Traders stranded as DRC shuts down borders with Rwanda

Close to 500 travelers were yesterday stranded at the two border posts that Rwanda shares with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, after the DRC government abruptly shut down their border services earlier than usual.Most of those stranded were long distance traders who use Rwanda as transit to the DRC as well as businessmen and women who operate across the border towns of the two countries.At the Rusizi 1 (Rusiizi-Bukavu) border, 170 Congolese were stranded on the Rwandan side while 150 Rwandans were stranded on the DRC side.And, at the Corniche border post (Rubavu–Goma) close to 70 Congolese were stranded on the Rwandan side and 100 Rwandans on the DRC side.Rwanda, Burundi, and the DRC, grouped under the Economic Community for the Great Lakes Region (CEPGL), April 2010, agreed to increase border operation hours to ease movement of people and goods.The Corniche border in Rubavu has been operational 24 hours while the Rusizi 1 border in Rusizi district closed at 10 p.m.But, without official notification, the DRC Government shut down their services at 6 p.m., leaving the travelers stranded. The DRC communicated through its provincial authorities an issue handled at the national level.Sources from the DRC Embassy in Kigali claimed that they were not aware of the changes.Dieudone Habedi, a Congolese trader who was stranded on the Rwandan side of the border could not hide his frustrations for his government’s failure to respect cross border relations.“It is a total disappointment to find that a country can decide to lock out its own nationals under unclear circumstances,” he said.Habedi, who was en route from Kigali, after one of his frequent shopping trips was forced to spend the night in Rubavu town.The Directorate of Immigration and Emigration confirmed that there were passengers stranded.“There was no proper communication. Our officers at the border were told of the change in operating hours by their counterparts claiming to have been ordered by higher authorities” Anaclet Kalibata, the Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration told The New Times, yesterday.He added that the DRC Government should have officially communicated to the Rwanda Government on the impending changes, after all there is a diplomatic representation in both capitals. This would have given travelers ample time to adjust their schedules accordingly.Traders who purchase goods from as far as Nairobi plan their schedules putting into consideration that the borders work for up to 24 hours.The New Times reliably leant that the agreement on the border operational hours was reached under the CEPGL framework, however, the decision to change the agreement was done unilaterally by the DRC Government without even informing the CEPGL secretariat.The success of the Rubavu-Goma border which was operating 24 hours was used as a stepping stone to have immigration services at the other borders points of CEPGL member countries extended to ease movement of people and goods and improve relations among the three countries.By press time, there were increasing fears that the Rwandans who are still held up on the Congolese side could be tortured or held hostage as it has previously happened.

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Traders stranded as DRC shuts down borders with Rwanda