Hundreds of Rwandans who fled to Congo after the 1994 genocide return in UN repatriation

By Ruth Alonga Associated Press GOMA Congo Hundreds of Rwandan refugees who were living in eastern Congo since the genocide in Rwanda were repatriated on Saturday the U N refugee agency announced after Rwandan-backed rebels seized key parts of the region Preponderance of the refugees were women and children and of them crossed the limit in buses provided by Rwandan executives and were escorted by the U N High Commissioner for Refugees and aid group Save the Children local officials declared The goal is to repatriate people UNHCR announced We are happy to welcome our compatriots They are a valuable workforce for the country s evolution disclosed Prosper Mulindwa the Rwandan mayor of Rubavu during a brief ceremony at the confines The returnees were transported to a transit center where they will receive emergency assistance and patronage for reintegration They were among the hundreds of thousands of Hutus who fled Rwanda after the state-sponsored genocide that left up to a million minority Tutsis and moderate Hutus dead Majority had returned when Tutsi-led Rwandan troops first invaded Congo in But Rwandan agents explained thousands of Hutu militiamen and ex-soldiers had stayed and joined Congo s army to destabilize Rwanda For decades mineral-rich eastern Congo has been ripped apart by violence from cabinet forces and different armed groups including the Rwanda-backed M whose fresh resurgence has escalated the conflict and worsened an already acute humanitarian situation The rebels are supported by about troops from neighboring Rwanda according to U N experts Among the Rwandan returnees personal testimonies highlighted journeys marked by exile and a deep connection to a homeland particular have never known Nyirakajumba Twizere was born in in Congo and had never seen Rwanda Related Articles Letters Walters deserves readers thanks for his perspective Letters San Jose s animals are underserved by beleaguered shelter Newsom s budget trims state s major breakthrough in ensuring the survival of newsrooms East Bay MUD criticized by Asian region over status of board VP After fuss over Women s History Month Carlsbad City Council to review its proclamation framework I never thought this day would come he noted I m decisively going back to the land of my ancestors The repatriation is based on a tripartite agreement between Rwanda Congo and UNHCR that has been in place for more than a decade According to Rwandan government more than refugees have already been repatriated including since the beginning of