As the presidential elections take place today in Rwanda, the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) is raising serious charges against President Paul Kagame. "In Ruanda, the elections have created a graveyard silence instead of democracy because opposition politicians and critics of the government have been systematically silenced,” criticized Ulrich Delius, the Africa consultant at the STP. Kagame is using the horrors of the past to shut down dissidents: they are accused arbitrarily of fueling ethnic tensions as in 1994. A million Tutsi and moderate Hutu fell victim to the genocide at the time. "As one of the primary European partners of this Central African country, Germany may not simply stand aside and watch this happen,” stated Delius. The German government needs to become more involved in working towards democracy and the protection of human rights in Rwanda.

There is no question that the autocratic ruling Kagame will be re-elected. "This election is a farce because every oppositional politician has, either by laws, bureaucratic constraints, or infiltration of their political party, been prevented from registering for the election on time and officially submitting their candidacy.” For example the leader of the "Socialist Party,” Bernard Ntaganda, was arrested at the end of June. The leader of the "Democratic Green Party,” Frank Habineza, is scared because his replacement, Andre Kagwa Rwisereka was murdered in July. He himself was arrested in June along with 250 other dissidents at a demonstration for free elections. Many of those who were arrested state that they were beaten and tortured by the police.

The oppositional politician Victoire Ingabire from the "United Democratic Front” is threatened with several years in prison after being accused of fueling ethnic tensions. In a speech commemorating the Tutsi killed in the genocide, this distinguished critic of Kagame dared to call for justice for the moderate Hutu who were murdered as well.

"It is disconcerting when the National Electoral Commission and election monitors of the Rwandan government from the African Union are unable to certify a ‘free and fair election.’ Given the murders and arrests of opposition politicians and journalists, dissidents are feeling threatened,” said Delius. Since January of 2010, incidents of intimidation, persecution, and politically motivated murders have increased dramatically. Furthermore, the two newspapers critical of the government were shut down six months ago by government authorities. Foreign human rights activists are prevented from entering the country and conducting any kind of investigation.

Translated by Sophia Chambers