FDU-INKINGI leaders welcome discussions with Dutch Minister Mrs Lilianne PLOUMEN [1 pièce jointe]

FDU-INKINGI leaders welcome discussions with Dutch Minister Mrs Lilianne PLOUMEN and Ambassador Leoni CUELENAERE in Kigali.

Today, the FDU-INKINGI interim vice president Mr. Boniface TWAGIRIMANA together with the party treasurer Ms. Alice MUHIRWA expressed, on behalf of our political organisation, sincere appreciation and warm thanks as they attended the Civil Society lunch offered in Kigali at the residence of Her Excellency Ambassador Leoni Margarita CUELENAERE in honor of the visit of the Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Mrs Lilianne PLOUMEN, on her 2-day visit in Rwanda.

Her Excellency Ambassador Leoni Margarita Cuelenaere kindly invited both the FDU-INKINGI interim executive members to join this high level meeting that lasted from 12:45 to 14:30.

On the very busy overall agenda of the visiting Dutch Minister are discussions with President Kagame and many cabinet members, civil society, leaders of Dutch companies in the region, international non governmental organisations and representatives of key bilateral partners of Rwanda.

Discussions on the impact of the aid suspension on Rwanda should not deviate from the core causes of the current situation. The warmongering nature of the dictatorship is an indication of serious internal political problems, lack of political space in Rwanda and the plight of political prisoners. Opposition leaders and critic journalists are serving hefty sentences in prisons on politically motivated charges. Our leader, Madame Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza was handed 8 years in prison on 30 October 2012; Mr. Deogratias Mushayidi, leader of PDP Imanzi was given a life term in 2010 while Mr. Bernard Ntaganda, leader of PS Imberakuri, 4 years in 2011.

On 1^st February 2013, the Germany Minister for International Cooperation announced the decision to release a few millions of suspended aid following an official visit of Rwanda's Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo to Bundestag Berlin, on behalf of the government of Rwanda. Some donor countries seem to belittle the role of the Rwandan government in the DRC current conflicts and the subsequent humanitarian disaster.

We really hope that the Dutch government is not going to follow this bad example of cooperation with a country accused of unrelenting war atrocities in the region.

The outcome of this visit will unravel what matters more for the Dutch foreign cooperation, whether it's the regime's finances or priority to freedoms, human rights and civil rights.

We take this opportunity to express our highest acknowledgement and gratitude to the distinguished leadership of her Excellency Minister Lilianne Ploumen.

Lausanne, 06 February 2013

FDU-Inkingi
Coordinating Committee
Nkiko Nsengimana

Coordinator