by February 8th , 2009
RUD-Urunana Urunana rw’Abaharanira Ubumwe na Demokarasi Ralliement pour l’Unité et la DémocratieRally for Unity and DemocracyTel: 001-201-794-6542 / 001-506-461-3919 Email: urunana@optonline.net url: www.rud-urunana.org
Kasiki Resettlement Site: Empty of Rwandan Refugees
As stated in our Press Release No1/Feb/09 PP of 7 February 2009 inwhich we had indicated an imminent operation of certain elements of theFARDC and Rwandan Army (RDF) to forcibly repatriate members of theNational Congress for Democracy (NCD), a RUD / RPR coalition, resettledat the site of Kasiki (Lubero, North Kivu) since 31 July 2007.
This has been confirmed by local media including Radio Okapi thatreported early today that the site of Kasiki was empty of its occupants.Indeed, according to Radio Okapi, MONUC showed up on site with trucks torepatriate the refugees to Rwanda before finding out that the camp wasempty.
According to credible reports, the decision to close by all meansthe Kasiki resettlement site had been taken despite conciliatorystatements by certain authorities. Not knowing the destination of therefugees who were forced to leave their little belongings, it is now ourduty to ask the Congolese government and MONUC to tell the InternationalCommunity the fate of these people that included women and children whowere supposedly under their protection.
It is strangely unfortunate that when a delegation of refugees was backfrom making an exploratory visit to Rwanda in order to consider a returnon individual and voluntary basis in accordance with internationaltreaties, their forceful removal was decided in order to compel theRwandan refugees to return to their homeland.
We wish to remind theCongolese government and the International Community that, on the basisof the Kisangani Process, it was agreed that the Rwandan refugees whowould opt not to return to Rwanda would be relocated to places to bemutually agreed upon. It is also regrettable that during the six monthsthat these refugees came to pass in Kasiki, neither UNHCR nor the ICRCshowed little concern in their fate.
Our organization strongly condemns any attempt to forcefully repatriaterefugees since such an operation would only result in massive loss ofinnocent lives among both refugees and local populations. Indeed, thisuse of force is reminiscent of the manhunt that engulfed the region in1996-1997 in which several hundreds of thousands of Rwandan refugeeswere massacred in cold blood and with impunity by the Rwandan PatrioticArmy (RPA) and its allies not to mention the many victims among theCongolese population.
The perpetrators of these massacres which havebeen described as acts of genocide by the United Nations are well knownand occupy senior positions in the political and military regime in Kigali.Our organization is convinced that the lasting solution to the problemof Rwandan refugees is only through Dialogue.
It is for this reason thatthe NCD members invested themselves in good faith in the KisanganiProcess. Although this operation would have resulted in immediatepolitical gains for some, it will, however be difficult to reach apeaceful and lasting solution to the problem of refugees in the region.
Thus, as has been mentioned during the evaluation meeting which has justbeen held in Rome under the auspices of the Sant’Egidio Community andother international observers, our organization reiterates the requestmade to the United Nations Secretary General to appoint as soon aspossible a Special Envoy specifically mandated to find a lastingsolution to the problem of Rwandan refugees established in the DRC andthe region.
In addition, as agreed with the Congolese government inthose proceedings that, the persons who were at the Kasiki resettlementsite should be granted refugee status and that the Kasiki site and itssurroundings be declared a zone of peace and be considered as such.
Our organization remains ready to pursue any avenue that respects therights of Rwandan refugees wherever they are. It launches a solemnappeal to the Kigali regime to begin a Dialogue with its opposition tofind a lasting solution to Rwandan political problems that constitutethe main source of recurring instability in the region.
RUD-Urunana Urunana rw’Abaharanira Ubumwe na Demokarasi Ralliement pour l’Unité et la DémocratieRally for Unity and DemocracyTel: 001-201-794-6542 / 001-506-461-3919 Email: urunana@optonline.net url: www.rud-urunana.org
Kasiki Resettlement Site: Empty of Rwandan Refugees
As stated in our Press Release No1/Feb/09 PP of 7 February 2009 inwhich we had indicated an imminent operation of certain elements of theFARDC and Rwandan Army (RDF) to forcibly repatriate members of theNational Congress for Democracy (NCD), a RUD / RPR coalition, resettledat the site of Kasiki (Lubero, North Kivu) since 31 July 2007.
