The "Center of the Fight against Impunity and Injustice in Rwanda" (*) is deeply concerned about the resignation, followed by the exile of Béatrice Sebatware-Panda, Secretary of State of internal affairs, communal development and social reinsertion. This new defectionof a high ranking personality of the Rwandan government gives evidence of the political impasse in Rwanda and of the seriousness of the human rights situation in this country.
Before resigning and exiling, Béatrice Sebatware-Panda, conducted seversal missions in the districts of Gisenyi and Ruhengeri (northwest) to reassure the civilian population, victims of the blind repression by the Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA). It is the reports from these Hutu survivors of deliberate massacres which persuaded her to stop supporting a government that is incapable of guaranteeing the security of people and goods. In fact, under the pretext of fighting against Hutu rebels, the governement military massacred hundreds of thousands of Hutu peasants and intellectuals in the north of the country.
According to the informations communicated to western diplomats posted in Kigali, the Rwandan Patriotic Army deliberately massacred in 1997 between 100.000 and 250.000 usnarmed civilians in Gisenyi and Ruhengeri. Since the begining of 1998 the victims are still being counted by the tens of thousands. These large scale massacres aimed at the Hutu population are perpertrated cold-blooded, systematic and methodical. Crasing every trace of the bodies (in particular cremation has been in operation since 1994.
According to the report of the American organisation HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH, the population of Gisenyi and Ruhengeri counts 1,500,000 (Human Rights Watch/World Report 1999). Various recent sources report that the number of civilians fron Gisenyi and Ruhengeri now being held in regrouping camps -which are in fact concentration camps, as favoured by the Nazis- amounts to 630,000 - 700,000 (AFP from the 7th and 13th of November 1998, La Libre Belgique from the 16th of December 1998, etc). The "Center" urges all observers to stay vigilant, since this dissimilarity reveals the amplitude of the tragedy which is taking place in Rwanda.
The Center reminds that the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) have massacred several hundreds of thousands of people during the course of their progression and after their coup in July 1994. The estimation of the newspaper Libération indicates on the 27th of February 1996, a toll of 150,000 victims, whereas a former chief of general in Kigali counted more than 300,000. The number of victims killed in Ex-Zaire is still to be determined and amounts to a preliminary figure of 200,000. The Center states simply that the camps held aproximately 1,200,000 people, and that according to the figures of the Rwandan government 700,000 people returned from the refugee camps. A thorough investigation will disclose the exact amplitude of the tragedy.
A lucid examination of the situation clearly shows that these incessant massacres constitute a deliberate policy, orchestrated at the highest level of the State by a hard nucleus of Tutsi extremists, constituted around General Kagame. This policy aims at eliminating in a massive way the Hutu population in order to reach a demographic parity between Hutus and Tutsis before the elections. (V. James Gasana and Nkiko, "Letter to Secretary General of the United Nations" July 26th, 1997). General Kagame has assigned the present chief of State General Kayumba Nyamwasa, Major of the Rwandan army, to supervise the extermination of the civilian population of Gisenyi and Ruhengeri.
Accusing Mrs Sebatware of trying to make the Minister of the Home Affairs sign a cheque of 170,000 million Rwandan francs, is a big lie, fabricated in order to soil the reputation of a personality who refuses to serve a bloodthirsty and criminal regime, an attempt to slander her, Béatrice Sebatware is known for her honesty and her abnegation.
- Immediately close the concentration camps scattered in the northwestx of the country and bring to justice the militaries responsible for the massacres and executions of the civilians.
- Put an end to the genocidal logic which rages throughout the country and has decimated since Novvember 1996 a great part of the unarmed civilian population in the districts of Ruhengeri, Gisenyi, Gitarama and which extend now to Kigali-Rurali.
- Dismantle the "hidden power" which poisons all the institutions of the Rwandan State.
For the Center, Josep Matata, Coordinator
* The "Center of the Fight against Impunity and Injustice in Rwanda" is a nonpolitical association defending human rights, based in Belgium. Its members are militants with a long history of fighting for humans rights. Some have worked in Rwanda at the heart of local organisations and have participated in the investigation of the genocide in 1994; when they started investigating the crimes of the present Rwandan regime, they were threatened and forced to exile abroad where they pursued their engagement in favor of human rights.