At Rwanda’s Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) border, families and friends are awaiting for 150 refugees who have freely decided to come back home.
Those who don’t have families will be taken to Rubavu District based Mukamira refugee camp for shelter.
Jean Claude Rwahama the Director of refugees’ repatriation at the Ministry of National Disaster and Preparedness, said that the returnees in the camp will be facilitated to integrate themselves in the society.
The integration process involves training them on vocational skills, connecting them back to their families and some are supported to set income generating activities.
The continuing repatriation process is geared by a cession clause which rules that no Rwandan will be called a refugee by June 30th next year.
“The process is going on well since there’s no reason now for anyone to be out of his or her country,” said Rwahama.
According to UNHCR statistics there’re 70,000 Rwandan refugees of whom the majority have shown interest of freely be repatriated.
This can be seen in the number of returnees from January to June this year totaling to 4,644 , yet last week only, 40 Rwandans from DRC returned home.
Most of these refugees returning are believed to have fled Rwanda during the war that stopped the 1994 Genocide 17 years down the road.
Most of these who took part in the Genocide, have on several occasions don’t have worries of being prosecuted once they’re back, while others hesitate to return due to misleading information about the country’s security.
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