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RASSEMBLEMENT POUR LE RETOUR
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4, RUE A. CLUYSENAAR 1060 BRUXELLES BELGIQUE Tél: 32-2-5348035 Fax: 32-2-5348053 |
7, RESIDENCE MONTESQUIEU 49000 ANGERS FRANCE Tél/Fax: 33-41489987 |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. Why so many millions of rwandans fled their country?
II. Why refugees are reluctant to return home?
III. Partners in the process of a quick, permanent and peaceful return of refugees
V. Practical modalities for the organisation of a quick and peaceful return
Rwandan refugees live under unhuman conditions in camps in Zaire, Tanzania, Burundi and elsewhere. Two years of exile and four more years as war displaced in the country for some of them, look like an eternity. Each one asks himself silently or openly the following question : when shall I see again my country, my village, my land, my house ? The issue of return is permanently the centre of interests of refugees, wherever they are. This issue is the main concern of the people that refugees have selected to represent them and to be their spokesmen.
Despite this distress, misery, expulsions, detentions of people labelled "intimidators" and closing down of camps, the return that people long for is not taking place. Why ? because of so many things that have been done the most important part has been left out. This essential part is to have forgotten that a refugee, despite his misfortunes and his distress remains a human being who still cares about his security and dignity; who reflects and thinks about his future and that of his kin and hit. He is more conscious about them because he saw his parents, his children, his neighbours or simply his fellow countrymen dying because of an insensible war imposed by RPF since October 1, 1990.
A lot of things have been done. However, under the pressure of the present Kigali government, many have refused to listen to the voice of refugees. A choice is made to deal with the mighty, the victor of the moment. It may be the "realpolitik" but it delays a quick of permanent and peaceful return of refugees. The real social and political problem is deliberately avoided and attention is only given to humanitarian aspect of the problem. Experts of the UNHCR, NGOs and governments reason and work in terms of statistics, forgetting that behind the figures there are human beings, children, the elderly, widows and orphans..., survivors of a devastating war.
Faithful to its commitment to refugees and attachment to values participation in decision making and self organisation, RDR lured out large scale consultations among refugees to discuss the issue of their return to Rwanda. Open and lively debates were organised and diverse views were expressed.
One of the results of debate was "programme for a quick, peaceful and permanent return of rwandan refugees : the problem and guidelines for action" which RDR has the pleasure to bring to the attention of the refugees and other partners such as UNHCR, host countries, the Kigali government and the international community.
A product of refugees themselves this document contains proposals for a quick, peaceful, permanent and orderly return of refugees in safety and under conditions that conform to human dignity and human rights.
RDR hopes to bring its contribution and to tale up its responsibilities refugees are invited, each individually and collectively to involve themselves fully in the process of a quick and peaceful return. The success of this big undertaking depends greatly on the commitment of refugees and other partners. RDR makes and urgent appeal to each and every partner in the undertaking to take up his responsibilities to ensure that refugees return home and that durable peace return to this country which has so much suffered.
RDR hopes that other partners and all men and women of goodwill consider these proposals.
I. WHY SO MANY MILLIONS RWANDANS FLED THEIR COUNTRY ?
1. On the record of violence and horror, that war launched by the RPF from UGANDA on October 1990 distinguished itself , particularly in its final phase, by its barbaric nature unimaginable by any stretch of imagination whatever the causes and the circumstances. People fled therefore first and foremost because of war and its attending horrors such as massacres, suffering and destruction.
It has to be recalled that even before the assassination of late President Habyalimana Juvenal of Rwanda and President Ntaryamira of Burundi, an incident that triggered horrors of April 1994, almost one million people had fled massacres and other atrocities meted against the population the RPF, were packed in miserable makeshift camps inside Rwanda, as war displaced people, particularly in the outskirts of the capital Kigali. During their flight from of RPF military offensive, these people sew witnessed the death, on the roadside and along the way, of their relatives massacred by RPF soldiers and experienced various forms of atrocities perpetrated by RPF particularly torture meted on the civilian populated whose loyalty was doubted.
2. When war resumed in April 1994, the rwandan population was left alone in the face of massacres and of horrors meted by the RPF and other armed groups generally branded as militia. The great majority of rwandans thought and believed that the international community, committed in Rwanda through the UNAMIR (UN Assistance Mission to Rwanda) would intervene and protect it. Disappointment and despair were total when the security council opted the reduction of the troops and equipment of the mission.
