NORTHERN PROVINCE BURERA — Residents of Rugarama Sector, Burera district, this week held a bonding fete after a successful settlement of land disputes which had rocked the area for years. The event was seen as an occasion to bind residents and strengthen cooperation among them. According to the sector Executive Secretary, Faustin Kayiteshonga over 700 Rwandan returnees who had fled the country in 1959, and who were seconded by fellow residents were resettled. Returnees of 1959 were embroiled in incessant land wrangles with those who were settled on their land but now the disputes have been settled peacefully, officials said. The residents also used the occassion to celebrate last years’ achievements. Rugarama Sector emerged the best in innovating and executing the goals in performance contracts at the national level. They also a built a health centre, nursery schools in all Cells, and formed a farmers’ cooperative union which supplysdistributes modified Irish potatoes seeds among farmers. Kayiteshonga says that area elders attest that the residents of Rugarama did not entertain ethnic ideologies even when the Tutsi were expelled in 1959. According to Kaiteshonga, the residents accompanied the expelled Rwandans with their property up to the Ugandan border of Cyanika. Ends
