Busingye rejects claims Rwanda stifles freedom of expression

Justice minister Johnston Busingye has rejected claims by some Western envoys that Rwanda’s human rights record constituted cause for concern. The minister was reacting to a Reuters story quoting an open letter by six European envoys accredited to Rwandaon the occasion of the 2015 Human Rights Day. The statement was reportedly signed by the British, French, Dutch, Belgian, German and Swedish ambassadors to Rwanda. The Western diplomats, according to Reuters, said they had “continuing concerns in the areas of freedom of expression and freedom of media, civil society development, freedom of association and other areas related to political rights. They called for “further opening of the political space and development of greater freedom of expression. But Busingye challenged the claims saying the Rwandan government has always been open to discussion on such matters. Whatever is the meaning of ‘continuing concern’, we maintain an open and candid dialogue with our EU partners, including last week,” the Justice minister told The New Times. He added: “EU ambassadors know this. Whatever they choose to perceive as gaps‎, no matter how well or ill informed, we are always ready to discuss. I wish the statement contained some specifics, to which we would be happy to respond. Speaking at the national event to mark the International Human Rights Day earlier in the week, Busingye, who is also the Attorney General, said: “Peoples’ rights and freedoms are acquired at birth, enjoyed through life, sometimes beyond!” “Denial or interruption in this chain can be costly. Rwanda suffered denial in its most harmful state not too long ago. The cost was a million lives,” he said in reference to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. He said: “The Government continues to deliver on the obligation to respect, protect and defend the human rights of every Rwandan and every person living in Rwanda as is provided in our Constitution. “Our Constitution provides the framework for those fundamental freedoms including all of the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights”. Rwanda recognizes and is bound by those international human rights standards, he added. “Very often we strive to hold ourselves to an even higher standard. As a Government, we remain aware of the fact that our accountability must be to the Rwandan people first.” “In fulfilling this obligation we are constantly in search of new and innovative ways by which the respect, protection and defense of human rights directly feeds into the governance, rule of law and socio-economic development objectives of the Country. ‘Participatory democracy’ He highlighted some of the recent gains in the area of economic and social rights as well as civil and political rights for all Rwandans. “Government revenue is now able to sustain 66 per cent of the national budget, giving the people of Rwanda a level of access to economic freedom that was previously unimaginable.” He also cited reforms in the legal framework for the establishment and operation of civil society organizations as well as political organizations, which he said had seen exponential growth in recent past. He said there are now 1600 local organisations operating in Rwanda, an increase from the 350 that existed in 2012. In addition, there are 174 International Civil Society organisations registered in Rwanda, Busingye said, adding that the Directorate of Immigration and Emigration is currently overhauling its registration process to make it completely accessible online. He pointed out that eleven political parties are currently registered “and continue to engage with the Government in our participatory democracy”. A recent Rwanda Governance scorecard indicated that the Rwandan public rates access to political rights and civil liberties at 73 per cent and the level of participation and inclusiveness at 75 per cent. One area that has clearly claimed its space is the fourth estate, Busingye noted. “This is related to the many media trainings that were done by a number of development partners over the last several years but also, importantly, to the many reforms to the laws and policies regulating the media in Rwanda”. “One such development is the enactment of a specific Access to Information law which ensures that Government institutions are obligated to provide information upon request,” he said, adding that Rwanda is one of 11 African countries with such a law. Print, audio-visual and electronic media have expanded more than five-fold in under four years, he added. “The quality and depth of content on our air waves is unprecedented”. Busingye also cited a recent Rwanda World Bank CPIA (Country Policy and Institutional Assessment) score which was boosted this year to 4.0 above any other African country. The CPIA rates countries on a scale in relation to four policy areas; economic management, structural policies, social inclusion and equity as well as public sector management and institutions. “These positive developments in Rwanda have been attributed to the quality of governance since such quality is increasingly viewed as a transformational element for sustainable and inclusive development in any country,” he said. In November, Rwanda successfully underwent a second Universal Periodic Review. In this second cycle of the review, Rwanda accepted 50 new recommendations for implementation over the next four years. “We will continue to count on the excellent support received from our development partners in the past to ensure that all those recommendations are implemented,” Busingye said. In order to promote access to justice, he said, the Ministry of Justice continues to decentralize services through the District Access to Justice Bureaus which are doing important work in ensuring access to quality justice at the local level. “Their work is positively impacting citizens’ perception of their rights, duties and obligations”. He also pointed at the role of Abunzi, the community mediators, who he said have recently been “overhauled to make them more efficient and to allow the Government to support their work better”. Today each Abunzi committee has seven members, totaling 17, 741 mediators countrywide. Mediation