Iki si cyo kiganiro dukeneye hagati yacu nk’Abanyarwanda. Turi abantu bamwe dusangiye ururimi, umuco n’amateka. Kutumvikana muri politiki ntibigomba na rimwe kuba urwitwazo rwo kwita undi Munyarwanda amazina, kumushyira mu byiciro, kumutuka cyangwa kumutesha agaciro nk’umuntu. Reka mbivuge neza: @PatrickRugaba ni Umunyarwanda nkanjye. Ibitekerezo bye bya politiki, aho ahagaze cyangwa ibyo anenga ni ibye, kandi nta cyo bindebaho. Si ndi umunyapolitiki cyangwa umusesenguzi wa politiki. Yampaye umwanya wo kuvuga, ambaza ibibazo, aranyumva mu bwubahane, kandi nta murongo wa politiki yigeze ansunikiraho, muri icyo kiganiro. Umuntu wese wahitamo gusobanura cyangwa gukoresha inkuru yanjye ku nyungu ze za politiki, yaba abikora kugiti cye. Ibyambayeho, ibibazo nanyuzemo n’amagambo yanjye ntibigomba na rimwe gukoreshwa nk’intwaro yo kurwanya leta, abatavuga rumwe na yo, abantu ku giti cyabo cyangwa undi uwo ari we wese. Tugomba kwiga gutandukanya aho umuntu ahagaze muri politiki n’agaciro ke nk’umuntu. Ntugomba kwemera ibitekerezo by’umuntu kugira ngo umwubahe. Kutumvikana bisaba gutekereza neza, gukura mu mitekerereze no kumenya kunenga igitekerezo utibasiye umuntu. Ndi Umunyarwanda mbere ya byose. Nzakomeza kubona abandi Banyarwanda nk’abavandimwe banjye, aho baba bahagaze hose muri politiki. Igihugu nticyubakwa n’ibitutsi, urwango no gucamo abantu ibice. Cyubakwa n’ibiganiro byubashye, kubazwa inshingano no kumenya kutumvikana tutamburana ubumuntu. @RGisanintwari @CharityKeza This is not the kind of conversation we need among ourselves as Rwandans. We are one people who share a language, culture and history. Political disagreement should never become an excuse to label, insult, categorize or dehumanize another Rwandan. Let me make my position clear: Patrick Rugaba is a Rwandan, just as I am. His political views, affiliations or criticisms are his own and are none of my business. I am not a politician or political critic. He gave me an opportunity to speak, asked me questions, listened respectfully, and did not impose a political agenda on our conversation. Whoever chooses to interpret or use my story for their own political agenda does so without my permission. My experiences, struggles and statements should never be weaponized against the government, political opponents, individuals or anyone else. We must learn to separate a person’s political position from their humanity. You do not have to agree with someone to respect them. Disagreement requires critical thinking, maturity and the ability to challenge ideas without attacking people. I am Rwandan first. I will continue to see fellow Rwandans as my brothers and sisters regardless of where they stand politically. You do not build a nation through insults, hostility and division. You build it through respectful dialogue, accountability and the ability to disagree without dehumanizing one another.

The Rwandan Public Prosecutor’s Office is seeking a life sentence for opposition leader Victoire Ingabire, who is accused of conspiring against President Kagame from #Rwanda UN experts have described her detention as arbitrary, and the European Parliament has denounced “serious irregularities” in the trial. Whilst awaiting her sentencing, Ingabire is to receive an award in Spain. On 2 October, the day before her 58th birthday, the Reus Reading Centre will present her with the Josep i Liesel Vidal Memorial for Peace in recognition of her career as a non-violent political activist. elpais.com/internacional/202…

The Rwandan Public Prosecutor’s Office is seeking a life sentence for opposition leader Victoire Ingabire, who is accused of conspiring against President Kagame from #Rwanda UN experts have described her detention as arbitrary, and the European Parliament has denounced “serious irregularities” in the trial. Whilst awaiting her sentencing, Ingabire is to receive an award in Spain. On 2 October, the day before her 58th birthday, the Reus Reading Centre will present her with the Josep i Liesel Vidal Memorial for Peace in recognition of her career as a non-violent political activist. elpais.com/internacional/202…

