Former FDLR captives, now preachers of hope

On Sunday 8th August 2010, a day before the presidential elections, Jeremy Danneman a famous saxophonist from New York City visited Mutobo Demobilization center, Northern Province, a short distance from Musanze town, where he was playing his saxophone for his Parade of one project that aims at commemorating genocide and building reconciliation in countries where genocide took place. It was amazing how they welcomed Jeremy, singing and dancing. The rhythms created similes on each of their faces. They were happily clapping their hands at every finished song. This demobilization center is comprised of 195 former captives who have been fighting a war they don’t understand in the Democratic Republic of Congo forests. They tell horrific stories of how they spent months without food, medical care and shelter. Some were forced to steal, rape, kill and do all sorts of crimes in the DRC. Three young mothers, Musabyimana aged 22, Uwayisenga aged 25 and Nyirarukundo have babies born in the forests. They told stories of horror in DRC forests. They are very excited to come to Rwanda and hope to get back to their homes. “We are very much excited to be back. Our children will have medical care and go to school. We are being given food, medical care, and entertainment. This gives us much hope and the future is bright. Rwanda has totally changed. It’s like we’re coming from hell to heaven.’’ Musabyimana says. According to the Director of Mutobo Demobilization Center, Mr. Frank Musonera, the center does all it can to integrate former captives into their previous societies. “Majority of them did not participate in the Genocide. They were recruited in 1998 as the FDLR was fighting in this area.” The director says that they come to the center miserable, but later begin feeling better and happy because of good care and attention given to them. Some are allowed to visit their homes especially mothers and then come back to the center for a month to be rehabilitated before they are integrated back into their societies. At the center, they receive simple treatments and serious medical cases are usually referred to government hospitals. After one month of rehabilitation, they are given sixty thousand Rwandan Francs for them to settle in their societies and begin a new life. After three months, they are given one hundred and twenty Rwandan Francs. He further said that they are always free to obtain loans from banks. The center has set up a website for them to connect with the captives in the DRC forests where they try to convince them to return home. Ends