mandated to arrest members of suspicious groups. Yet when they do exactly that, as they did after catching the eight RNC individuals red-handed while planning acts hostile to a neighboring country, CMI steps in to have them released. Police in Uganda recently arrested cadres of Kayumba Nyamwasa’s RNC. Police seemed to have no idea that the Ugandan regime is the one giving RNC the backing, facilitation, and permission to operate in Uganda.
By Alex Muhumuza This website has learnt that police in Uganda’s Mubende District arrested eight cadres of Kayumba Nyamwasa’s RNC while they were holding a meeting on the premises of a primary school, Kalungi, situated in a place called Lubali. This occurred last month on 28. Reliable information we have is that the Ugandan Military Intelligence, CMI, on the guidance of President Museveni, has stepped up efforts “to strengthen RNC” in their long-term plot to violently overthrow the Kigali Administration. It has been reported that following the routing of the RNC’s fighters from the jungles of eastern DRC, prompting a crisis in the terror organization, the Ugandan regime hit upon the plan, together with Nyamwasa, to set up a cadreship training program. According to our reliable sources, the arrested RNC cadres are Nzayisenga Athanase, Bakunzi Bernard, Kasimu, Mugema Fred, Ngendahimana James, Nzeyimana Eric, Byaruhanga Robert and Gahungahirwe Vianney.
Information we have is that, based on their confessions and evidence found on their telephones and laptop, Lubali Police immediately initiated a file and the eight individuals were detained at the local police station. Our sources disclose that the group was mobilized by Kasimu and Nzeyimana Eric – two of the arrested men. The two RNC agents were sent from Nakivale by Frank Ntwari.
“It is quite obvious the police has not been apprized of RNC operations in Uganda,” a commentator said on the condition of anonymity. This act by CMI among other things violates the letter and spirit of the Memorandum of Understanding signed in August last year in Luanda, Angola, between presidents Kagame and Museveni, and witnessed by the heads of state of Angola and the two
Congos. The MoU, part of an initiative by President Laurenco of Angola and Tshisekedi of DRC to normalize relations between Uganda and Rwanda, commits the parties among other things to: refrain from actions conducive to destabilization or subversion in the territory of the other party and neighboring countries, thereby eliminating all factors that may create such perception, as well as that of acts such as the financing, training, and infiltration of destabilizing forces. Uganda has done the opposite of these commitments, as reports of the regime’s support for RNC continue to come out. According to information obtained by this website earlier on, the first phase of a two-step plan by Kampala meant to violently overthrow the Rwandan Government is to build a movement of cadres “with the right ideology.” The phase began with the creation of the RNC cadreship training center which is located in Bugolobi, Mpanga Close, Street 21, Kampala. Everything is conducted by CMI. The eight that were arrested in Mubende must have been products of its program.
Ntwari is the RNC “Commissioner of Youth” but seems to have stepped into the duties of Ben Rutabana who was the commissioner for capacity building (also in charge of recruitment). Rutabana has since September last year gone missing in Uganda, after he fell out with Nyamwasa and his brother in law Ntwari. When the two agents deployed by Ntwari and their six recruits were arrested and detained, they confessed to police that indeed they were with RNC. However, when CMI got information it directed police to hand over the case file to itself (CMI). This was following confirmation by RNC that “our cadres have been apprehended in Mubende.”
CMI head Abel Kandiho intervened to have the RNC cadres released
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