The massive and quick evacuation of foreign nationals (diplomatic, NGOs,...) some of which played the mediation role between belligerent, and others involved in humanitarian assistance plunged the population in complete panic.
3. Elections had been organised in the buffer zones (areas separating the RPF army and the government army during the Arusha Peace negotiations). Angry about this defeat in popular consultations, the RPF decided to eliminate the elected leaders. This bloody reaction of RPF convinced many people that if the RPF took power, it would use repression and eliminate real of alleged opposers. Time proved that fears were well founded.
4. The refusal and rejection of RPF power constitute another important reason which pushed people to flee the country. People did not only fear their physical survival but also for the oppression of RPF army. Indeed the RPF had decided to take the war option to bring about political changes even the rest of the continent had opted for elections.
5. Many people who witnessed the massacre of their families or learnt about those atrocities are traumatised and fled those areas which synonymous which horrors and untold hardships.
6. The second wave of refugees, observes after the seizure of power by the RPF, was caused by persecution, repression, brutality perpetrated by the army and political police (ABAKADA) absence of justice, exclusion and marginalisation massacres in Kibeho and Kanama, prisons that have become death chambers and whose inmates include children, are the faces of such the disastrous situation prevailing in Rwanda. Torture and insecurity perpetrated by high ranking officials in the country, which have been always denounced by RDR and as confirmed by former members of the RPF government (Faustin Twagiramungu, former Minister, Seth Sendashonga, former Prime Minister of Internal Affairs, Sixbert Musangamfura, Secretary to the cabinet and Head Intelligence Service; disappointment and illegal occupation of land and other properties by the military, RPF extremists and their families and the repression of those who dare claim them, all these acts and behaviour have forced many to flee the country and others to remain in exile.
7. Rwandan refugees have suffered a lot of since the beginning of the war. Thrown out of their country, collectively labelled as "genocidaires" lay the RPF and its lobbies, condemned to life of beggars, humiliated daily by those who are supposed to help them, taken as scapegoats for all violations of human rights happening in the whole of the Great Lakes Region of Africa, rwandan refugees long for only one thing : to go back home and recover their dignity. However many factors prevent them from deciding to go back home. Even cholera which claimed between 80.000 and 100.000 lives did not persuade them to go back. Unhuman expulsions carried out during the terrible week of 19-24 August 1995 also failed to persuade the. Why should refugees prefer the miserable life in the camps outside their country instead of going situation is such it is because there are objective and vital reasons to explain it.
7.1. Reliable information from various reliable sources, human rights organisations,some members of the Kigali government and other well placed personalities in the Kigali power structure point out the prevalence of a climate of insecurity and of serious violations of human rights under different forms, the most famous being the following.
7.1.1. Massacre and physical elimination of people because of their ethnicity; selective assassination of educated hutu businessmen, disappearances, arbitrary arrests and detention and torture (Kandoya, detention in containers, burying of people alive...).
Mass murders have taken place in different areas which include among others KIBEHO and MUKO in prefecture of GIKONGORO, KABUTARE and KIGEMBE in the prefecture of BUTARE, NYAMABUYE, MUKINGI, MUGINA and RUTOBWE in the prefecture of GITARAMA, KANAMA, MURAMBA, NGORORERO and SATINSKYI in the prefecture of GISENYI, RUTSIRO, MWENDO, RWAMATAMU and KAVUMU in the prefecture of KIBUYE, NYAMUTERA and KIDAHO in the prefecture of RUHENGERI, NYAMABUYE, KARENGERA and BUGARAMA in the prefecture of CYANGUGU.
These massacres and assassinations are often carried out in areas out of bounds of internationals observers, far from the hearing and eyes of curious people. However the population is fully informed about everything.
For some time now, we are witnessing massacres of entire families and the wiping out of entire villages. For the refugees, there is no difference between dying out of hunger in the camps and dying under the torture of RPF.
7.1.2. Arbitrary arrests under availed allegations made by those who want trigabe land and other properties of their victims.
