Zimbabwe: Rwandan Refugees Resist Repatriation
Published: 27/Apr/2017
Source: Financial Gazette (Harare)
More than 500 Rwandan refugees residing at Tongogara Refugee Camp are resisting repatriation despite assurances from the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) that it was now safe for them to return home, the Financial Gazette can report.
Efforts to repatriate the refugees follow a UNHCR meeting held in Geneva last year where a secession clause was adopted whereby all Rwandan refugees and asylum seekers across the globe are to be repatriated from December 31 this year.
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The Rwandan community leader, Philip Sindayigaya, argued that nothing had changed in their home country that warrants their return, alleging that the Kagame-led government was still involved in atrocities against the Hutus.
“… our position is clear: No one here wants to return home. We want to stay in Zimbabwe because what we ran from (retribution) is still there,” said Sindayigaya, adding that they had written to Mupfumira and President Robert Mugabe on the issue.
“We have been appealing for Zimbabwean citizenships, we have noted that other nationals have benefited or resettled and we want similar treatment. You should know that every Rwandan here ran from different problems back home, but the UN is generalising our problems. So we are very worried and heartbroken about this issue.
“There are still problems in our home country and as I speak more people are still seeking refugee elsewhere,” he added.
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