This has been confirmed by local media including Radio Okapi thatreported early today that the site of Kasiki was empty of its occupants.Indeed, according to Radio Okapi, MONUC showed up on site with trucks torepatriate the refugees to Rwanda before finding out that the camp wasempty.
According to credible reports, the decision to close by all meansthe Kasiki resettlement site had been taken despite conciliatorystatements by certain authorities. Not knowing the destination of therefugees who were forced to leave their little belongings, it is now ourduty to ask the Congolese government and MONUC to tell the InternationalCommunity the fate of these people that included women and children whowere supposedly under their protection.
It is strangely unfortunate that when a delegation of refugees was backfrom making an exploratory visit to Rwanda in order to consider a returnon individual and voluntary basis in accordance with internationaltreaties, their forceful removal was decided in order to compel theRwandan refugees to return to their homeland.
We wish to remind theCongolese government and the International Community that, on the basisof the Kisangani Process, it was agreed that the Rwandan refugees whowould opt not to return to Rwanda would be relocated to places to bemutually agreed upon. It is also regrettable that during the six monthsthat these refugees came to pass in Kasiki, neither UNHCR nor the ICRCshowed little concern in their fate.
Our organization strongly condemns any attempt to forcefully repatriaterefugees since such an operation would only result in massive loss ofinnocent lives among both refugees and local populations. Indeed, thisuse of force is reminiscent of the manhunt that engulfed the region in1996-1997 in which several hundreds of thousands of Rwandan refugeeswere massacred in cold blood and with impunity by the Rwandan PatrioticArmy (RPA) and its allies not to mention the many victims among theCongolese population.
The perpetrators of these massacres which havebeen described as acts of genocide by the United Nations are well knownand occupy senior positions in the political and military regime in Kigali.Our organization is convinced that the lasting solution to the problemof Rwandan refugees is only through Dialogue.
It is for this reason thatthe NCD members invested themselves in good faith in the KisanganiProcess. Although this operation would have resulted in immediatepolitical gains for some, it will, however be difficult to reach apeaceful and lasting solution to the problem of refugees in the region.
Thus, as has been mentioned during the evaluation meeting which has justbeen held in Rome under the auspices of the Sant’Egidio Community andother international observers, our organization reiterates the requestmade to the United Nations Secretary General to appoint as soon aspossible a Special Envoy specifically mandated to find a lastingsolution to the problem of Rwandan refugees established in the DRC andthe region.
In addition, as agreed with the Congolese government inthose proceedings that, the persons who were at the Kasiki resettlementsite should be granted refugee status and that the Kasiki site and itssurroundings be declared a zone of peace and be considered as such.
Our organization remains ready to pursue any avenue that respects therights of Rwandan refugees wherever they are. It launches a solemnappeal to the Kigali regime to begin a Dialogue with its opposition tofind a lasting solution to Rwandan political problems that constitutethe main source of recurring instability in the region.
Dr. Augustin Dukuze
Spokesperson
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Communiqué de presse
RUD-Urunana Urunana rw’Abaharanira Ubumwe na Demokarasi Ralliement pour l’Unité et la DémocratieRally for Unity and DemocracyTel: 001-201-794-6542 / 001-506-461-3919 Email: urunana@optonline.net url: www.rud-urunana.org——————————————————————————-
Regroupement de Kasiki: Vide de Refugies Rwandais
Comme il avait été indiqué dans notre communiqué PP No1/Feb/09 du 7Fevrier 2009, nous avions sonné l’alerte d’une imminente opération decertains éléments des FARDC et de l’Armée Rwandaise (RDF) en vue derapatrier de force les personnes du Congrès National pour la Démocratie(CND), coalition RUD/RPR, regroupées au site de Kasiki (Lubero,Nord-Kivu) depuis le 31 Juillet 2007.
Ceci vient d’être confirmé par les médias locaux dont Radio Okapi quivient de rapporter que le site de regroupement de Kasiki est vide de sesoccupants depuis ce matin. En effet, selon Radio Okapi, la Monuc seserait présentée au site avec des camions de transport pour rapatrierles occupants au Rwanda avant de constater que le camp était vide.
