Rwanda: Forced Disappearance of a person

                          Case RWA 231198

The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT 
intervention regarding the following situation in Rwanda.

Brief description of the situation:

The International Secretariat has just been informed by Agir Ensemble 
pour les Droits de l'Homme, member of the OMCT network, of the alleged 
forced disappearance of a person in Rwanda.

According to the information, on 21 August 1998,at about 7.15 a.m., Mr. 
Ignace Kanyabogoyi (aged 50), from Kigombe,  prefecture  of Ruhenri, left 
his home to go to his office.  He never came back.  He is the 
administrative manager of a factory, which produces soap.

It has been also reported that on the 23 August 1998, at about 5 a.m., 
members of the Military entered his home, apparently without warrant.  
One of them immediately went to the roof and found a rifle.  His wife has 
stated that Mr. Kanyabogoyi has never possessed such a firearm.

Furthermore, following Mr. Kanyabogoyi disappearance, members of the 
military threatened foreign employees of the International Committee of 
the Red Cross (ICRC) who were living at their house as lodgers.  Agir 
Ensemble pour les Droits de l'Homme has informed the International 
Secretariat that Mr. Kanyabogoyi's wife has subsequently fled Rwanda 
fearing for her security. 

According to the information, despite inquiries carried out by members 
of his family, including requests to the Ministry of Justice, the Military 
Staff Head of the "Gendarmerie" and the Head of the Information Central 
Service (Chef du Service Central du Renseignement), the whereabouts of 
Mr. Kanyabogoyi remain unknown.  However, according to reliable 
sources of Agir Ensemble pour les Droits de l'Homme,  it is likely that Mr. 
Kanyabogoyi is being held at the military camp of Kigali. 

Action requested

Please write to the Rwandan authorities urging them to :


  i.  establish the whereabouts of Mr. Ignace Kanyabogoyi, 
    guarantee his physical and psychological integrity and order his 
    immediate release should he be found to be detained without 
    valid charges or should such charges exist, bring him to trial 
    before a competent and impartial tribunal and guarantee his due 
    process rights ;

ii. carry out a thorough and impartial investigation into the facts 
    alleged  in order to identify those responsible, bring them before 
     a competent court and impose upon them the penal, civil and/or 
    administrative sanctions required  by law;

iii.ensure that any person detained for whatever valid reason be 
    brought without delay before a competent court or judicial 
    authority which will rule on the case;

  iv. guarantee in all circumstances the respect of human rights and 
    fundamental liberties in accordance with national laws and 
    international human rights standards.

  Addresses 

Son Excellence Pasteur Bizimungu, President de la Republique, 
Presidence de la Republique, BP 15, Kigali, Rwanda, Fax: +250-
84769/84390		

General-Major Paul Kagame, Vice-President et Ministre de la Defense
Ministere de la Defense, BP 23, Kigali, Rwanda, Telegrams: Vice-
President, Kigali, Rwanda, Fax:  +250-72431/76969

Pierre-Celestin RWIGEMA, Premier Ministre, BP 1334, Kigali, Rwanda, 
Telegrams: Prime Minister, Kigali, Rwanda, Fax: +250 83714

Diplomatic representatives of Rwanda accredited to your country.

Geneva, 23 November 1997

The Human Rights Action Network, a part of Derechos Human Rights, distributes appeals on behalf of victims of human rights violations. You are invited to join the network. Please check the date of the present action and do not write if it's over a month old.