Rwanda Movement for Democratic Change explained

MRCD (Mouvement Rwandais pour le Changement Démocratique)
Colorcode:
  1. 7CB9E8
Leader:Paul Rusesabagina
Foundation:2012
Website:https://mrcd-ubumwe.org/
Country:Rwanda

The Rwandan Movement for Democratic Change (French: Mouvement Rwandais pour le Changement Démocratique, normally abbreviated MRCD or MRCD/FLN), is a coalition of Rwandan opposition groups who mostly reside in the diaspora or in exile.[1] [2]

The movement is led by Paul Rusesabagina, a notable Rwandan activist, whose story forms the basis of the critically-acclaimed Hollywood film Hotel Rwanda.[3]

History

The National Liberation Front (FLN) is the armed wing of political party PDR-Ihumure and the MRCD. In 2018, the group claimed responsibility for two terrorist attacks in Nyabimata, South-West Rwanda, near the border with Burundi.[4] [5] The FLN was also suspected by Rwandan security forces of carrying out a fatal attack on a bus in June 2022.[6] Many of its attacks have been carried out from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[7]

2021 trial

Rusesabagina was arrested in 2020 by the Rwandan government, a move considered controversial. In 2021, 21 members of the MRCD/FLN, including Rusesabagina and former spokesperson Callixte Nsabimana (also known as "Sankara"), were put on trial in Kigali in relation to the Nyabimata attacks.[8] [9] [10] The trial received widespread international attention as a result of the high profile of Rusesabagina and the dubious circumstances leading to his arrest.[11] On 20 September 2021, the judge convicted all of the 21 defendants. Rusesabagina received the longest sentence, of 25 years. Eight members, including Nsabimana received sentences of 20 years, while other defendants were all sentenced to at least 3 years of prison time.[12] [13] It is unclear whether the MRCD is resuming operations as a political coalition.

Notes and References

  1. News: Uwiringiyimana. Clement. 2020-10-05. Rwanda seeks to merge 'Hotel Rwanda' hero's case with that of 18 rebel suspects. en. Reuters. 2021-04-03. 2021-09-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20210904124732/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-rwanda-politics-idUSKBN26Q268. live.
  2. Web site: 2020-09-10. Rwanda: Rusesabagina Was Forcibly Disappeared. 2021-04-03. Human Rights Watch. en. 2021-03-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20210328071538/https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/09/10/rwanda-rusesabagina-was-forcibly-disappeared. live.
  3. Web site: Franco-Rwandaise. La Tribune. Allocution de M. Paul Rusesabagina à l'occasion des assises d'évaluation du parti PDR-IHUMURE. 2021-04-03. LA TRIBUNE FRANCO-RWANDAISE. fr. 2021-04-21. https://web.archive.org/web/20210421025843/http://www.france-rwanda.info/article-allocution-de-m-paul-rusesabagina-a-l-occasion-des-assises-d-evaluation-du-parti-pdr-ihumure-113587920.html. live.
  4. Web site: 2020-10-02. Victims of MRCD-FLN attacks in southern Rwanda. 2021-04-03. The New Times Rwanda. en. 2020-10-30. https://web.archive.org/web/20201030002403/https://www.newtimes.co.rw/news/victims-mrcd-fln-attacks-southern-rwanda. live.
  5. Web site: MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Rwanda, the case of Paul Rusesabagina. 2021-04-03. www.europarl.europa.eu. en.
  6. News: 2022-06-19 . Suspected militants shoot at bus in southwestern Rwanda, kill two . en . Reuters . 2022-06-19.
  7. Web site: Rwandan rebel leader pleads guilty to terrorism . 2022-06-20 . News24 . en-US . 2022-06-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220620204845/https://www.news24.com/News24/rwandan-rebel-leader-pleads-guilty-to-terrorism-20190523 . live .
  8. News: Uwiringiyimana. Clement. 2020-10-05. Rwanda seeks to merge 'Hotel Rwanda' hero's case with that of 18 rebel suspects. en. Reuters. 2021-04-03. 2021-09-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20210904124732/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-rwanda-politics-idUSKBN26Q268. live.
  9. Web site: Rwandan court starts trial against prototype of character in "Hotel Rwanda" - Xinhua English.news.cn. 2021-04-03. www.xinhuanet.com. 2021-02-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20210218092048/http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2021-02/18/c_139748564.htm. live.
  10. Web site: What happened on the first day of the Rusesabagina trial?. 2021-04-03. www.rwandafacts.com. 2021-02-23. https://web.archive.org/web/20210223094549/https://www.rwandafacts.com/feed/detail/what-happened-on-the-first-day-of-the-rusesabagina-trial/. live.
  11. News: 2020-09-14. Paul Rusesabagina: Hotel Rwanda hero charged with terrorism. en-GB. BBC News. 2021-04-03. 2021-03-27. https://web.archive.org/web/20210327185048/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-54147759. live.
  12. Web site: 2021-09-21. Who got what sentence in the FLN trial?. 2021-10-04. The New Times Rwanda. en. 2021-10-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20211004160154/https://www.newtimes.co.rw/news/who-got-what-sentence-fln-trial. live.
  13. Web site: Stephanie Busari and Nina Avramova. Paul Rusesabagina of 'Hotel Rwanda' fame sentenced to 25 years on terrorism charges. 2021-10-04. CNN. 2021-09-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20210920202241/https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/20/africa/paul-rusesabagina-verdict-rwanda-intl/index.html. live.

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