Rwandan government suppresses Greens

News coming in says that the Green Democratic Party of Rwanda is facing problems from the government who are refusing to officially register the party (thereby barring it from standing in elections) and closing down its conferences.

The Rwandan News Agency has now removed all reference to the party on their website despite having previously reported on the closure of their national conference, apparently for the fourth time in a row leaving 900 delegates stranded, some having trekked large distances.

The website Save Rwanda has re-posted the report that the RNA has now removed. In it one delegate is quoted as saying “From what I have witnessed today, I do not think there is there democracy in Rwanda,” retorts Munyankumburwa Innocent. “To me, this means that the government is not yet ready for multiparty democracy. If they say parties do exist, then what is this?”

An unnamed party official also states “We are tired of this kind of way of doing things in this country,” she dismissively says. “No one seems to be able to tell you the truth. This one says the other is responsible, the other says the next one is responsible.”

The GDP has put out a call for democrats across the world to assist them in launching a genuine opposition party in Rwanda. I think the idea is to put out statements and contact embassies and such like to demonstrate that the world is watching as the government refuses to allow this opposition party to be legally constituted.