Police to investigate protests of Congolese refugees

Rwanda National Police is to investigate the cause of Tuesday’s protests by Congolese refugees at Kiziba Refugee Camp in Karongi District, the Ministry of Disaster Management and Refugees said yesterday. The protests were said to have followed a decision by the World Food Programme (WFP) to reduce food assistance to all refugees in Rwanda by 25 per cent due to funding shortage. Some refugees who talked to The New Times said they left the camp to march to UNHCR offices to express their anger following the cut which affected their food rations. “We have been here in the camp for the past 22 years and we feel tired, even if our country is yet to be secure we shouldn’t be starving,” said Patrique Bimenyimana, one of refugees in the camp. Bimenyimana lamented that following the support reduction their current food ration is Rwf5700 per person a month, from Rwf7600. In a statement released yesterday, Jean Claude Rwahama, the Director of Refugees Affairs at the Ministry of Disaster Management and Refugees, said refugee representatives had met camp management, local authorities, as well as UN partner agencies to discuss the cause of Tuesday’s incident. “It is unfortunate that some of the refugees resorted to the use of violence even as local authorities and security personnel intervened to help find a solution to their grievances. Several people were injured, but we are thankful that there were no fatalities,” said Rwahama. The camp was established in December, 1996 following the closure of the Umubano and Mudende Transit Center camp in Rubavu District, where refugees who fled conflicts in eastern DR Congo were attacked by ex-FAR and Interahamwe militia. Earlier last month, the World Food Programme and UNHCR urged partners to provide support for refugees living in Rwanda after reducing their support by 25per cent. Efforts to contact UNHCR office in Kigali were futile by press time as they were yet to respond to our email as promised. Rwahama said government remains mindful of the rights of refugees. “But they must respect the laws of the host country. Police will therefore carry out thorough investigations into this incident, to establish responsibility and ensure it doesn’t re-occur. And whoever is behind the unlawful acts will have to account for it,” he added. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Police to investigate protests of Congolese refugees