United States and Rwanda differ over human rights abuse

A diplomatic row is brewing between United States and Rwanda over what the world superpower terms deteriorating human-rights record in the African country.
The row comes a week after U.S. assistant secretary of state for African Affairs, Johnny Carson, warned the Rwandan government of stifling freedom of expression and the arrest of opposition politician and  presidential hopeful, Victoire Ingabire.
Ingabire, who returned to Rwanda in January, to run for president, was arrested after being accused of  harbouring “divisionism and genocide ideology.”
Rwanda foreign minister and government spokesperson, Louise Mushikiwabo, dismissed Carson’s warning saying  America lacks  understanding of the East African country.
Rwandans, the minister said, “do not have any anxiety. They are at a very exciting time of their history.”
The exchange of words, come in the wake of a series of grenade attacks that recently rocked Kigali, casting doubts of the country’s stability ahead of presidential elections in August, this year.
Speaking in Washington D.C., Carson said the political environment in Rwanda was “riddled by a series of worrying actions.”
“We appreciate, in the context of the most tragic event in recent history –the genocide – the need for security, stability, and reconciliation is critical,” Mr, Carson said.
He added that long-term stability was best promoted by democratic governance and respect for human rights.
The international watchdog, Human Rights Watch, was kicked out of the country and two of the most popular independent newspapers taken to court.
Two political parties – one accused of being ethnically divisive, and the other made up of former ruling-party officials – have also been denied registeration despite repeated attempts.
“We have relayed our concerns, urging senior government leaders to respect freedoms of expression, press, association and assembly,” Carson said
But in a rejoinder Ms Mushikiwabo referred the US official’s concerns as an “out-of-Rwanda reading”  adding that the current politics needed to be “contextualized.”