Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KIGALI517
2006-05-31 15:59:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Kigali
Cable title:  

U.S. TRIPARTITE DELEGATION MEMBERS DISCUSS HUMAN

Tags:  PGOV PREL KDEM PHUM KMCA RW 
pdf how-to read a cable
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RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLGB #0517/01 1511559
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 311559Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2825
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
UNCLAS KIGALI 000517 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/FO, AF/C, AND DRL
EUCOM FOR POLAD

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PHUM KMCA RW
SUBJECT: U.S. TRIPARTITE DELEGATION MEMBERS DISCUSS HUMAN
RIGHTS WITH RWANDAN PARLIAMENTARIANS


UNCLAS KIGALI 000517

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/FO, AF/C, AND DRL
EUCOM FOR POLAD

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PHUM KMCA RW
SUBJECT: U.S. TRIPARTITE DELEGATION MEMBERS DISCUSS HUMAN
RIGHTS WITH RWANDAN PARLIAMENTARIANS



1. Summary: During a May 24 meeting with Ambassador
Arietti and visiting U.S. Tripartite Plus delegation
members, Rwandan parliamentarians discussed the gap between
perception and reality on Rwanda's performance on human
rights. They asserted that outsiders criticize Rwanda
without fully understanding Rwanda's unique culture and
history, but acknowledged that Rwanda needs to do better
through public diplomacy to correct any negative, inaccurate
perception. They also acknowledged that "divisionism" and
"genocide ideology" are vaguely defined terms which should
be defined according to international norms. They
considered criticisms regarding press freedom as "unfair"
and characterized the political forum as a useful innovation
for political debate and dissent. End summary.


2. Five members of Parliament, representing a cross-section
of political parties, participated: Muslim leader Sheik
Abdul Karim Harelimana (Rwandan Patriotic Front),Chamber of
Deputies; Jacqueline Muhongayire (Social Democratic Party),
Chamber of Deputies; Senator Joseph Karemera (Rwandan
Patriotic Front); Senator Odette Nyiramilimo (Liberal
Party); and Senator Alvera Mukabaramba (Progress and Concord
Party, former member of MDR - Republican Democratic
Movement). Also in attendance was Ed Barber, Senior Adviser
on African Development, Good Works International,
Washington, D.C.

Regional Conflict Resolution
--------------

3. The parliamentarians stressed the importance of regional
security and the role of Amani ("peace" in Swahili) Forum, a
network of parliamentarians in the Great Lakes region who
are committed to conflict prevention and resolution within
their own countries and in the region. Amani was created in
1998 to provide a regional forum to enable parliamentarians
to work together to eliminate armed conflict and to promote
peace and democratic governance. Currently, it has a
membership of over 650 parliamentarians, with national
chapters in seven countries (Burundi, DRC, Kenya, Rwanda,
Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia). Parliamentarians in the

region meet regularly through this forum to discuss peaceful
conflict resolution.

Perception-Reality Gap
--------------

4. Ed Barber, Senior Adviser on African Development at Good
Works International, a D.C.-based consulting firm, noted
that while Rwanda has not been criticized for its economic
policies and development, it has been criticized on
democracy and human rights despite its "remarkably
consistent" progress over the past 12 years, which Good
Works chairman Andrew Young described as a "miracle."
Barber described a gap between reality and perception;
outsiders perceive Rwanda in a more negative light than
reflected by the reality on the ground.


5. Sen. Karemera acknowledged that Rwanda has been "very
bad" about publicizing the country's positive aspects and
progress. As a result, he said, Rwanda has become known for
the worst (the genocide) and not for the good.

Human Rights
--------------

6. Sen. Nyiramilimo commented that outsiders' perceptions
of human rights in Rwanda differ from Rwandan
parliamentarians' views because outsiders fail to understand
and to take into account the context of Rwanda's unique
culture, turbulent history, and widespread poverty.


7. Sen. Karemera agreed that "divisionism" and "genocide
ideology" are vaguely defined terms, and acknowledged that
it is Rwanda's "homework" to characterize them according to
international norms. He objected, however, to criticisms
regarding press freedom, noting that Americans find it
difficult to understand the state of the press because of
Rwanda's unique culture.


8. He observed that there have been no problems with VOA or
BBC, and that Rwanda has 13 independent newspapers and 8
private radio stations, but that "if you have opponents of
the government you must mobilize against your enemy." He
estimated that currently, after decentralization of the
government, 45-60 percent of local government officials are
women. He also noted that the Rwandan government was the
first to prosecute and imprison members of its own army to
the extent that it has.

Political Space
--------------



9. According to Sen. Karemera, the government has shared as
much power as possible, and the Constitution was the product
of a consultative process among all the parties. He
expressed his view that the political forum is an important
and useful innovation as it provides an arena for political
parties to criticize each other and to discuss strategy,
leadership, and socio-economic development.


10. Sen. Nyiramilimo explained that each party has four
representatives (two men, two women) who participate in the
forum, which meets every two months. She noted that the
current spokesperson, elected to a three-year term, is a
member of the Rwandan Patriotic Front while the vice
spokesperson is a member of the Social Democratic Party, but
that other parties can hold those elected positions. She
affirmed that participants have openly disagreed on various
occasions and on various issues and that the RPF will amend
a law if others object to it. The forum prepares
communiques which are available to the press.


11. Karemera commented that as "students of democracy"
Rwandan parliamentarians advocate wide exposure to other
parliaments and best practices. They have studied the
parliamentary systems of the U.K., Sweden, and the
Netherlands. Ambassador Arietti agreed that communication
with and visits to other parliaments are critical and that
having the opportunity to ask questions and to share
information broadens understanding on both sides.

THURSTON