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The Rwanda Peoples Party: Statement of Facts

 

The Rwanda Peoples Party, under the leadership of John V. Karuranga, President has recently revised their Statement of Facts in regards to their party platform. Below is the unedited and entire statement:

 

STATEMENT OF FACTS

Rwanda People’s Party (RPP) is a political party with a fully flagged political programme, policy and procedures that was born out of the Rwanda National Liberation Movement (1986-2004) in May 2010.

The Rwanda Peoples Party operates within these frameworks:

We recognise that there are other opposition political parties operating in Rwanda and the Diaspora. We respect those parties’ political programme and their expressions of views. We believe that it is a good and healthy sign for democracy to have various political parties with different political programmes and visions for our country.  The reasons why Rwanda has so many different political parties, is that Rwandans have different views or opinion about the future of Rwanda. Though we are different opposition political parties,  we believe all have the same goal: To build a tolerant and democratic Rwanda in which all Rwandans can live in peace; a Rwanda that is willing to swallow its prides and respect individuals’ views even if they may be different from others.  The lack of democracy and lack of political expression in Rwanda are the main reason behind the formation of opposition groups.

Political influence

The RPP, as a party, doesn’t seek to influence other political parties nor try to dictate what they should do, say or write in their press releases. We believe it is entirely their decisions. Conversely, the RPP as a party shall not seek to be influenced by other political parties to change its political programme, political speeches and press releases.  However, the party believes in an inter-part committee and information-sharing among the different parties.  This will help to build confidence and capacity building among opposition parties.

Rwanda of tomorrow

The party also believes that the question of Rwanda shall only be solved by all Rwandans but not solely as an individual group or Rwandan as it is today in Rwanda. To this extent, therefore, the party calls upon the establishment of an inter-party committee that should be responsible for all the official day-to-day business of the opposition groups. The political body should be responsible for their political strategy and should operate independently without external influences. This committee should be elected and sanctioned by all oppositional political parties including those at home. However, that shouldn’t be seen as a replacement of the current political groups, but instead should be seen as an umbrella that works in the best interest of the groups.

Recently the RPP issued a statement in which it stressed the followings:

The Death of Habyarimana

We believe that, Habyarimana’s plane was brought down by his own soldiers, in order to justify the genocide. Our position remains the same that the RPF and Kagame are not responsible for the death of Habyarimana. However, the party will shift its position on the subject matter should a responsible person or group be found, apprehended and brought to justice.

The 1994 Rwanda genocide

We are also firm in our belief that genocide was prepared by the Habyarimana regime and not after his death. We also believe that Habyarimanas death was not the cause for genocide because there were already various genocide indicators prior to his death.

No justification for genocide

As a political party, we wish to reiterate that whether Habyarimana was killed by his own troops as it is or by the RPF soldiers, there was no justification or reasoning for the killing of babies, older people, men and women of all ages, the raping of children etc.

The Death of Rwandan refugees

The RPP’s position has remained the same for the past 18 years.  We strongly condemn the killings of Rwandan refugees in Kibeho, Mudende  and Kanama in Rwanda, Goma, Bukavu,  Uvira, Mugunga, Lubutu and Loukolela, Ubundu, Kasese, Kibumba Camp, Biaro, Amisi, Manda, Babamnda, Mbandaka and Tingi Tingi etc.

The RPP position on justice

The RPP as a party seeks justice for the victims of genocide, Rwandan refugees and Congolese civilians.  Rwandans must have courage to set up a good example to our children by bringing to justice those responsible for the horrific crimes. Fellow Rwandan, what sort of example, could we leave to our kids by not punishing those raped kids, killed children, elderly and pregnant women in Rwanda genocide, and how could we forgive those who smashed a small Rwandan Refugee child’s skull against the a tree because one Congolese villager, who found him playing dead under his dead parents wanted to take him home in Manda in the DRC.

A New Rwanda of tomorrow

We affirm our position that Rwanda cannot be built on the cracks in the pavements of ethnicity, fears, genocide and wars of yesterday. Those could be used as a lesson learned but not as a model for solving the current and future problems of the country. Instead, we want to build a Rwanda based on a foundation of belief, motivated and energized by the desire for progress and the pursuit of happiness and self-fulfillment. A new Rwanda that lives in peace within itself, with its neighbours and with the rest of humanity. We want to build a Rwanda that gives legitimacy to the local people as sole stakeholders of the nation but not politicians that come and go. The RPP is committed to give the voice to the voiceless.

Support for most disadvantaged Rwanda

Our party is committed to oppose any economic embargo because it will harm mostly the common man. It is committed to support projects that are directed to improve the living conditions of our people at home.

Political criticism

The RPP accepts critics and respect individuals’ different political views even if there are harsh to us. This is what makes the RPP different from other Rwandan political parties. We don’t hate or fabricate malicious stories against those whose views are different from ours. As a party, we will not be diverted from our main issue of focusing on bringing peace and tranquility to the people of Rwanda. Rwandans are hurt in different ways but they cannot use their emotional feeling and ethnicity platform to solve the questions of tomorrow, as will complicate the matters.

Threats to our party members

The RPP takes any threats posed to its members seriously both from Kigali or elsewhere. We have been receiving numerous threats directed to our members and supporters. Therefore as matters of agency, appropriate measures have to be taken to protect the well-being of our supporters.

Thanks

John Karuranga

Rwanda People’s Party

London/UK

Facebook: John V Karuranga

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