Republican Rally for Democracy in Rwanda
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The Republican Rally for Democracy in Rwanda (French: Rassemblement Républicain pour la Démocratie au Rwanda (RDR)), also known as the Rassemblement Démocratique pour la Retour (Rally for the Return [of Refugees and Democracy in Rwanda]), is a political party in Rwanda. Its stated goal is to establish a democratic and free Rwandese Republic.
The party platform, written on August 13, 1998, outlines the beliefs and goals of the party. This document argues that by struggling for the establishment of a rule of law, justice, democracy, republican values and truth on the Rwandan tragedy, the Rwandese Republic will become more prosperous and peaceful and the goals of true reconciliation and sustainable development and peace will be realized.
The party also argues that Rwanda must respect the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the African Charter for Human and Peoples’ Rights and has officially condemned genocide, crimes, and violations of human rights against the Tutsi, Hutu, and Twa.
The party supports regional integration; restored international diplomacy; major economic and social development, including the rapid development of the private sector and civil society, education, and basic healthcare; separation of powers within the government; and power for all people, in all ethnic groups, of Rwanda.
The motto of the RDR is “A reconciled people in a rule of law.” Ms. Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza is the current president of the RDR.
[edit] Criticism
In the book We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families, author Philip Gourevitch argues that the RDR, founded in the refugee camps of exiled Hutus in Zaire after the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, is a shadow organization effectively run by former Rwandan Armed Forces (FAR) commanders and génocidaires. He criticizes Western aid workers who regarded the RDR as a moderate and legitimate organization as naive and ill-informed.
