Rwanda Minister for Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs Seraphine Mukantabana and UNHCR officials visit refugees in camps in Western Rwanda
A Rwanda man identified as Desire Rugira is due to return home after years of leaving in forced refugee status in Uganda.
Rugira says that he was brain washed by Rwandan opposition members who instilled fear into him hindering him to return home until the day he made a visit to Rwanda late last year.
Rugira of Refugee Status No: 470-09 H 00257 & Individual No: 470-00013905 submitted his request to return home through the Ugandan Commissioner for refugees in the Prime Minister’s office and the Ministry of Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs.
The Ministry of Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs (MIDIMAR) are waiting to receive Desire Rugira with his family repatriating from Uganda when he finally decides to return.
“I thank the Government of the Republic of Uganda for receiving, hosting and fully protecting me for the long period I lived as Rwandan refugee in Uganda. But since there is no person who is supposed to be a refugee all his/her life me too my life as refuge ends here,” said Rugira
Rugira has been a refugee since 1994 first in Tanzania where he left in 2008 to Uganda.
He says that he was forced to remain a refugee as a result of Rwandans in opposition asking him to forge a narrative that he was fleeing persecution from Rwanda’s ruling party (RPF) and acquired refugee status under that pretext.
Rugira, a lawyer by profession, also revealed that he opted for a voluntary repatriation after he got convinced on the current situation in Rwanda, when he visited the country last August, 2013.
“When I visited, I witnessed and appreciated how peace, progress activities and respect of human rights have become a major priority issue of the Government of Rwanda,” Rugira wrote in the open letter to the commissioner dated November 18th 2014.
“Hon. Commissioner, I found my home country, Rwanda safe, peaceful and secure. I was satisfied that I do not have any fear of living there. Therefore, I do not find any reason for Rwandans to continue to be called refugees. Thus I decide to abandon refugee life to go back to my home country by 30th, November, 2014” Rugira said.
In the meantime, Rwanda’s Minister Seraphine Mukantabana has called on the UNHCR to revitalize efforts for the implementation of Cessation Clause for Rwandan refugees.
The Cessation Clause was declared on June 30, 2013. That clause applies to those who fled between 1959 and December 1998.
Rwanda has invested enough efforts to promote voluntary repatriation. Between July 2013 and June 2014, over 24,000 Rwandan refugees have returned including those expelled from Tanzania.
As part of the implementation of the Cessation Clause, Rwanda also supports integration by facilitating former refugees to acquire national passports to enable them to legally stay in their host countries due to socio-economic ties.