More Congolese refugees enter Rwanda

260 more Congolese refugees were received on Thursday at Nkamira Transit Centre in Rubavu District, according to Fredric Ntawukuriryayo, MIDIMAR’s Public Relations Officer.Ntawukuriryayo, yesterday, told The New Times that up to 150 refuges are transferred daily to Kigeme camp in Nyamagabe District but many others keep coming in.“It is not possible to estimate the time or the exact number of refugees because as we shift them to the new location, sometimes greater numbers are registered as new entrants,” he said.The relocation exercise which started early this week has so far seen a total of 590 refugees comprising 84 families transferred to the new location.According to officials at the Ministry of Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs (MIDIMAR), a total of 13,000 refuges are estimated to be on Rwandan soil as a result of the ongoing political conflict in Eastern DRC.Some refugees are worried that despite the relocation exercise, the rehabilitated shelter that is meant to accommodate them could be overcrowded in a short time.“I have realised that more refugees are still fleeing their homes. There is little hope that the living conditions will improve any time soon,” Aimee Muhawenimana, one of the refugees observed.Theo Mwiseneza , another refugee, expressed worry that the centre which was initially supposed to accommodate 2600 refugees is currently playing host to over 13,000.It is expected that the refugees will continue to be moved until Kigeme camp is filled to capacity after which another place sought.So far, there are no confirmed disease out breaks as is common among most refugee camps because facilities such as water and toilets have been set up to ensure sanitation and hygiene.his latest influx of Congolese refugees crossing the border into Rwanda adds to the already existing 50,000 refugees who have been in Rwanda for over 15 years having fled insurgencies in the same region.

National

More Congolese refugees enter Rwanda