🇧🇪🇷🇼 (EN/FR/NL) Pleased to announce today the resumption of diplomatic relations between Belgium and Rwanda. In a world marked by growing tensions, this is an important signal here in New York, the UN's host city, which embodies multilateralism and dialogue beyond our differences. This is the culmination of a process of frank discussions with my counterpart and the result of a shared, respectful effort. I am convinced that we can set a positive agenda, mutually beneficial to our citizens, and grounded in the richness of our interpersonal relations. We agreed on the importance of systematic dialogue, including on the points of disagreement that remain, such as the conflict in eastern DRC. Restoring diplomatic relations between states does not mean abandoning our position, but having structured channels for dialogue, and I will continue to defend the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the DRC. We want to put our expertise in the region to work in support of mediation efforts as best we can, and we will continue to urge strict respect for the commitments made by all parties within the Doha and Washington processes. ——— Ravi d’annoncer ce jour la reprise des relations diplomatiques entre la Belgique et le Rwanda. Dans un monde marqué par des tensions grandissantes, c’est un signal important ici à New-York, ville siège de l’ONU qui symbolise par excellence le multilatéralisme et le dialogue au-delà des différences. C’est l’aboutissement d’un processus de franches discussions mené avec mon homologue et le fruit d’un effort respectueux commun. Je suis convaincu que nous pouvons définir un agenda positif, mutuellement bénéfique pour nos ressortissants, et fondé sur la richesse de nos relations interpersonnelles. Nous avons convenu de l’importance de dialoguer systématiquement y compris sur nos points de divergences qui persistent, comme sur le conflit dans l’Est de la RDC. Rétablir des relations diplomatiques entre États ne signifie pas renier nos positions mais disposer de canaux structurés de dialogue, et je continuerai à défendre l’intégrité territoriale et la souveraineté de la RDC. Nous voulons utiliser notre expertise dans la région pour soutenir au mieux les efforts de méditation et nous continuerons d’exhorter au respect strict des engagements pris par toutes les parties dans le cadre des processus de Doha et de Washington. —— Verheugd om vandaag de hervatting van de diplomatieke betrekkingen tussen België en Rwanda aan te kondigen. In een wereld gekenmerkt door toenemende spanningen is dit een belangrijk signaal, hier in New York, de zetelstad van de VN die bij uitstek het multilateralisme en de dialoog voorbij verschillen symboliseert. Dit is het resultaat van een proces van openhartige gesprekken met mijn ambtgenoot en de vrucht van een gezamenlijke, respectvolle inspanning. Ik ben ervan overtuigd dat we een positieve agenda kunnen uitstippelen, wederzijds voordelig voor onze burgers, en gestoeld op de rijkdom van onze interpersoonlijke relaties. We zijn overeengekomen systematisch met elkaar in dialoog te blijven, ook over de blijvende meningsverschillen, zoals over het conflict in Oost-Congo. Het herstel van diplomatieke betrekkingen tussen staten betekent niet dat we onze standpunten opgeven, maar wel dat we over gestructureerde dialoogkanalen beschikken, en ik zal de territoriale integriteit en soevereiniteit van de DRC blijven verdedigen. We willen onze expertise in de regio naar best vermogen inzetten ter ondersteuning van de bemiddelingsinspanningen, en we zullen blijven aandringen op de strikte naleving van de door alle partijen aangegane verbintenissen in het kader van de Doha- en Washington-processen. @BelgiumMFA

In eastern DRC, Rwanda-backed (M23) fighters have committed horrific human rights abuses against artisanal miners while facilitating the trafficking of gold and coltan to neighbouring Rwanda with the help of Rwandan authorities. A miner's testimony. amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2…

DRC and Rwanda: We have released a report detailing horrific human rights abuses by Rwanda-backed M23 fighters against artisanal miners in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) while facilitating the trafficking of gold and coltan to neighbouring Rwanda with the help of Rwandan authorities. Rwanda has continued to profit from the exploitation of DRC’s mineral wealth. The abuses against miners include summary killings, torture and ill-treatment, arbitrary detention, forced labour and forced recruitment and may amount to war crimes. @Amnesty also believes that the plunder by M23 and Rwanda of DRC’s gold and coltan may amount to the war crime of pillage. Rwandans may bear international criminal responsibility for facilitating the trafficking of pillaged minerals to Rwanda. Rwanda may also bear state responsibility for the horrific abuses against miners if Rwandans in the mines are acting under the direction or control of Rwanda, even if they are not employees of the government. Our recommendations: ✔️@Amnesty is calling for all countries and companies to cease the purchase of coltan and gold from Rwanda – or processors and refineries from third countries that buy these minerals from suppliers in Rwanda – until the Rwandan government provides concrete evidence that it has ended the receipt of coltan and gold trafficked from DRC. ✔️Rwanda’s authorities must also ensure that armed or other Rwandans are not present at and play no role in abuses at the Lomera and Rubaya mining sites. ✔️The weight of evidence from Amnesty International and others means that corporations cannot claim ignorance. Their purchase of minerals out of Rwanda – and from the smelters that buy from Rwanda – is likely to contribute to human rights abuses by M23 in Rubaya and Lomera. Corporations could be held criminally responsible for complicity in war crimes.” amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2…

Credit to @AmnestyEARO for naming Rwanda, not just M23. The two aren't separate problems, they're one supply chain. The coltan and gold #M23 controls at the mine face leaves eastern #DRCongo and reappears as "Rwandan" exports. A country with negligible reserves of its own has become one of the world's top coltan exporters. That laundering is the trafficking. Indeed, global companies should stop buying gold and coltan from Kagame's Rwanda until the regime ends trafficking of minerals tainted with human rights abuses from eastern DRC.

🚨New @amnesty briefing🚨 In eastern DRC, Rwanda-backed M23 fighters have been forcing miners to work in coltan mines, often underground for over a week at a time. Minerals linked to M23 abuses are prevalent in electronic devices used worldwide. amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2…