Relocation of DRC refugees begins today

The exercise to transport Congolese refugees from Nkamira refugee Transit camp Rubavu District, Western Province, to a new site in Kigeme, Nyamagabe District, Southern Province, is slated to begin today.

Sunday, June 10, 2012
Refugees disembark from a UNHCR vehicle at Nkamira refugee camp on their arrival from DRC. The Sunday Times / File.

The exercise to transport Congolese refugees from Nkamira refugee Transit camp Rubavu District, Western Province, to a new site in Kigeme, Nyamagabe District, Southern Province, is slated to begin today.Speaking to The Sunday Times yesterday, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Disaster Preparedness and Refugee Affairs (MIDMAR), Antoine Ruvebana, said over 100 personnel from his ministry were at Nkamira camp to help in the exercise."Initially Nkamira refugee camp was supposed to accommodate at least 2,500 refugees but currently there are 11,700, so this means that it has no capacity to host such a large number, It’s in this regard that MIDMAR, in partnership with UNHCR, will begging transporting them to the new site” Ruvebana said.He said that they have finished clearing the new site in Kigeme spreading over 20 hectares. On average, 145 people have been crossing into Rwanda daily, but Ruvebana noted that the number was increasing to over 230.