The problem of recovering and reinstating refugees in their properties has not been solved. At present fixed and movable assets of refugees are illegal occupied by the military and officials of RPF, their families or their political clients. Some of these assets were confiscated by civilian and military officials who run them directly or manage them on behalf of RPF. The new masters in the country and their families have shared out the assets of the present refugees as war booty. For these groups, the return of refugees would tantamount to returning to the miserable conditions of life they knew before and which they were starting to forget thanks to the grabbing of assets belonging to hutu. They are not ready to hand them over. The RPF regime is afraid of harassing these grabbers for fear of losing their support.
Refugees were aware well that they cannot stomach seeing other people enjoying with impunity the fruits of their labour and that by claim for their property would entail repression or even physical elimination by the RPF army, refugees prefer to stay in the camps.
Illegal occupation of land and other assets constitute an new source of tension and contains seeds of future conflicts in a country which is very poor and mismaged politically by the RPF.
7.2. Refugees are still under shock and trauma due to the hardships they experienced during the fighting or in the camps of the displaced inside the country. Many of them saw RPF soldiers massacring the civilian population. This is why they are terrified by the omnipresence of RPF army and political police (ABAKADA) in all the villages all over the country.
Furthermore they are afraid of the omnipresence of the army in all institutions : parliament, in public service and in parastatals and in the judiciary. The military goes far as controlling the social life of the civilian population in the villages.
7.3. Absence of the rule of law to guarantee security of citizens is also an obstacle to the return of refugees. This state of affairs is corroborated by wild denunciations, interference in the judicial system by the army and impunity of the military, the refusal by the Kigali government to accept foreign judges and magistrates to assess the judiciary, detention of women even pregnant women as well as children and minors. The situation is well known to all those who do not deliberately shut their eyes in the face of the rwandan reality. In 1995, in big public relation exercised the rwandan government announced the beginning of trials for people detained in Rwanda. More than two years after taking over power, nobody has been tried at least to give an inkling on how justice in practised under the RPF regime. Refugees consider that there would be no difference between dying of hunger or being humiliated in the camps and being subjected to unjust treatment in the RPF prisons which have become death chambers of to being place in an administration gagged and controlled by RPF soldiers disguised as civilians to give a good impression to foreign visitors.
7.4. Terrorist acts carried out by the RPF regime scare off refugees.
By trying to eliminate physically its opponents by terrorist acts such those attempted against a businessman called KABUGA or the former Internal Affairs Minister, SENDASHONGA Seth, RPF extremists have demonstrated their determination to exterminate all those whom they do not accept. Armed raids carried by RPF soldiers in the camps of BIRAVA and MPANZI in the South KIVU and KIBUMBA camp in the north KIVU, in Zaire have showed the determination of RPF to persecute refugees wherever they are.
The RPF regime leaves only one alternative : submission or death. Refugees fear that once they are under the RPF yoke, they would be reduced to slaves or beasts of burden.
7.5. Despite the advice that have come from many quarters, the Kigali government has not yet opted clearly for national reconciliation.
There is no political document that deals with that issue. The national Radio instead uses a language of hatred and of collective denomination of refugees branded as "interahamwe". However, peaceful coexistence would be difficult, if the population is not prepared psychologically, in consideration of the hardships, divisions and hatred that have opposed the people during their history, particularly in their recent history. Genuine reconciliation can only come about through sincere and frank dialogue.
The RPF government has rejected all appeals for dialogue made by refugees. Refugees want discussions with the Kigali regime in order to see how the period of exclusion, violence, hatred and egoism can be replaces by an era of sharing, dialogue and justice. Refugees would like to see everybody involved in efforts of self denial, dialogue, truth and justice. The RPF government has refused that offer. Refugees fear that the RPF could have an agenda to loot the country and to exclude part of the population from the social, economic and political life of the country.
7.6. Faced with economic and political difficulties, RPF extremists have taken the option of flight forward and a radicalisation of their regime.
In this connection, the continued dismissal of race hutu who had been used by the RPF to legitimate its power (Faustin Twagiramungu and Seth Sendashonga ) has discouraged all those who through that RPF would become wiser with time. If RPF cannot tolerate its allies how would it deal with its opponents? The RPF would to turn the country at all costs into a monolithic, political bloc, without any room for peaceful change.
