For Amnesty International there’s nothing good in Rwanda

Author: Samson Kasujja

• 2024-07-12 05:30:00

Amnesty International, a UK based so-called human rights watchdog, has never been at peace without releasing a purported report alleging Rwanda is violating human rights.

All it does when it comes to Rwanda, is an international defamation campaign. Its agenda is not human rights advocacy, but political advocacy meant to push a hidden agenda against the Rwandan government.

It was not surprising that on July 8, the organization made another attack on Kigali, claiming to be reporting “Rwanda’s repression in the context of elections”.

The group alleged that the political opposition in the country continues to face severe restrictions to their right to freedom of association, as well as threats, arbitrary detention, prosecution on trumped-up charges, killings and enforced disappearances. It added that independent civil society and the media face many attacks, intimidation, harassment and reprisals for their work; having a chilling effect and limiting the space for debate for people in Rwanda.

However, the “report” is made up of the same old baseless allegations, which Rwandan authorities proved wrong many years ago.

The Rwandan government has been clear on every single allegation, and there is no confusion about it. But the fact that the organization keeps on re-reporting them highlights its corruptness.

While Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, Amnesty International’s “heroine” portrayed as “opposition leader”, is not eligible to run for president in accordance to ongoing judicial proceedings, the organization reported that she was barred from running.

The 2024 report by World Justice Project (WJP), an organization that evaluates the adherence to rule of law principles in countries around the world, ranks Rwanda first in Africa, and 41st out of 142 countries evaluated globally.

Amnesty International must know that Ingabire is no body to be above the law, and having her DALFA-Umurinzi “party” unregistered is because it does not meet requirements to be a political organization in Rwanda.

Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda, and Philippe Mpayimana who meet the requirements, in 2017 and 2024, are contesting against the flagbearer of RPF, incumbent President Paul Kagame.

Amnesty has to understand that Rwandan politicians are those who meet requirements in the country’s context, not the ones fitting in the organization’s evil agenda. 

Again, Rwanda has never forced disappearance or arbitrary arrest of journalists. Those who were arrested have violated laws and guidelines of journalism, and they have to be brought to book. 

The July “report” came after Amnesty International failed to influence the upcoming elections in Rwanda through its hand in a series of articles that allegedly investigated Rwanda’s pattern of repression, in what was referred to as “the Rwanda Classified project,” released in May by Forbidden Stories, a so-called “consortium” of dozens of media houses.

Historically, attacks from Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch among many so-called NGOs used to bully Rwanda have influenced nothing, and it will be the case forever with their recycled allegations.