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Three Million Refugees Repatriated


The New Times (Kigali)

December 2, 2005
Posted to the web December 2, 2005

Magnus Mazimpaka
Kigali

Over three million Rwandan refugees have been repatriated from the diaspora since 1994, according to the UNHCR representative Panos Moumtzis. He was addressing refugee representatives from Malawi and other diplomatic officials at Hotel Novotel Umubano, Monday, where he said UNHCR has managed to reduce the number of Rwandans still in the diaspora.

"We are doing all we can to return them home and we are happy many of have responded positively," Moumtzis said, and added that there are still about 48,000 Rwandan refugees still scattered in 14 countries yet seven of them are yet to sign the international voluntarily repatriation pact.

He expressed the importance of availing current information to the refugees as many of them still have outdated information about the situation inside Rwanda, a factor that has led many not to respond positively to the call of returning home.

"The information they get is not updated and we are happy that these representatives have got a positive impression; they will go and inform the rest about the situation back home," he said.

Moumtzis lauded the Rwandan government for facilitating the repatriation process, adding that, "The Rwandan government is positive about this process and we are happy it has helped the returnees to start a new life".

Pascal Mbabajende, a refugee delegate from Lilongwe, Malawi, lauded both governments for the work done, taking into account the problems they are facing in the diaspora.

He disclosed that according to the information they have got, they are confident of convincing all refugees to return.

"We are happy and we thank the diplomatic community for supporting our return," Mbabajende said, adding, "I have no way to explain this. I left Rwanda when I was young and now the country has a new face; I can't even take myself to my home village because the country has really developed. It is Europe in my view," one Jovial Jacqueline Bigenimana told The New Times.

About nine thousand refugees have been repatriated since January 2005. They fled during the 1994 Rwandan Genocide which claimed almost a million lives.



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