Nairobi, March 9, 1996

RDR would like to express its deep sorrow and disappointment over the withdrawal of the UN Assistance Mission to Rwanda (UNAMIR) under the pressure of the RPF government and its external lobby.

In so doing, the UN system is just repeating the same mistake it made in April 1994, once again under the pressure of RPF rebel movement and its allies , when it withdrew its troops leaving hundreds of thousands of people being slaughtered.

It is indeed shocking that the UN is withdrawing its troops and reducing human rights monitors at a time when the refugee problem is still in a deadlock and when human rights Organizations, a cross section of foreign media and NGOs as well as some prominent RPF members, are talking about systematic killings and persecution of the hutu elite and other opposition members.

The withdrawal of UNAMIR comes amidst very reliable reports from both inside and outside Rwanda about a plan to forcefully repatriate rwandan refugees, mainly the peasants much needed for food and cash crop production. The latest declaration of the Rwandan Minister of Foreign Affairs lobbying for a forcefull repartiation and which was widely reported in some foreign media, does not leave any doubt about the Kigali government intention, once the UNAMIR has pulled out of Rwanda.

Likewise, celebrations that erupted within RPF circles in Kigali on April 8, 1996 when the UNAMIR flag was official lowered, is another clear indication of what RPF has got in stock once the UN has pulled out. Even if the UN was to leave behind a 10 member team as hypocritically requested by the RPF government, it would not be of any help in case of a crisis.

One should recall that according to a survey carried out by local Human Rights Organizations and confirmed by local media, out of around 20,000 refugees forcefully repatriated from Zaire in August/September 1995, nearly seven hundred refugees from the communes of Gishamvu (32), Kibayi (66), Maraba (4), Muyaga (260), Ntyazo (104), Nyabisindu (112), Nyakizu (119) are still unaccounted for . This figure concerns only those who were screened in BUTARE transit camp. The report on NKAMIRA transit camp where a bigger number of returnees were screened is yet to be obtained.

RDR has no doubt that the withdrawal of UNAMIR along with the introduction of other repressive policies such as the creation of the infamous people's courts which are indeed nothing but kangaroo courts and the mushrooming of legal manoeuvres to alienate and/or confiscate property of refugees through dubious court cases, will dash any hope of a quick and voluntary repatriation of the nearly 2,000,000 refugees.

Bearing in mind what happened in April 1994 after the UN pull out and warning by none other than the UN Secretary General against giving in to RPF's pressure, the international community should be prepared to shoulder any consequence of this premature withdrawal.

For RDR

Chris NZABANDORA

Director of Information