Ex-M23 combatants seek refugee status in Rwanda

Members of an M23 breakaway rebel faction who fled to Rwanda have renounced rebellion and political activities that might be associated with armed groups and asked the UN refugee agency to grant them refugee status.The ex-combatants declared this yesterday while meeting members of the diplomatic missions in Rwanda and international agencies who visited them in Ngoma Interment Camp in Eastern Province.The renouncement was done voluntarily in writing. An oath form seen by The New Times and signed by former rebel president reads; “I Jean-Marie Rugerero Runiga, hereby willingly genuinely and permanently renounce all political activities that can be associated to armed groups.”Fierce fighting between two rebel factions of M23 broke out in March with one group led by Gen. Sultani Makenga causing 1,500 people, including 682 rebel fighters, led by ex-political leader Runiga, to flee to Rwanda.“What we want now is to be considered as refugees. We are no longer involved in military and political activities,” Runiga told the diplomats and Rwanda government officials.He said it would be prudent for the UN to speed up the process of granting them refugee status since they were tired of living in camps. The ex-combatants include Brig. Gen Bauduoin Ngaruye and Colonel Innocent Zimurinda and.The diplomats were on a mission to assess the condition under which the former rebels are living and ascertain more information regarding rumours that some had fled back to Congo to rejoin their former colleagues in the eastern DRC.If refugee status is given to the ex-combatants, they will be free to move freely or taken to refugee camps in different parts of the country. During the meeting, some diplomats asked the Minister of Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs, Seraphine Mukantabana, about the implication of status change by the ex-combatants to the DRC government.“Rwanda is party to the international convention governing these issues and all the process will be in respect to the convention so DRC shouldn’t have a problem,” she said.Minsiter Mukantabana cited lack of enough beds, food, health facilities among the challenges the group face.Brig Gen. Ngaruye speaks outBrig. Ngaruye said they cannot return to DRC since the country is insecure.“The issue of retuning to Congo is tricky because even those who are there are escaping. Renunciation means that fighting has not benefited us and what we need is peace in the region,” he said.Last December, the UN Security Council slapped Ngaruye and Innocent Kaina with travel ban and asset freeze for their alleged involvement in the recruitment and use of child soldiers in the conflict in the DRC conflicts.Asked about the sanctions, he said: “I don’t think it makes sense now since we have renounced the rebellion.”

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Ex-M23 combatants seek refugee status in Rwanda