Selonles informations dignes de foi qui sont parvenues au CND, la décision defermer par tous les moyens le site de Kasiki avait été prise malgré lesdéclarations conciliantes de certaines autorités. Ne connaissant pas ladestination de ces réfugiés qui ont été obligés de tout abandonner surplace, il est maintenant de notre devoir de demander au gouvernementcongolais et à la Monuc de faire le compte à la CommunautéInternationale où sont passées ces personnes y compris des femmes et desenfants qui étaient supposés être sous leur protection.
Il est étrangement regrettable qu’au moment où une délégation desréfugiés venait d’effectuer une visite exploratoire au Rwanda en vued’envisager un rapatriement sur base individuelle et volontaireconformément aux traités internationaux en la matière, il aurait étédécidé de recourir à la force pour contraindre les refugiés rwandais deretourner au Rwanda.
Nous tenons à rappeler au gouvernement congolaiset à la Communauté Internationale que sur base du Processus deKisangani, il était prévu que les réfugiés rwandais qui n’opteraientpas pour le retour seraient relocaliser à des endroits à convenir decommun accord. Il est aussi regrettable que pendant les six mois que cesréfugiés venaient de passer à Kasiki, ni le HCR ni le CICR ne seseraient intéressé sur leur sort.
Notre organisation condamne avec force toute tentative de rapatriementforcé qui ne fera que se traduire en perte massive de vies humainesinnocentes tant du côté des réfugiés que des populations locales. Eneffet, cette utilisation de la force nous rappelle la chasse à l’hommequi s’était abattue sur la région en 1996-1997 dans laquelle plusieurscentaines de milliers de réfugiés rwandais ont été froidement etimpunément massacrés par l’Armée Patriotique Rwandaise (APR) et sesalliés sans oublier les multiples victimes au sein de la populationcongolaise.
Les auteurs de ces massacres qui ont été qualifiés d’actesde génocide par les Nations Unies sont bel et bien connus et occupentdes postes de haute responsabilité dans les sphères politiques etmilitaires du régime de Kigali.Notre organisation reste convaincue que la solution définitive auproblème des réfugiés rwandais passe par le Dialogue. C’est pour cetteraison que le CND s’était investi de bonne foi dans le Processus deKisangani.
Bien que cette opération se serait traduit par quelquesgains politiques immédiats pour certains, il va, cependant, rendredifficile toute solution pacifique et définitive au problème desréfugiés dans la région.
Ainsi, comme il a été fait mention lors des travaux d’évaluation quiviennent de se terminer à Rome sous les auspices de la CommunautéSant’Egidio et d’autres observateurs internationaux, notre organisationréitère la demande faite auprès du Secrétaire Général des Nations Uniesde nommer dans les meilleurs délais un Envoyé Spécial chargéspécifiquement de trouver une solution durable au problème des refugiésrwandais établis en RDC et dans la région.
En outre, comme convenu avecle gouvernement congolais lors ce cette réunion, que les personnesregroupés à Kasiki obtiennent le statut de réfugiés et que le site deKisiki et ses environs soit déclaré zone de paix et soit considéré commetel.
Notre organisation reste cependant disposée à poursuivre toute avenuequi respecte les droits des réfugiés rwandais où qu’ils soient. Ellelance un appel solennel au régime de Kigali d’entamer un Dialogue avecson opposition afin de trouver de manière durable une solutiondéfinitive au problème politique rwandais qui est la source principaled’instabilité récurrente dans toute le région.
Dr. Augustin Dukuze
Porte-Parole
8 Février 2009
The Truth can be buried and stomped into the ground where none can see, yet eventually it will, like a seed, break through the surface once again far more potent than ever, and Nothing can stop it. Truth can be suppressed for a “time”, yet It cannot be destroyed. ==> Wolverine
The Truth can be buried and stomped into the ground where none can see, yet eventually it will, like a seed, break through the surface once again far more potent than ever, and Nothing can stop it. Truth can be suppressed for a time, yet It cannot be destroyed => Wolverine
