VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLGB #0517/01 1511559
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 311559Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2825
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE

UNCLAS KIGALI 000517 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/FO, AF/C, AND DRL 
EUCOM FOR POLAD 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PHUM KMCA RW
SUBJECT: U.S. TRIPARTITE DELEGATION MEMBERS DISCUSS HUMAN 
RIGHTS WITH RWANDAN PARLIAMENTARIANS 
 
 
¶1.  Summary:  During a May 24 meeting with Ambassador 
Arietti and visiting U.S. Tripartite Plus delegation 
members, Rwandan parliamentarians discussed the gap between 
perception and reality on Rwanda's performance on human 
rights.  They asserted that outsiders criticize Rwanda 
without fully understanding Rwanda's unique culture and 
history, but acknowledged that Rwanda needs to do better 
through public diplomacy to correct any negative, inaccurate 
perception.  They also acknowledged that "divisionism" and 
"genocide ideology" are vaguely defined terms which should 
be defined according to international norms.  They 
considered criticisms regarding press freedom as "unfair" 
and characterized the political forum as a useful innovation 
for political debate and dissent.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  Five members of Parliament, representing a cross-section 
of political parties, participated:  Muslim leader Sheik 
Abdul Karim Harelimana (Rwandan Patriotic Front), Chamber of 
Deputies; Jacqueline Muhongayire (Social Democratic Party), 
Chamber of Deputies; Senator Joseph Karemera (Rwandan 
Patriotic Front); Senator Odette Nyiramilimo (Liberal 
Party); and Senator Alvera Mukabaramba (Progress and Concord 
Party, former member of MDR - Republican Democratic 
Movement).  Also in attendance was Ed Barber, Senior Adviser 
on African Development, Good Works International, 
Washington, D.C. 
 
Regional Conflict Resolution 
---------------------------- 
¶3.  The parliamentarians stressed the importance of regional 
security and the role of Amani ("peace" in Swahili) Forum, a 
network of parliamentarians in the Great Lakes region who 
are committed to conflict prevention and resolution within 
their own countries and in the region.  Amani was created in 
1998 to provide a regional forum to enable parliamentarians 
to work together to eliminate armed conflict and to promote 
peace and democratic governance.  Currently, it has a 
membership of over 650 parliamentarians, with national 
chapters in seven countries (Burundi, DRC, Kenya, Rwanda, 
Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia).  Parliamentarians in the 
region meet regularly through this forum to discuss peaceful 
conflict resolution. 
 
Perception-Reality Gap 
---------------------- 
¶4.  Ed Barber, Senior Adviser on African Development at Good 
Works International, a D.C.-based consulting firm, noted 
that while Rwanda has not been criticized for its economic 
policies and development, it has been criticized on 
democracy and human rights despite its "remarkably 
consistent" progress over the past 12 years, which Good 
Works chairman Andrew Young described as a "miracle." 
Barber described a gap between reality and perception; 
outsiders perceive Rwanda in a more negative light than 
reflected by the reality on the ground. 
 
¶5.  Sen. Karemera acknowledged that Rwanda has been "very 
bad" about publicizing the country's positive aspects and 
progress.  As a result, he said, Rwanda has become known for 
the worst (the genocide) and not for the good. 
 
Human Rights 
------------ 
¶6.  Sen. Nyiramilimo commented that outsiders' perceptions 
of human rights in Rwanda differ from Rwandan 
parliamentarians' views because outsiders fail to understand 
and to take into account the context of Rwanda's unique 
culture, turbulent history, and widespread poverty. 
 
¶7.  Sen. Karemera agreed that "divisionism" and "genocide 
ideology" are vaguely defined terms, and acknowledged that 
it is Rwanda's "homework" to characterize them according to 
international norms.  He objected, however, to criticisms 
regarding press freedom, noting that Americans find it 
difficult to understand the state of the press because of 
Rwanda's unique culture. 
 
¶8.  He observed that there have been no problems with VOA or 
BBC, and that Rwanda has 13 independent newspapers and 8 
private radio stations, but that "if you have opponents of 
the government you must mobilize against your enemy."  He 
estimated that currently, after decentralization of the 
government, 45-60 percent of local government officials are 
women.  He also noted that the Rwandan government was the 
first to prosecute and imprison members of its own army to 
the extent that it has. 
 
Political Space 
--------------- 
 
 
¶9.  According to Sen. Karemera, the government has shared as 
much power as possible, and the Constitution was the product 
of a consultative process among all the parties.  He 
expressed his view that the political forum is an important 
and useful innovation as it provides an arena for political 
parties to criticize each other and to discuss strategy, 
leadership, and socio-economic development. 
 
¶10.  Sen. Nyiramilimo explained that each party has four 
representatives (two men, two women) who participate in the 
forum, which meets every two months.  She noted that the 
current spokesperson, elected to a three-year term, is a 
member of the Rwandan Patriotic Front while the vice 
spokesperson is a member of the Social Democratic Party, but 
that other parties can hold those elected positions.  She 
affirmed that participants have openly disagreed on various 
occasions and on various issues and that the RPF will amend 
a law if others object to it.  The forum prepares 
communiques which are available to the press. 
 
¶11.  Karemera commented that as "students of democracy" 
Rwandan parliamentarians advocate wide exposure to other 
parliaments and best practices.  They have studied the 
parliamentary systems of the U.K., Sweden, and the 
Netherlands.  Ambassador Arietti agreed that communication 
with and visits to other parliaments are critical and that 
having the opportunity to ask questions and to share 
information broadens understanding on both sides. 
 
THURSTON