{"id":55367,"date":"2025-08-26T11:59:37","date_gmt":"2025-08-26T11:59:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/rwandan-returnees-recount-life-under-fdlr-captivity-in-dr-congo\/"},"modified":"2025-08-26T11:59:28","modified_gmt":"2025-08-26T11:59:28","slug":"rwandan-returnees-recount-life-under-fdlr-captivity-in-dr-congo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/rwandan-returnees-recount-life-under-fdlr-captivity-in-dr-congo\/","title":{"rendered":"Rwandan returnees recount life under FDLR captivity in DR Congo"},"content":{"rendered":"

Their repatriation follows resolutions from a tripartite meeting between Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), held in Addis Ababa on July 24, 2025.<\/p>\n

The 533 returnees had been confined in an FDLR-controlled areas in eastern DRC. They were later moved to a temporary camp in Goma before their safe passage to Rwanda was facilitated.<\/p>\n

{{Harrowing experiences in captivity}}<\/p>\n

Nyirahabimana Paradia is among the returnees who fled Rwanda in 1994 and had been living in Nyangezi, near Bukavu in South Kivu. She described the atmosphere of fear that surrounded Rwandans under FDLR control.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you tried to return to Rwanda, they told you you would either be killed or imprisoned upon arrival. In Congo today, being known as a Rwandan is even worse than being killed, because groups like the \u2018Wazalendo\u2019 abduct and kill,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

She explained that she eventually fled to the UN-run camp after being targeted for abduction, leaving behind her eldest child. She urged Rwandans still in Congo to repatriate, assuring them of peace and safety back home.<\/p>\n

Another returnee, Musoni Bavugayabo Fran\u00e7ois from Rwerere, recounted constant insecurity in Rusayu where armed men roamed at night, abducting and harming residents. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe were told those who returned to Rwanda were killed, but later we would hear they were actually alive,\u201d he recalled.<\/p>\n

Similarly, Egide Twagirumukiza, 65, said he had lived in DRC since 1994 under the perpetual threat of FDLR. <\/p>\n

\u201cThey never allowed us to return. They threatened that anyone attempting to leave would either be killed or jailed,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

{{A new beginning in Rwanda}}<\/p>\n

Welcoming the returnees, Rubavu District Mayor Mulindwa Prosper reassured them of progress. He also encouraged returnees to quickly reintegrate into their communities and take advantage of available opportunities in the country.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou will find a different Rwanda, one built on peace, development, and opportunity. You will join cooperatives, access modern banking services, and benefit from programs tailored for women and youth. Tell your relatives still in Congo that what they were told about Rwanda is not true, you will see for yourselves the reality of progress,\u201d he emphasized.<\/p>\n

The returnees were transported to the Nyarushishi Transit Centre in Rusizi District, where they will temporarily reside before reintegration into normal life.<\/p>\n

They join over 1,100 Rwandans who were repatriated in May 2025 under similar arrangements facilitated by UNHCR. <\/p>\n

As of August 6, 2025, UNHCR reported that 630 Rwandans were still living in the temporary Goma camp, with another 31 scattered across Kitshanga, Karuba, and Mweso.<\/p>\n

Upon arrival, each returnee receives reintegration support. Those above 18 years are allocated $188, minors receive $113, and every individual is provided with a food package worth Rwf 40,800 to help them start a new life in Rwanda.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/figure>\n
\"The<\/figure>\n
\"The<\/figure>\n
\"Nyirahabimana<\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

More than 500 Rwandans who had been held hostage for decades by the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) have returned home, crossing into Rwanda through the La Corniche border in Rubavu District on August 25, 2025.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":62,"featured_media":2000093119,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[75],"byline":[170],"hashtag":[],"class_list":["post-55367","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-homenews","byline-igihe"],"bylines":[{"id":170,"name":"IGIHE","slug":"igihe","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default avatar","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","sizes":[]},"user_id":8}],"contributors":[{"id":170,"name":"IGIHE","slug":"igihe","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default avatar","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","sizes":[]},"user_id":8}],"featured_image":{"id":2000093119,"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/whatsapp_image_2025-08-25_at_18.11_14-801ab.jpg","alt":"","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","width":0,"height":0,"sizes":{"thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/whatsapp_image_2025-08-25_at_18.11_14-801ab.jpg","width":1,"height":1},"medium":{"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/whatsapp_image_2025-08-25_at_18.11_14-801ab.jpg","width":1,"height":1},"medium_large":{"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/whatsapp_image_2025-08-25_at_18.11_14-801ab.jpg","width":1,"height":1},"large":{"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/whatsapp_image_2025-08-25_at_18.11_14-801ab.jpg","width":1,"height":1},"full":{"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/whatsapp_image_2025-08-25_at_18.11_14-801ab.jpg","width":0,"height":0}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55367","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/62"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55367"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55367\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2000093119"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55367"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55367"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=55367"},{"taxonomy":"byline","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/byline?post=55367"},{"taxonomy":"hashtag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hashtag?post=55367"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}