The Democratic Republic of Congo

[Nathaniel]

The New Times (Kigali)

October 22, 2006
Posted to the web October 23, 2006

Stevenson Mugisha
Kigali

The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) last week, repatriated over 66 Rwandan refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Jean de Dieu Gashugi, the Acting Immigration officer at Rusizi 1 border, acknowledged to the New Times the repatriation of Rwandans who have been living in Congo but said that its part of the government's programme to receive all Rwandans back home.

"We received and registered 66 Rwandan refugees from DR-Congo with 41 children, 23 women and two men. We welcome them back home and hope that their coming will strengthen the impressive reconstruction programme in the country, " Gashugi said.

Gashugi also revealed that the repatriated refugees were brought from different refugee camps and different zones of DR Congo like; Buvila, Fizi and Kalehe zones in the southern Kivu province while others were repatriated from Masisi zone in the northern Kivu province.

Gashugi further pointed out that the returnees were taken to Nyagatare Transit camp in Gihundwe sector, Rusizi district where they are currently resettled temporarily from where they will be taken to their respective families.

Some of the returnees also who spoke to The New Times expressed gratitude to the UNHCH, DR Congo and the Rwandan government for their cooperation that enabled their return.

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"I'm very happy today because am once again in my own country and i am going to forget all the mistreatments and harassments we have been suffering in the DR Congo" said Marie Mukarugamba who came with her two children.

Another returnee, Deforoza Uwizerimana said, "i am also so happy to come back to my motherland because I left my husband and children in the country in 1994 Genocide and now I have started gaining hope of meeting them once again if they are still alive"

The Gashugi also revealed that all those returnees who were repatriated are refugees who left the country during the 1994 Genocide.


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