in community conflict has assumed a dominant position so much so that litigation is now the exception, he said. Constitutional amendment Commenting on the ongoing exercise to put the revised Constitution to a referendum, Minister Busingye said: “Rwandans will listen to every shade of opinion but they will, rightly, jealously guard their right to make choices about their future and be responsible for those choices all through.” “This process is not just constitutional; it is in exercise a fundamental human right which cannot be outsourced, and which no individual, country or group of countries, however able or friendly can exercise, guarantee and assume responsibility for on our behalf. “Rwandans are happy and proud participants and determinants in the process because it entitles them to secure for and by themselves a democratic, stable and socio-economically progressing nation for now and for the future.” More than 6.3 million citizens are expected to go to the polls next week to have their say on the revised Constitution, a culmination of a process that started with more than 3.7 million Rwandans petitioning Parliament to initiate the process to review the Constitution with view to lift presidential term limits. They said that would give President Paul Kagame a chance to seek re-election when his second and constitutionally final term expires in 2017. Subsequently, the lawmakers consulted the people before revising the country’s supreme law, slashing the years of a single presidential term to five down from seven, but indicating that this five-year term cycle would be preceded by a seven-year transitional period that would start after the current presidency. That transitional period, the MPs said, would allow for the full implementation of the current national development agenda. President Kagame, who is yet to make clear whether he will seek re-election or not even if Rwandans go on to endorse the revised constitution in the December 17-18 poll, would be eligible to stand for both the transitional period of seven years and subsequent two five-year terms. Justice minister Johnston Busingye has rejected claims by some Western envoys that Rwanda’s human rights record constituted cause for concern. The minister was reacting to a Reuters story quoting an open letter by six European envoys accredited to Rwandaon the occasion of the 2015 Human Rights Day. The statement was reportedly signed by the British, French, Dutch, Belgian, German and Swedish ambassadors to Rwanda. The Western diplomats, according to Reuters, said they had “continuing concerns in the areas of freedom of expression and freedom of media, civil society development, freedom of association and other areas related to political rights. They called for “further opening of the political space and development of greater freedom of expression. But Busingye challenged the claims saying the Rwandan government has always been open to discussion on such matters. Whatever is the meaning of ‘continuing concern’, we maintain an open and candid dialogue with our EU partners, including last week,” the Justice minister told The New Times. He added: “EU ambassadors know this. Whatever they choose to perceive as gaps‎, no matter how well or ill informed, we are always ready to discuss. I wish the statement contained some specifics, to which we would be happy to respond. Speaking at the national event to mark the International Human Rights Day earlier in the week, Busingye, who is also the Attorney General, said: “Peoples’ rights and freedoms are acquired at birth, enjoyed through life, sometimes beyond!” “Denial or interruption in this chain can be costly. Rwanda suffered denial in its most harmful state not too long ago. The cost was a million lives,” he said in reference to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. He said: “The Government continues to deliver on the obligation to respect, protect and defend the human rights of every Rwandan and every person living in Rwanda as is provided in our Constitution. “Our Constitution provides the framework for those fundamental freedoms including all of the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights”. Rwanda recognizes and is bound by those international human rights standards, he added. “Very often we strive to hold ourselves to an even higher standard. As a Government, we remain aware of the fact that our accountability must be to the Rwandan people first.” “In fulfilling this obligation we are constantly in search of new and innovative ways by which the respect, protection and defense of human rights directly feeds into the governance, rule of law and socio-economic development objectives of the Country. ‘Participatory democracy’ He highlighted some of the recent gains in the area of economic and social rights as well as civil and political rights for all Rwandans. “Government revenue is now able to sustain 66 per cent of the national budget, giving the people of Rwanda a level of access to economic freedom that was previously unimaginable.” He also cited reforms in the legal framework for the establishment and operation of civil society organizations as well as political organizations, which he said had seen exponential growth in recent past. He said there are now 1600 local organisations operating in Rwanda, an increase from the 350 that existed in 2012. In addition, there are 174 International Civil Society organisations registered in Rwanda, Busingye said, adding that the Directorate of Immigration and Emigration is currently overhauling its registration process to make it completely accessible online. He pointed out that eleven political parties are currently registered “and continue to engage with the Government in our participatory democracy”. A recent Rwanda Governance scorecard indicated that the Rwandan public rates access to political rights and civil liberties at 73 per cent and the level of participation and inclusiveness at 75 per cent. One area that has clearly claimed its space is the fourth estate, Busingye noted. “This is related to the many media trainings that were done by a number of development partners over the last several years but also, importantly, to the many reforms to the laws and policies regulating the media