Rwandese National Union

The Rwandese National Union (French: Union nationale rwandaise, UNAR) was a conservative, pro-monarchy political party in Rwanda.

Rwandese National Union Union nationale rwandaise
Abbreviation	UNAR
Founder	François Rukeba
Founded	3 September 1959 (1959-09-03)
Dissolved	December 1963 (in Rwanda)
Headquarters	Nyamirambo
Ideology	Conservatism Monarchism
Politics of Rwanda Political parties Elections

History

Founding and early activities

Further information: Rwandan Revolution

Union Nationale Rwandaise (Rwandese National Union), or UNAR, was a conservative Rwandan political party.^[1] Founded on 3 September 1959,^[2] by François Rukeba, and strongly supported by King Kigeri V. At the time, Rwanda was still under Belgian administration, and UNAR was the leading monarchist party. It called for immediate independence under a hereditary Tutsi constitutional monarchy.^{[citation needed]} Michel Rwagasana became its secretary general.^[3]

The party boycotted the 1960 local elections,^[4] but participated in the 1961 parliamentary elections, receiving 17% of the vote, winning 7 of the 44 seats in the Legislative Assembly. Its rival PARMEHUTU won the majority in the assembly.^[5] In February 1962 the United Nations brokered a compromise, the New York Accord,^[6] in attempt to ensure Rwandan politics remained inclusive. The agreement called for PARMEHUTU under Grégoire Kayibanda to form a coalition government with UNAR,^[7] guaranteeing the latter two ministerial portfolios in the government.^[8] UNAR subsequently joined a coalition government with the victorious PARMEHUTU, and was given the cabinet posts responsible for cattle and public health.^[5]

Split, armed conflict, and demise

However, sections of UNAR disagreed with the compromise of New York. The accord thus split UNAR into an accommodationist faction committed to working through the coalition, and a restorationist faction intent on using armed force to attack the new government.^[7] The restorationist faction organized itself as "UNAR extérieure" in exile, seeking to restore the Rwandan monarchy.^[9] On 17 May 1962 Michel Rwagasana, a leader of UNAR's accommodationist faction, declared before the Legislative Assembly that UNAR was committed to working with the Rwandan government. The restorationists were deeply angered by this statement and it resulted in a total fracture in the party between those who remained in Rwanda and those in exile.^[10]

On 21 December 1963 Rwandan Tutsi exiles from Burundi attacked a military camp in Gako, Bugesera. They then advanced on Kigali before being stopped and defeated by the Rwandan National Guard.^[11] The Rwandan regime subsequently moved to purge moderate Hutu politicians and UNAR members.^[12] Pierre Claver Karyabwite, vice president of the UNAR youth wing, was tipped off by a local official that UNAR's leadership was to be executed. He drove to Nyamirambo, where UNAR was headquartered and where Rwagasana and party president Joseph Rutsindintwarane lived to warn them of the danger. According to Karyabwite, the two refused to flee.^[13] On 23 December the UNAR leaders and moderates were detained and taken to Ruhengeri. Over the course of the night they were tortured and early the following morning they were brought to Nyamagumba hill and executed under the supervision of a Belgian officer, Major Turpin.^[12] After the purge, UNAR effectively ceased to exist inside Rwanda.^[14] In 1965, Rwanda became a one-party state under Parmehutu.^[15]

Elements of the UNAR's armed wing continued to carry out attacks until 1967.^[14] However, the exiled UNAR never recovered from the failure of the 1963 invasion, instead further descending into infighting. According to Frank Rusagara, the "UNAR was virtually dead" due to intense factionalism by 1965/66. At this point, splinter groups of the UNAR included the Front de Libération Rwandaise (FLR) under Gabriel Sebeza, the Movement Populaire Rwandais (MPR) under Joseph Mudandi; the Jeunesse Nationaliste Kigeri V led by Léopold Nkurikiye; the Congrès de la Jeunesse Rwandaise (COJER) under Kanobayire; and the Jeunesse de l'UNAR (JUNAR) headed by François Rukeba and his son Jean Kayitare.^[16]