7.7. Refugees fear once again to be abandoned by the international community.
Indeed, certain countries which has a say in what is happening have adopted the position of RPF extremists. According to them the death of a hutu has no meaning. "It is normal, it is no more than an interahamwe killed by a misguided element of RPF who avenging the murder of relatives. The military bosses including KAGAME to carry out investigations and eventually punish the culprit."
Since the beginning of the war and two years after the seizure of power by the RPF, atrocities and all crimes committed by RPF are explained away , covered up or minimised. Even terrorist acts committed outside Rwanda are not condemned. All this has convinced refugees that without prior guarantees, RPF will keep the power of life and death over their heads, under the powers, OAU, UN, NGos and neighbouring countries. RPF is part and parcel of the rwandan tragedy and must therefore be treated as such.
III. PARTNERS IN THE PROCESS OF A QUICK, PERMANENT AND PEACEFUL RETURN OF REFUGEES
8. The future of rwandan refugees is in Rwanda and nowhere else. After a period of collective depression, refugees have come to understand that the problem of their return is their primary responsibility and that they have to face squarely as soon as possible and in the best conditions for themselves and for their fellow countrymen inside the country.
9. In order to make the plan for a quick, permanent return in safety and dignity succeed, other partners have to be brought to contribute in a spirit of complementarity and dynamically. Even if all are not affected in the same way, a harmonious collaboration is essential. lack of will or of interest by one partner can seriously jeopardise the whole process.
Other partners identified by refugees are the following :
- The UNHCR
- Countries hosting refugees, particularly Zaire, Tanzania and Burundi
- The Kigali government
- The International community, particularly those countries and organisations that back Rwanda financially
10. The return of refugees is the primary interest of refugees. They must do everything possible to contribute to the success of this objective. Refugees must therefore understand that they have duties to fulfil and to adopt appropriate behaviour in order to inspire confidence among other partners. What have refugees done and what else do they have to do ?
11.In order to articulate and express this aspiration for their return, refugees organised themselves in various active associations in camps (youth organisations, associations for women, lawyers, churches and religions denominations, NGOs, the civil society, etc...). Leaders of RDR were elected by the population in all the camps in order to prepare their return. They represent the most reliable opinion of refugees. During a seminar/workshop organised in Bukavu from the 5th to 8th February 1996, at the 1st Congress of RDR, representatives mandated RDR to prepare their return in conjunction with other partners. RDR was expressly requested to make the 1st step.
A massive, permanent and organised return of refugees needs a responsible, strong, credible and well structured organisation. RDR has accepted to play its role.
12. RDR has made it abundantly clear that it is for a peaceful, quick and well organised return of refugees in safety and under conditions that conform to human dignity and respect human rights. RDR and refugees must discourage those, fortunately few, who are for an armed struggle, which would result into a new misery for the rwandan people.
Likewise, those who pretend that dialogue with RDR is impossible must stop such a language and behaviour of another era. Dialogue, justice and reconciliation are the key words for responsible refugees.
12.1 The right of every refugee to go back home when he or she wants has been reaffirmed and must be respected by everybody. Nobody has a right to go against that will. This guideline is respected contrary to what pro-RPF lobby and anti-refugee says.
12.2. Refugees have started to inculcate into themselves a spirit of peace and to prepare themselves psychologically and morally to live peacefully with the population inside the country. Refugees understand more and more that the population inside the country was equally traumatised by the scourge of war and its consequences and that it must be reassured that the return of refugees should not bring back social tensions. RDR and existing associations in the camps have decided to get involved in the process.
12.3. Refugees have decided to reinforce their cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. Offers have been given to the Prosecutor and contacts have been made with the Special Rapporteur of the United Nations (Mr. Rene SEGUI). On many occasions, refugees have been invited to give they testimonies and to help investigators, once they are asked to do so. Refugees have requested rich countries and international organisations to increase the means to be put at the disposal of the Tribunal.
Nevertheless refugees have made reservations with regard to the credibility of the Tribunal in case it did not take up crimes committed since the beginning of the war up to the assassination of late President Juvenal HABYARIMANA.
12.4. Refugees, particularly their leaders, must continue to fight against rumours which could jeopardise the process of a quick return of refugees or undermine the trust of other partners. Objective and correct information must reach all levels among refugees. A more positive and trustful attitude towards the UNHCR has been recommended.
