Rwandan Green Party struggles but receives help from Global Greens

Frank Habineza the President of the newly formed Democratic Green Party of Rwanda and the President of the African Green Movement has consistently run into road blocks at the local level to register the party.  All paper work has been in order and the legal framework in place yet officials are still reluctant to follow through.  This caused the Rwandan Greens to cancel a major conference for a third time.  This time on the eve of the conference itself.  Rwanda has been progressing toward a more open democracy.  The Rwandan Greens have wisely been upfront all along and worked with members of the government in order to assure them that this was not a dissident group but a legitimate political party. 

In this last frustrating chapter Frank Habineza put out an appeal to the Global Greens and received a tremendous response from all over the world, including Canada.  My thanks to Silvaine Zimmermann who is our International Representative to the Global Greens and delegate to the Federation of Green Parties of the Americas (FPVA), for getting our response on track in a very time sensitive situation.  Frank had wanted to be able to get some of the petitions into the Rwandan News which had been following the story.  Although news agencies are not totally free from government interference they too are progressing. 

Below is the Canadian statement presented to His Excellency President Paul Kagame of Rwanda and his government.  We will be presenting this statement to the Embassy in Ottawa and have already sent it by email and fax although the fax number given us did not seem to work.  This is one of many statements and petitions sent from various Green Party representatives from around the world.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

PETITION TO THE RWANDAN GOVERNMENT TO REGISTER DEMOCRATIC GREEN PARTY OF RWANDA

To His Excellency, The President of the Republic of Rwanda, H.E. Paul KAGAME

The Green Party of Canada wishes to convey our unequivocal support for founding President Mr. Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda and the President of the African Greens Movement. The Green Party of Canada also stands in solidarity with the aspirations of the peoples of the continent of Africa to have their nations and communities embrace and build democratic societies which can live free from violence and environmental degradation. We encourage the government of

Paul Kagame, the President of the Republic of Rwanda and all other government officials to continue its progression towards a fully democratic, inclusive and peaceful society. We recognize that Rwandan society can and should be among the leading societies on the African continent in the efforts to combat climate change and environmental degradation which remains the greater overall threat to the future of all Africans.

We are disturbed by the recent news that Mr. Habineza and the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda have been unable for a third time to officiate at the inaugural congress which had been scheduled on 2nd of October 2009 in Kigali. We remain aware that that the legal provisions of the Rwandan Law clearly provide for formation, establishment and registration of political parties;

We remain assured by the interim president that the members of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda [in formation] have complied with all legal requirements and will continue to do so as law abiding citizens,

The Green Party of Canada respectfully petition His Excellency Paul Kagame, the President of the Republic of Rwanda and all other government officials concerned to do the following;

[a] To observe and respect all legal provisions relating to the formation and establishment of political parties;

[b] To remove all forms of obstacles, which may be legal, extra—legal, physical, political, institutional, infrastructural or otherwise so that the party is registered.

[c] To facilitate the party in formation by instructing and or advising the relevant officials concerned to do whatever they are required to do, so that the registration process is completed without undue delay;

[d] To do or perform any other act that is politically and legally conducive to the successful registration of the party;

[e] To continue to adhere to internationally accepted democratic principles so that the culture of multiparty democracy is entrenched in Rwandan society.

Respectfully

Elizabeth May, Leader

Silvaine Zimmermann, M.Sc.

International Representative to the Global Greens for the Green Party of Canada, Delegate to the Federation of Green Parties of the Americas (FPVA), Co-founder of the Green Party of Canada (1983)

Eric Walton, International Affairs portfolio, Stephen LaFrenie, International Cooperation/CIDA portfolio, Ellen Michelson, Peace and Security portfolio, Joe Foster, Human Rights portfolio.

Green Party of Canada