Rwanda, Another Political Opponent Assassinated While Forced Disappearances Continue

Syldio Dusabumuremyi, national coordinator of the FDU- Inkingi (United Democratic Forces), the unregistered political opposition party, was stabbed to death on the night of 23 September in the Muhanga district.

Early investigations led to two arrests. This is good news given that the same diligence of investigation has not been shown in previous situations where FDU-Inkingi members were targeted.

Eugène Ndereyimana disappeared on 15 July and has not been seen or heard from since. There has been no word on the killers of Anselme Mutuyimana, assistant to the leader of the FDU-Inkingi, Victorie Ingabire, found dead on 9 March in the Gishwati Forest.

As is the case, going backwards, for the deputy leader, Boniface Twagirimana, who “escaped” (the quotation marks say it all) from prison in Mpanga on 7 October and has since been classified as disappeared.

Jean Damascene Habarugira, a local party representative of the FDU-Inkingi in the Ngoma district was found dead in May 2017.

In March 2016, Illuminée Iragena, a high ranking FDU-Inkingi member, disappeared while the President of FDU-Inkingi, Victoire Ingabire, was in prison. It is feared she was arrested, tortured and killed but there has been no news of her fate.

In many respects Rwanda –  resurrected from the 1994 genocide – is an African “success story”. But the way in which it deals with opposition and investigates human rights violations, it is decidedly not.