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Rwanda 2003 (rev. 2010)
PDF generated: 18 Apr 2016, 15:14
Preamble
We, the People of Rwanda,
1. In the wake of the genocide against the Tutsi that was organised and
supervised by unworthy leaders and other perpetrators and that decimated
more than a million sons and daughters of Rwanda;
2. Resolved to fight the ideology of genocide and all its manifestations and to
eradicate ethnic, regional and any other form of divisions;
3. Determined to fight dictatorship by putting in place democratic institutions
and leaders freely elected by ourselves;
4. Emphasizing on the necessity to strengthen and promote national unity and
reconciliation which were seriously shaken by the genocide against the
Tutsi and its consequences;
5. Conscious that peace and unity of Rwandans constitute the essential basis
for national economic development and social progress;
6. Resolved to build a State governed by the rule of law, based on respect for
fundamental human rights, pluralistic democracy, equitable power sharing,
tolerance and resolution of issues through dialogue;
7. Considering that we enjoy the privilege of having one country, a common
language, a common culture and a long shared history which ought to lead
to a common vision of our destiny;
8. Considering that it is necessary to draw from our centuries-old history the
positive values which characterized our ancestors that must be the basis
for the existence and flourishing of our Nation ;
9. Reaffirming our adherence to the principles of human rights enshrined in
the United Nations Charter of 26 June 1945, the Convention on the
Prevention and Punishment of the crime of Genocide of 9 December 1948,
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 10 December 1948, the
International Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Racial
Discrimination of 21 December 1965, the International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of 19 December 1966, the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of 19 December 1966,
the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against
Women of 1 May 1980, the African Charter of Human and Peoples' Rights
of 27 June 1981 and the Convention on the Rights of the Child of 20
November 1989;
10. Committed to ensuring equal rights between Rwandans and between
women and men without prejudice to the principles of gender equality and
complementarity in national development;
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