12.5. Refugees must continue to respect laws, traditions and customs of host countries and to live in harmony with indigenous people. They must exercise self restraint and control over delinquents who tend to ignore international conventions and to tarnish the image of refugees to the benefit of the pro-RPF lobby and anti refugee groups who exaggerate any small incident which is not favourable to refugees.
12.6. Refugees must cooperate in the implementation of decisions taken during consultations between genuine representatives of refugees and other partners, particularly host countries and UNHCR.
12.7. Refugees must cooperate in the establishment of a political order which reassures everybody by putting in place political, legal and institutional guarantees agreed upon through frank dialogue.
3.2. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees.
13. Within the actions undertaken by UNHCR for the repatriation of refugees, we can single out the following.
. Sensitization of refugees about their repatriation
. Establishment of repatriation offices
. Provision of means of transport to refugees.
. Organisation of refugees at the borders and inside Rwanda
. Organisation of meetings between the UNHCR, the Kigali government and host countries.
14. These actions, however good they may be did not produce estimated results, because the UNHCR did involve refugees in areas where their involvement was indispensable. Attempts to turn refugee camps into prisons : the propensity of certain officers on the ground to consider refugees as killers; incapacity to protect refugees particularly when they were being expelled, systematic censorship of information revealing the bas side of RPF, undermined the trust of refugees towards the UNHCR.
In order to ensure an organised and quick return of refugees in dignity, the UNHCR should change its attitude and consider refugees as interlocutors who have dignity and stop treating them like "big children" whose only right is to repatriate them whatever conditions prevailing in their country. Such a positive attitude should be seen through the following actions and attitudes :
14.1. Stop discouraging efforts of refugees to organise themselves; stop harassing elected representatives of refugees; acknowledge the official and legitimate representation that refugees themselves have put up, ie RDR.
14.2. Be some realistic when dealing with and complex problem of rwandan refugees and acknowledge that refugees know better their problem, anguish, aspirations and hopes. The UNHCR should be aware that it is taking upon itself a big responsibility in case a badly planned and disorderly return ended up in another catastrophe.
14.3. Stop discriminating rwandan refugees compared to the treatment given to refugees of other nationalities. Discourage and condemn coercions measures, such as the suspension of humanitarian and medical care, closing down of schools, stopping education, prohibiting of income generating activities, restriction of the freedom of movement etc... It is not by comprising the misery of refugees that trust can be built between them and their partners. The reverse is rather true.
14.4. Abandon the present tendency of denying protection and assistance on the basis of wild lists of presumed assassins established and disseminated by the Kigali government. In this manner, the UNHCR will avoid appearing in the eyes of refugees as favouring RPF government.
In order to inspire confidence, the UNHCR should keep secret contents of interviews given during the screening exercise to provide protection letters.
14.5. The UNHCR should acknowledge that the problem of rwandan refugees is political and that its solution can only be political.
In this connection, the UNHCR should encourage dialogue between refugees and the Kigali government and to get from the Kigali government guarantees of safety to refugees who return homes. The UNHCR should take into account and be open to the political dimension of the rwandan problem when dealing with other partners (refugees, the rwandan government host countries and the international community).
14.6. In order to accelerate the quick and peaceful return of refugees, the UNHCR is requested to organise a meeting of genuine representatives of refugees in order to discuss the following :
* Involvement and participation of refugees in the process of repatriation,
* Role of host countries and obligations of the Kigali government in the repatriation process.
* Minimum guarantees to be obtained form the Kigali government
The UNHCR should insist in asking donors to increase and maintain assistance to refugees and in conditioning assistance to Kigali government to real progress in accepting dialogue, to the return of refugees and to the respect of human rights.
Involving and making refugees participate in the program of their return home would facilitate their acceptance of the repatriation process.
RDR hence proposes to HCR to organise as soon as possible to discuss that programme.
15. Host countries have undertaken many actions for the repatriation of rwandan refugees. Before the initiative of President Carter was undertaken, many meetings had taken place on the initiative of Heads of State in the sub-region with or without the participation of OAU and UNHCR.
