From Facilitation to Promotion of Rwandan refugees – UNHCR’s policy shift in Rwanda:
Having examined the positive developments within Rwanda and noting the substantial increase in the number of Rwandan refugees voluntarily electing to return home, in 2002 UNHCR changed its policy from merely facilitating voluntary return of Rwandan refugees to actively promoting voluntary repatriation. In 2005 a total of 9,600 were voluntarily repatriated from different African countries. Since the start of the promotion of the voluntary repatriation of Rwandans refugees abroad in October 2002 to 2005 about 71,000 people voluntarily returned home.
It is currently estimated that there are more than 50,000 Rwandans refugees and more than 19,000 asylum seekers throughout the African continent with DRC (10,000), Kenya (2,700) Uganda (15,600), Zambia (5,000), Zimbabwe (3,000) and Malawi (3,000) hosting the most significant numbers of refugees. Presently, the following countries are hosting Rwandans: Angola Benin, Burundi, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory Cost, Republic of Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Tripartite Agreements
A Tripartite Agreement is a legal document signed by authorities from a country hosting Rwandan refugees, the Government of Rwanda, and the UNHCR which sets out the modalities for the voluntary repatriation of those refugees. Thus, between 2002 and 2006, Tripartite Agreements have been signed between the government of Rwanda, UNHCR and the governments of Malawi, Namibia, Burundi, Congo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, the Central African Republic and Tanzania. The most recent was signed in March 2006 with the government of Kenya.
Promotional Campaigns
Branch Office Kigali produced informational materials promoting the voluntary repatriation of Rwandan refugees abroad to Rwanda. For example, Kinyarwanda-language videos have been produced in 2002 and the first half of 2003 looking at local conflict resolution mechanisms put in place for returnees as well as testimonies of recent returnees about their experience reintegrating into Rwandan society.
Within this effort to promote voluntary repatriation have been organized "Go and see" visits that consist of representatives from the refugee communities visiting Rwanda and returning to share their testimony with their fellow Rwandan refugees. These visits have also been recorded on video to be distributed among those countries holding Rwandan refugees.
UNHCR also funds sensitization missions (‘Come and Tell’ visits), through which Rwandan government officials and Rwandan returnees visit areas hosting Rwandan refugees, to respond to the Rwandan refugees’ concerns especially regarding gacaca functioning, government policy on returning property (chiefly homes and lands), and justice and reconciliation.
In October 2005 UNHCR Rwanda launched a newsletter (‘Rwanda Returnees News’) to facilitate the dissemination of information among those countries holding refugees. This publication put emphasis in aspect related to gender, reconciliation and justice, reintegration and development.
Repatriation packages
In Rwanda, returnees are received in three transit centres. Two of the transit centers are located at the border with DRC: Nyagatare and Nkamira (in Western region). The majority of the returnees in 2005 passed through these transit centers. The third transit centre (Rukomo) is located in the Northern region, to receive returnees from Uganda. Returnees repatriated by air have been received in the airport of Kigali; they were mainly coming from the Republic of Congo (Congo Brazzaville) and Malawi. While they are waiting to be transported to their communes of origin, returnees are accommodated in these transit centers. The duration of their stay is normally less than one week. The transit centers are equipped with facilities to meet their basic needs (water, sanitation, food), including cooking stoves and firewood.
A medical screening of returnees is carried out during their stay in the transit centers. Serious medical cases are referred to hospitals.
All returnees are given a standard repatriation package, consisting of a three-month food ration (maize, flour, beans, oil, slat and CSB) and a basic non-food item package (kitchen sets, jerry cans, sanitary materials, hoes, blankets, soap and plastic sheeting). Special arrangements were made for vulnerable returnees and their repatriation claims were processed as a priority. They were transported on separate buses, and given immediate medical attention at the entry point as needed (instead of having to wait to return to their commune of origin).
Returnee monitoring
Within the programme of promotion of voluntary repatriation, UNHCR has been implementing a returnee monitoring programme in order follow up the reintegration of returnees within their communities, ensure the sustainability of the repatriation and, as a result, prevent conditions which may lead to their flight again. There are currently 5 returnee monitoring officers deployed in different parts of the country (Northern, Western, Southern and Kigali City regions) and one returnee monitoring coordinator based in Kigali.
Need more information?
For more information on Rwanda’s reconciliation efforts, please consult: Rwandan National Unity and Reconciliation Commission (NURC), especially reports on the gacaca traditional court system.
For more information on the Disarmament, Demobilization, Repatriation, Rehabilitation Resettlement and Reintegration (DDRRR) programme, consult the Rwandan Demobilization and Reintegration Commission (RDRC) and the United Nations for the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC).
For more information on Rwanda’s land policy, see the Rwandan Ministry of Lands and Human Resettlement (MINITERRE) as well as the Brookings Initiative. |
