OPJDR is non-profit and apolitical. Its mission is to promote the respect of human rights and cultural, educational, and economic development in the Great Lakes Region of Africa.
The Rwandan Patriotic Front led government organized elections on March
6, 2001.
With these elections, citizens of Rwanda were supposed to elected
leaders at the
village (or Cellules) level. The elections follow those at the lower
level organized on
March 31, 1999. They will be followed by other elections at the sector,
Commune,
Prefecture, and National levels.
The Organization for Peace, Justice, and Development in Rwanda (OPJDR) rejects these elections, both in principle and in procedure and condemns the process of holding such elections in Rwanda.
Political parties are excluded from the electoral process. Only candidates screened by the ruling party, RPF, are allowed to run for any seat. Most candidates are believed to have joined RPF in secret ceremonies. In most instances some cellules where no RPF candidates could not be found, seats remained vacant for fear of persecution or even assassination.
More than 200,000 social leaders, teachers, religious people, business people have been held in prison without any legal justification for more than 7 years and cannot participate in the process.
Millions of Rwandan refugees, including armed opposition and new exiles from RPF system itself, are excluded from the process.
Peace and justice should precede any meaningful elections. People cannot elect leaders under pressure from the government, the army or armed bands, such as RPF cadres and Local Defense Units militia.
More that 600,000 people in Northern Rwanda, and many more across the country leave in concentration camps and are under strict military control. They cannot freely exercise their civil rights.
These elections are a second step of the flawed elections of March 31, 1999. The elections of March 31, 1999, organized by the Rwandan Patriotic Front security forces (cadres or abakada) required citizens to line up behind RPF candidates. Current elections are prepared, executed, and decided by Rwandan Patriotic Front, the ruling party. No one is allowed to question election process or results. Questioning election is considered a crime punishable by a prison term of 5 years and/or $2,000 of penalty fees. People are forced to vote, regardless of the conditions, be it health or other circumstances related. Current elections are only intended to clear away a path for General Kagame's own election. In several required meetings, voters were instructed to vote for designated candidates. RPF executives, policemen, military officers and especially the ruthless government organized militia, known as Local Defense Units (LDU) were assigned to supervise elections and to "help" people make the so-called "right choice". There was no privacy, as everyone had to cast his vote, in the presence of a "helper", right inside each polling boot.
The Organization for Peace, Justice, and Development (OPJDR) categorically rejects these unfair, undemocratic, and coercive elections. These elections are against basic civil and human rights of citizens of Rwanda. These elections instead of serving the reconciliation among Rwandans, bringing peace in Rwanda and the Region and creating avenues for Justice and Development, will push the country into further chaos, insecurity, and mistrust among components of the Rwandan society.
The OPJDR applauds those international organizations that already condemned and think about condemning these elections. These elections are a publicity stunt, and a public relations exercise intended to seduce the international community and foreign donors. The OPJDR calls on the international community and donors to be vigilant and to require the RPF-led government to follow the rules of democratic process. Before organizing any election in Rwanda, the Rwandan Patriotic Front must do the the following:
* dismantle concentrations camps inside Rwanda;
* dismantle the militia, known as Local Defense Units, that
terrorize the people;
* release prisoners held without any trial;
* disengage from the invasion of the Democratic Republic of the
Congo and the
conflict in Burundi;
* repatriate, through dialogue and negotiation, Rwandan refugees
and armed and
unarmed opposition;
* form an army accepted by all parties;
* create a government accepted by all parties.
Only this government would find ways and means to organize elections.
For the Organization for Peace, Justice, and Development in Rwanda
Felicien Kanyamibwa, Ph.D.
Coordinator General.