March 19, 1996

The TUNIS summit has ended with no realistic and convincing commitments geared towards resolving the refugee problem in the Great Lakes Regions. As all observers point out it is nothing more that a repeat of good intentions expressed in previous meeting and fora.

The only innovation pointed out by observers of introducing a video cassette played to refugees whereby the various Heads of States express their commitments to promises made at the summit cannot convince refugees to go back home.

Indeed everybody should have been realised by now that the biggest obstacle to the return of refugees is not lack of good intentions on the part of the international community but bad governance in Rwanda manifested in the lack of the rule of law, gross violations of human rights and lack of political participation by the people.

Regarding possible contacts between rwandese refugees and one of the facilitators, RDR thinks that it would be a good step in the right direction if it constituted a first step towards bringing together the real parties to the conflict, that is the common military regime in Kigali and representatives of refugees in order to discuss conditions of return of refugees.

As for the appointment of monitors to oversee the repatriation exercise, RDR would like to reach that the presence of over a battalion of UNAMIR blue helmets Kibeho camp in April 1995, did not deter RPF soldiers, from butchering neary 8000 helpless refugees.

If RPF is serious on transparency, why did it so vehemently oppose the extension of the UNAMIR mandate and then turn around to request for other monitors ?

Rwandese people need a government of national consensus, more than monitors who are selected and kicked out according to the whims of RPF.

Pour le RDR

NZABANDORA Chris

Director of Information