16. In order to make these initiatives succeed, they should be accompanied by certain measures aimed at reassuring refugees by guarantees and by involving them fully in the repatriation process. The following accompagning measures should be envisaged:
16.1. Allow refugees to discuss freely the issue of their repatriation without being banded as "intimidators". This measures would definitely enhance the repatriation process. This presupposes the recognition of the official and legitimate representation of refugees and making it responsible. There are people in the camps with a clear record, who enjoy the trust of the people and are prepared and open for dialogue with the Kigali government. It is the collaboration of such people who are competent and capable of taking up their responsibilities that a program for a massive, quick, permanent and peaceful return of refugees can succeed. Harassing these personalities and labelling them as intimidators due to pressure from forces that are foreign to the region will prove counter-productive.
16.2. The trauma creating by the fear of being expelled any moment as well as the contingency measures taken against refugees. (stopping humanitarian assistance, prohibiting the movement of people, stopping all income generating activities, closing down of schools, have seriously undermined the confidence which refugees had placed in the people and governments which had come to their help in the most difficult times and carried the burden of their presence. Dropping these measures, would reinforce the confidence of refugees in the provisions that these host countries would take in regard to the repatriation process. In this manner, refugees would respond positively to the encouragements made to refugees to return home.
16.3. Host countries and their leaders saved lives of refugees which were threatened. Refugees would like these countries to be part of the machinery of an ad hoc follow up which would follow up the fate of refugees once they are inside Rwanda.
16.4. Host countries, in their diplomatic relations and at international meetings, should force the RPF government to stop demonising refugees and to obtain from it guarantees of safety and reintegration of refugees under conditions that era compatible with human dignity and human rights.
17. Refugees request host countries to involve themselves fully in the tripartite commissions (refugees, HCR, Host countries)responsible for assessing security conditions in Rwanda and availing the information to refugees. Representatives of refugees should be elected by refugees themselves in order to ensure their credibility among refugees.
18. Refugees request host countries to support appeals for dialogue made by refugees to the Kigali government and to accept to accompany the rwandan people in that process like it was agreed upon during the ARUSHA Peace negotiations.
19. Up to now the Rwandan government pretends that it wants a return of refugees. However the words are not matched by actions. Refugees who fled that power and its atrocities can not be satisfied by words. They need concrete actions and solid guarantees.
Kigali authorities must put in place a real policy of national reconciliation, based on dialogue, truth and justice for all.
19.1. Actions, attitudes and behaviour of the following nature could enhance a massive, quick and peaceful return of refugees
- end a propaganda of hatred and deionisation of refugees in the national radio and official print media as well as in diplomatic motes.
- remove from circulation wild lists of presumed guilty people distributed in chanceries, which slander many innocent people.
- put an end to the campaign of political and psychological harassment ; put an end to acts of international terrorism ;
- suspend the program of changing identity cards and passports ;
19.2. Stop killings, exactions, torture, arbitrary arrests and detentions as well as unhuman and degrading treatment of people who remained in Rwanda and those who have just been repatriated.
19.3. Free without conditions people detained illegally and accept foreign magistrates to expedite the process of justice and trials.
19.4. Frees land and other properties occupied illegally in order to allow immediate reintegration of returnees in their properties.
19.5. Remove soldiers and political police from villages and confine them in barracks.
Stop the establishment of militia under the Ministry of Defense and of Youth.
19.6. Accept the involvement of representatives of refugees in all activities related to their return.
19.7. Accept the establishment in consultation with refugees a follow up machinery to monster the fate of refugees once in the country.
19.8. Accept the establishment of an international commission of enquiry into the assassination of late President HABYARIMANA
19.9. Open a political dialogue with refugees on the process of repatriation and on conditions conducive for durable peace in Rwanda.
19.10. Accept the organisation of an international conference on Rwanda with the participation of refugees.
19.11. Accept a complete demilitarisation of the country by the discernment of the RPF and former national Army leaving the security into the hand of neutral international force acceptable by all parties, during a transitional period leading to democratic and pluralistic elections.
19.12. Accept the establishment of a political order that reassures everybody.
19.13. Accept an international commission of enquiry into crimes committed by the RPF
20. The International Community is still concerned with the issue of return of refugees. However a more positive and balanced attitude of the latter could go a long way in accelerating the repatriation process and laying a solid foundation for durable peace in Rwanda. In this connection the following prints should be kept in mind.
21. Give a recognition to the genuine representatives of refugees as full partners and involve them in all initiatives and activities related to the repatriation process and in the follow up and monitoring commissions.