in Rwanda”. “One such development is the enactment of a specific Access to Information law which ensures that Government institutions are obligated to provide information upon request,” he said, adding that Rwanda is one of 11 African countries with such a law. Print, audio-visual and electronic media have expanded more than five-fold in under four years, he added. “The quality and depth of content on our air waves is unprecedented”. Busingye also cited a recent Rwanda World Bank CPIA (Country Policy and Institutional Assessment) score which was boosted this year to 4.0 above any other African country. The CPIA rates countries on a scale in relation to four policy areas; economic management, structural policies, social inclusion and equity as well as public sector management and institutions. “These positive developments in Rwanda have been attributed to the quality of governance since such quality is increasingly viewed as a transformational element for sustainable and inclusive development in any country,” he said. In November, Rwanda successfully underwent a second Universal Periodic Review. In this second cycle of the review, Rwanda accepted 50 new recommendations for implementation over the next four years. “We will continue to count on the excellent support received from our development partners in the past to ensure that all those recommendations are implemented,” Busingye said. In order to promote access to justice, he said, the Ministry of Justice continues to decentralize services through the District Access to Justice Bureaus which are doing important work in ensuring access to quality justice at the local level. “Their work is positively impacting citizens’ perception of their rights, duties and obligations”. He also pointed at the role of Abunzi, the community mediators, who he said have recently been “overhauled to make them more efficient and to allow the Government to support their work better”. Today each Abunzi committee has seven members, totaling 17, 741 mediators countrywide. Mediation in community conflict has assumed a dominant position so much so that litigation is now the exception, he said. Constitutional amendment Commenting on the ongoing exercise to put the revised Constitution to a referendum, Minister Busingye said: “Rwandans will listen to every shade of opinion but they will, rightly, jealously guard their right to make choices about their future and be responsible for those choices all through.” “This process is not just constitutional; it is in exercise a fundamental human right which cannot be outsourced, and which no individual, country or group of countries, however able or friendly can exercise, guarantee and assume responsibility for on our behalf. “Rwandans are happy and proud participants and determinants in the process because it entitles them to secure for and by themselves a democratic, stable and socio-economically progressing nation for now and for the future.” More than 6.3 million citizens are expected to go to the polls next week to have their say on the revised Constitution, a culmination of a process that started with more than 3.7 million Rwandans petitioning Parliament to initiate the process to review the Constitution with view to lift presidential term limits. They said that would give President Paul Kagame a chance to seek re-election when his second and constitutionally final term expires in 2017. Subsequently, the lawmakers consulted the people before revising the country’s supreme law, slashing the years of a single presidential term to five down from seven, but indicating that this five-year term cycle would be preceded by a seven-year transitional period that would start after the current presidency. That transitional period, the MPs said, would allow for the full implementation of the current national development agenda. President Kagame, who is yet to make clear whether he will seek re-election or not even if Rwandans go on to endorse the revised constitution in the December 17-18 poll, would be eligible to stand for both the transitional period of seven years and subsequent two five-year terms. Justice minister Johnston Busingye has rejected claims by some Western envoys that Rwanda’s human rights record constituted cause for concern. The minister was reacting to a Reuters story quoting an open letter by six European envoys accredited to Rwandaon the occasion of the 2015 Human Rights Day. The statement was reportedly signed by the British, French, Dutch, Belgian, German and Swedish ambassadors to Rwanda. The Western diplomats, according to Reuters, said they had “continuing concerns in the areas of freedom of expression and freedom of media, civil society development, freedom of association and other areas related to political rights. They called for “further opening of the political space and development of greater freedom of expression. But Busingye challenged the claims saying the Rwandan government has always been open to discussion on such matters. Whatever is the meaning of ‘continuing concern’, we maintain an open and candid dialogue with our EU partners, including last week,” the Justice minister told The New Times. He added: “EU ambassadors know this. Whatever they choose to perceive as gaps‎, no matter how well or ill informed, we are always ready to discuss. I wish the statement contained some specifics, to which we would be happy to respond. Speaking at the national event to mark the International Human Rights Day earlier in the week, Busingye, who is also the Attorney General, said: “Peoples’ rights and freedoms are acquired at birth, enjoyed through life, sometimes beyond!” “Denial or interruption in this chain can be costly. Rwanda suffered denial in its most harmful state not too long ago. The cost was a million lives,” he said in reference to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. He said: “The Government continues to deliver on the obligation to respect, protect and defend the human rights of every Rwandan and every person living in Rwanda as is provided in our Constitution. “Our Constitution provides the framework for those fundamental freedoms including all of the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights”. Rwanda recognizes and is bound by those