RALLY FOR THE RETURN OF

REFUGEES AND DEMOCRACY IN

RWANDA

R.D.R

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

March 13, 1996

 

PRESS RELEASE Nº57

 

The much talked about Tunis summit on the problem of security in the Great Lakes region is at last going to take place from 16th to 18th March 1996 in the tunisian capital.

Like the previous one that took place in Cairo, rwandese refugees numbering over two millions are locked out of the meeting. Yet, the problem of refugees is very high on the agenda of the summit. The summit is also locking out very important partners like the UN, UNHCR and countries such as Kenya hosting over 3000 rwandese refugees, whose contribution towards the success of the meeting would have been surely valuable.

Besides, the summit is taking place at a time when rwandese refugees are going through the worst humiliations ever experienced in the history of refugees worldwide.

They are so much mistreated that even their freedom of worship is trampled on by blocking preachers from entering the camps.

Children are denied their basic right to education and even those who can afford to pay for their education in local institutions are barred from doing it. Is there any more sophisticated form of intellectual genocide than that ?

Rwandese refugees feel that sticking to the positions that spoiled the Cairo meeting is undermining the very spirit of the summit which is lasting peace in the sub-region.

Therefore, instead of wasting its valuable time dwelling on scapegoats, the summit should act on the real intimidator i.e the RPF government, by joining hands with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in " stressing the need for strong and unequivocal signals by the RPF government aimed at ensuring respect for human rights, and at reassuring refugees about their security upon return and the restitution of their property"( statement made on February 29, 1996 in Addis-Ababa). This is the only measure that can dispel legitimate concerns of refugees and prompt a quick and voluntary repatriation.

Short of this, no amount of intimidation, persecution or blackmailing of refugees will bring about a lasting solution to the security problem in the sub-region.

For RDR

Chris Nzabandora

Director of Information