End at the same time the harassment of refugee leaders consisting of calling unjustly intimidators and lift the embargo imposed on visa with regard to refugees.
22. Obtain from the Kigali government verifiable and objective guarantees of safety and human dignity for refugees, reached through a process of dialogue, reconciliation, truth and justice for all.
23. Initiate and support the organisation of an international conference on Rwanda with the participation of refugees
24. Establish an International Commission of Enquiry into the assassination of late President HABYARIMANA.
25. Condition assistance to the Kigali government on its respect of human rights, to justice, to a resumption of dialogue, to the return of refugees and to the implementation of conditions set.
26. Help in the establishment of a political order that reassures everybody and would lead to the establishment of constitution representatives of the people.
27. Accept to ensure security in the country during the process of return of refugees and during the transition period i.e. during the period of creating a new national army and organising free and democratic elections.
IV. MAIN STAGES IN THE PROCESS OF A QUICK, PERMANENT, PEACEFUL AND ORDERLY RETURN OF REFUGEES
28. The UNHCR and RDR meet in order to put final touches the program of a quick and peaceful return
29. The UNHCR meet leaders of host countries to submit to them the repatriation programme
30. The UNHCR and RDR and host countries meet the Kigali government to discuss the repatriation programme;
31. The UNHCR, RDR, countries and the Kigali government meet the international community meet to put final touches on the repatriation programme.
32. RDR strongly hope that the UNHCR will involve itself in the 1st phase of the process by responding positively to the invitation given by refugees and sensitizing other partners (host countries, the Kigali government, international community) to the will of refugees to participate full in the process of their repatriation. It is obvious that some actions related to different stages can be undertaken concomitantly without waiting the end of the preceding stage.
V. PRACTICAL MODALITIES OF AN ORDERLY, QUICK AND PEACEFUL RETURN OF REFUGEES
33. Organise quickly a consultation meeting between the UNHCR and RDR to finalise the programme of return.
34. Form a delegation composed of genuine representatives of the UNHCR, refugees and of host countries to visit Rwanda and assess whether conditions are set for receiving refugees.
35. Carry out an information campaign aimed refugees on the basis of information contemned in the report of the ad hoc committee.
36. Establish at the headquarters of each commune reception and assistance centres for returnees.
37. Establish a reception committee responsible for matters related to the reception and reintegration of returnees. It would be composed of representatives of the International community , of the refugees, of local authorities as well as representatives of religious leaders, NGOs and human rights observers. This committee would have powers to take decisions and respond to eventual problems. A weekly report would be established and made public in connection with the progress in the return and reintegration of refugees.
38. A prefectural committee would supervise the operation and respond to eventual problems. A weekly report would be written and made public. The committee would be composed of representatives of refugees human rights observers, prefectural authorities, journalists and members of religious denominations.
39. There would be a national committee to coordinate the operation over the whole country. A monthly progress report would have to be made public. The composition of the committee would agreed upon between refugees, the Kigali government, the UNHCR and host countries.
40. Three zones could be fixed :
* WEST and NORTH : Cyangugu, Kibuye,Gisenyi, and Western Byumba
* SOUTH and CENTRE: Gikongoro, Butare, Gitarama, Northern Kigali
* EAST, SOUTH EAST: Eastern Byumba, Kibungo, Eastern Kigali and South, Eastern Butare
41. The operation would start in an area agreed upon between the UNHCR, refugees and the Kigali government.
42. The operation should work on the basis of 5000 refugees a day (long duration) or 10.000 refugees a day (short duration).
43. The return and reintegration of refugees should be accompanied by humanitarian and medical assistance and other forms of support during a period of two seasons (6 months).
44. To make this operation succeed, quick and peaceful, security must be assured by an international neutral force whose composition would be determined after consultation between refugees and the government.
Within the framework of the mandate given to it by refugees and an accordance with its statutes, RDR is ready to discuss immediately and without conditions with all partners issues concerned in this programme. RDR would like to print out that this document is a proposal. RDR is ready to take up its responsibilities to bring to a successful end, the programme of a peaceful and quick repatriation of refugees in safety and dignity, if it is fully involved in the repatriation process, it would like to make an urgent appeal to other partners, particularly the Kigali government and the UNHCR to take up also its responsibilities in the interest of refugees, of the rwandan people and in the interest of peace in the region of the Great Lakes.