international human rights standards, he added. “Very often we strive to hold ourselves to an even higher standard. As a Government, we remain aware of the fact that our accountability must be to the Rwandan people first.” “In fulfilling this obligation we are constantly in search of new and innovative ways by which the respect, protection and defense of human rights directly feeds into the governance, rule of law and socio-economic development objectives of the Country. ‘Participatory democracy’ He highlighted some of the recent gains in the area of economic and social rights as well as civil and political rights for all Rwandans. “Government revenue is now able to sustain 66 per cent of the national budget, giving the people of Rwanda a level of access to economic freedom that was previously unimaginable.” He also cited reforms in the legal framework for the establishment and operation of civil society organizations as well as political organizations, which he said had seen exponential growth in recent past. He said there are now 1600 local organisations operating in Rwanda, an increase from the 350 that existed in 2012. In addition, there are 174 International Civil Society organisations registered in Rwanda, Busingye said, adding that the Directorate of Immigration and Emigration is currently overhauling its registration process to make it completely accessible online. He pointed out that eleven political parties are currently registered “and continue to engage with the Government in our participatory democracy”. A recent Rwanda Governance scorecard indicated that the Rwandan public rates access to political rights and civil liberties at 73 per cent and the level of participation and inclusiveness at 75 per cent. One area that has clearly claimed its space is the fourth estate, Busingye noted. “This is related to the many media trainings that were done by a number of development partners over the last several years but also, importantly, to the many reforms to the laws and policies regulating the media in Rwanda”. “One such development is the enactment of a specific Access to Information law which ensures that Government institutions are obligated to provide information upon request,” he said, adding that Rwanda is one of 11 African countries with such a law. Print, audio-visual and electronic media have expanded more than five-fold in under four years, he added. “The quality and depth of content on our air waves is unprecedented”. Busingye also cited a recent Rwanda World Bank CPIA (Country Policy and Institutional Assessment) score which was boosted this year to 4.0 above any other African country. The CPIA rates countries on a scale in relation to four policy areas; economic management, structural policies, social inclusion and equity as well as public sector management and institutions. “These positive developments in Rwanda have been attributed to the quality of governance since such quality is increasingly viewed as a transformational element for sustainable and inclusive development in any country,” he said. In November, Rwanda successfully underwent a second Universal Periodic Review. In this second cycle of the review, Rwanda accepted 50 new recommendations for implementation over the next four years. “We will continue to count on the excellent support received from our development partners in the past to ensure that all those recommendations are implemented,” Busingye said. In order to promote access to justice, he said, the Ministry of Justice continues to decentralize services through the District Access to Justice Bureaus which are doing important work in ensuring access to quality justice at the local level. “Their work is positively impacting citizens’ perception of their rights, duties and obligations”. He also pointed at the role of Abunzi, the community mediators, who he said have recently been “overhauled to make them more efficient and to allow the Government to support their work better”. Today each Abunzi committee has seven members, totaling 17, 741 mediators countrywide. Mediation in community conflict has assumed a dominant position so much so that litigation is now the exception, he said. Constitutional amendment Commenting on the ongoing exercise to put the revised Constitution to a referendum, Minister Busingye said: “Rwandans will listen to every shade of opinion but they will, rightly, jealously guard their right to make choices about their future and be responsible for those choices all through.” “This process is not just constitutional; it is in exercise a fundamental human right which cannot be outsourced, and which no individual, country or group of countries, however able or friendly can exercise, guarantee and assume responsibility for on our behalf. “Rwandans are happy and proud participants and determinants in the process because it entitles them to secure for and by themselves a democratic, stable and socio-economically progressing nation for now and for the future.” More than 6.3 million citizens are expected to go to the polls next week to have their say on the revised Constitution, a culmination of a process that started with more than 3.7 million Rwandans petitioning Parliament to initiate the process to review the Constitution with view to lift presidential term limits. They said that would give President Paul Kagame a chance to seek re-election when his second and constitutionally final term expires in 2017. Subsequently, the lawmakers consulted the people before revising the country’s supreme law, slashing the years of a single presidential term to five down from seven, but indicating that this five-year term cycle would be preceded by a seven-year transitional period that would start after the current presidency. That transitional period, the MPs said, would allow for the full implementation of the current national development agenda. President Kagame, who is yet to make clear whether he will seek re-election or not even if Rwandans go on to endorse the revised constitution in the December 17-18 poll, would be eligible to stand for both the transitional period of seven years and subsequent two five-year terms.

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Busingye rejects claims Rwanda stifles freedom of expression