RWANDA:If something bad happens to Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza
Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza is chair of FDU-Inking, a coalition of political parties struggling to get a solid base on the Rwandan political scene. She returned to her country in January 2010 after 16 years living in exile.
Her determined peaceful and non-violent approach to solving problems of injustice, oppression and exclusion has gained her the support of thousands in Rwanda and around the world.
But her political struggle faces Paul Kagame's regime, the most notorious and criminal African dictatorship of the 21st century.
Victoire Ingabire has been harassed from day one of her return in her country and continues to be. She has been imprisoned. Presently she is under house arrest. She is also homeless since the government security services terrorize any landlord who may rent their property to her.
The objective of these pages is to help think through on how to react and organize those thousands of supporters everywhere in a coordinated manner in case something bad happens to her. It is also a platform to reflect on her message about democracy in Rwanda and carry it on, with her or without her just in case.
Ambrose Nzeyimana
Africanist and Human Rights Activis