Dutch version can be found here.
The rush transcript shows that the Dutch government refutes all claims by the Rwandan opposion parties of Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, Frank Habineza and Ntaganda that the process sofar has been rigged and since july the Dutch government is apparently copresiding the Rwandan National Electoral Commission.
The translated answer by Maxime Verhagen which specifically refutes an important claim by the Permanent Consultative Council of Opposition Parties states:
“The claim of the PCC that the independence of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) would only be guaranteed through the participation of opposition is not shared by me. The PCC is the fact that the chairman of the NEC is a member of the RPF. Neutrality, however, effectively monitored by the co-chair a donor. Netherlands since July 2010 as co-chairman of the NEC is active and is also responsible for setting the agenda and it is taken up by specific topics.
The NEC is directly involved in the process for the adjustment of the electoral law and also responsible for the electoral process. The NEC shall also ensure that the fairness of the campaign, eg by checking that the media focus on their current four candidates distribute evenly. The registration of presidential candidates was held at the NEC. “
On Frank Habineza the statement by Maxime Verhagen states that his party wanted to participate without fulfilling all condition, which is (my translation) ” participating without holding a founding meeting, which is considered contrary to Rwandan constitution.” A statement that totally ignores the fact that the Rwandan government has made it impossible, through Kafkaesk measures, for the Green Party to hold such a meeting.
I advise those holding a meeting in August 3 in DC “Rwandan Elections: Implications for Peace and Stability in Rwanda and the Great Lakes Region” to carefully read the transcript and to specifically adress the fact that the Dutch government is now member of the Rwandan NEC.
Has anyone in the world ever seen a foreign government be part of a National Electoral Commission?
If you want to read how Kagame rigged the 2003 elections, read here
