NORTHERN PROVINCE

Musanze—Sixty-three former militia were discharged yesterday after three months of education at Mutobo rehabilitation centre.

Singing and dancing to traditional Kinyarwanda music, they bid farewell to rebel activities, which they called the worst experience in their life.

"We have lived a very bad life in the last thirteen years within the forest of Uvira [DR Congo], the conditions were unbearable” says Kayiranga Gilbert, a former intelligence officer for FDRL.

The excited ex-combatants were overwhelmed with the good reception they had as they arrived at the rehabilitation centre, saying that beliefs and rumous prior to their attendance were that they would be killed immediately.

The chairman of Rwanda Demobilization and Reintegration Commission Jean Sayinzoga said that Rwanda had opened all avenues for the rebels to stop rebel activities and return to their mother country.

Sayinzoga asked the former combatants to be partners in peace building and general development by setting up cooperatives, which would help with income generation.

During the three-month rehabilitation, they were schooled on perspectives of Rwanda’s history, good governance, human rights and justice.

World Bank representative Victoria Kakwa asked the ex-combatants to use their knowledge and play an active role in building their communities.

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