Police Reform: Arusha Accord – 4 August 1993

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Police Reform: Arusha Accord – 4 August 1993

Implementations

Police Reform – 1993

The Arusha Accord of 1993 called for several limited police reforms. The accord called for the National Gendarmerie, or military police, under the Ministry of Interior to be in charge of training the Communal Police (Local Police). The language of article 146 suggests that the local police would recieve some of the same training as the National Gendarmerie. Local police may also work with the military police on security matters to maintain public order and security. However, the local police, not the military police, would enforce laws at the local level. No reforms along these lines were reported in 1993.

Police Reform – 1994

No organizational reforms concerning the police consistent with article 146 took place this year.

Police Reform – 1995

No developments observed this year.

Police Reform – 1996

No developments observed this year.

Police Reform – 1997

No developments observed this year.

Police Reform – 1998

No developments observed this year.

Police Reform – 1999

Prior to 1999, the National Unity Government apparently renegotiated the nature of police reforms that were needed and decided to unify all police forces in the country, which is within their mandate in the accord. In 1999, the Rwandan parliament passed a law establishing a national police force which integrated the national gendarmerie, the communal police, and judicial police.1

  1. “Parliament Passes Law Establishing National Police Force,” BBC Monitoring Africa, August 21, 1999.

Police Reform – 2000

A head of the newly formed national police force was appointed in February 2000.1 Another piece of legislation concerning the Rwandan National Police (RNP) was passed under Law No. 09/2000 of June 16, 2000. This law combined further or officially joined the former Gendarmerie Nationale, which was under the Ministry of Defense, with the former Communal Police under the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Judicial Police under the Ministry of Justice.

  1. “Head of Newly-Formed Police, Other Top Security Officials Appointed,” BBC Worldwide Monitoring, February 16, 2000.

Police Reform – 2001

No developments observed this year.

Police Reform – 2002

The personnel of the newly-formed force went through training and some 3,000 officers underwent classes on human rights.1

Postscript: A political training school was developed in Gishali and National Police Academy was set up in Ruhengeri in 2004.2 Community Partnership Programs and Community Partnership Committees were established at the neighborhood level and any unacceptable police behavior was recorded and communicated to the police hierarchy. The Police Training School was designed to professionalize the police service through the provision of basic training. The National Police Academy immediately removed officers from the force if any form of misconduct was detected. Police units with a Women’s Desk were established.3“Rwanda,” Security Reform Resource Center, 2010, accessed September 19, 2011, http://www.ssrresourcecentre.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Country-Prof…

  1. Some 3,000 Police Officers Reportedly “Sensitized On Human Rights,” BBC Summary of World Broadcasts, February 2, 2002.
  2. “Poverty Reduction Strategy Annual Progress Report (June 2003-June 2004),” RDRC, 104, accessed September 19, 2011, www.rdrc.org.rw/ProgrommeDocs/PRSP2004PUBLICATION.pdf.