Rwanda
Human rights defenders in Rwanda have been subject to harassment, intimidation, threats, arbitrary arrests, forced disappearances and some have been forced into exile. The work of human rights defenders in Rwanda is undermined by authorities who claim that the defenders are encouraging a “genocidal ideology”and “ethnic divisionism”, playing on fears which are still prevalent following the 1994 genocide which killed at least 800,000 people.
News:
Front Line Reports:
In April 2004, a Parliamentary Commission targeted independent national and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) including LIPRODHOR (Ligue rwandaise pour la promotion et la défense des droits de l'Homme, Rwandan League for the Promotion and Defence of Human Rights), FOR (Forum des organisations rurales, Forum of Rural Organisations) and international development agencies including CARE and Trócaire as well as independent press, churches and schools. In the report entitled “Front Line Rwanda: Disappearances, Arrests, Threats, Intimidation and Co-option of Human Rights Defenders 2001 – 2004” the government is said to have “equated human rights monitoring, civic education, rights-based development, and any criticism of Government policy with genocidal ideology”.
NGOs are required to apply for a “certificate of registration” from the Ministère de l’Administration Locale, Bonne Gouvernance, Développement Communautaire et Affaires Sociales - MINALOC (Ministry of Local Government, Good Governance, Community Development and Social Affairs) and their activities and publications are placed under close scrutiny. Those organisations working in defence of the rights of ethnic communities have also been accused of promoting “divisionism”. A Civil Society Platform exists in Rwanda but it was formed by a number of pro-government NGOs and those which were previously independent but now have a new co-opted leadership, therefore it is not considered to be an independent nor inclusive forum for human rights NGOs.