More than 20 people were wounded in clashes that broke out yesterday afternoon between prisoners, according to prisoners in Rumonge . Police say security has been strengthened since this morning to prevent further confrontation.
Rumonge central prison
More than 20 people were injured following the clashes that occurred on 3 August during the afternoon, between the residents of Rumonge prison. Colonel Kadende, and two other prisoners were seriously wounded.
The clashes were allegedly political. The prisoners divided themselves into two camps; those affiliated with the ruling party and others supposed to be political opponents, according to prisonners sources.
In a meeting held by the governor of the southern Rumonge Province, some prisonners accused the director of the prison of sympathizing with the prisoners affiliated to the ruling CNDD-FDD party. They accused him of placing party supporters in positions of responsibility. Prisoners should elect their own representatives, they said.
According to sources in Rumonge Province, the root cause of this confrontation was that cooks, in collaboration with some prisoners responsible for ensuring order and security within the prison, provide less food to prisoners believed to support the opposition compared to those who support the ruling party.
The same sources say that calm has returned but tension between prisoners persists. Similar confrontations occurred in the Rumonge prison on 5 April when prisoners refused their representatives appointed by officials of the prison.
The police spokesman, Pierre Nkurikiye, said the prison staff rapidly intervened to calm the prisoners and to prevent others from escaping. “On 5 August morning, the prison officials transferred 19 prisoners involved in the clashes to other prisons,” Nkurikiye said. He also said the number of police officers was increased to enhance security in the prison.
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