{{Rwanda’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Vincent Karega has urged RNC members to return to their home country Rwanda before the cessation clause is effected.}}
South African Police has warned Rwandan refugees in the southern country not to engage in any political activities since it contravenes the laws of the country.
Amb. Karega told IGIHE in a telephone Interview Thursday that South African Police had blocked RNC members protesting against the Cessation Clause that targests Rwandan refugees.
Rwanda National Congress (RNC) political pressure group is protesting against the cessation clause which if invoked by South African government will have Rwandan refugees choose between repatriation (returning to Rwanda) and seeking citizenship in host countries.
Rwandan refugees who fled Rwanda between 1959 and 1998 will lose their refugee status and associated legal protection on June 30, 2013, when the UNHCR-invoked Cessation Clause comes into effect.
The Cessation Clause, contained in Article 1C of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, defines the situations in which granted refugee status ends.
This clause, as it applies to Rwandan refugees, was originally proposed to UNHCR by the Government of Rwanda in 2002.
It requires refugees who fled Rwanda between 1959 and 1998 to choose one of three courses of action: (1) voluntarily return to Rwanda, (2) apply for citizenship to stay in the host country, or (3) apply for an extension of their refugee status based on certain exemption criteria.
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