A total of 35 families of Rwandans, who were refugees in the Democratic Republic of Congo, have been repatriated after 28 years.
The families, comprising 103 people, mostly women and children, returned to Rwanda voluntarily on Wednesday, July 6, and were welcomed by officials from the Ministry of Emergency Management (MINEMA) and the United Nations refugee agency.
The returnees, comprised of 23 women, 15 men and 65 children, who are being hosted at Kijote Transit Centre in Nyabihu District, will spend up to two weeks receiving civic education before reintegrating into society.
The returnees said they were excited about their homecoming.
"I have lived in the Congo for the last 28 years, but it was a bad life because we were refugees, and without food," said Innocent Musabyimana, 40, who came from Masisi territory in eastern DR Congo.
Like other returnees, Musabyimana said he had long been misinformed by different people that Rwanda was not safe, until he made the decision to come back home. "I have been well received by authorities and I don't have any problem."
For Immaculee Uwase, a mother of three who was born in exile, coming to her own country was long overdue.
"For all the years we spent in the Congo, we have known no peace," she said, "it is the kind of place where you are always afraid of being killed and we never felt like home there."
Uwase said she was astounded by the way she and other returnees were received and given food and sanitation materials.
They encouraged friends and family members as well as other Rwandans who remained in DR Congo to return home.
"For the next two weeks, these returnees will need civic education about their country," said Veneranda Ingabire, the Coordinator of the Single Project Unit at MINEMA. "Before leaving the centre, they will be given support, including foodstuff for three months and money, $250 for an adult and $150 per child. They will be taught how to use the money wisely in income-generating projects."
Their annual health insurance will also be paid for and will be given identity cards.
According to the UN refugee agency, the voluntary return of Rwandans proves that the country is peaceful.
"There's nothing that makes the UNHCR happy [than] when a refugee that has sojourned in another country for years comes back to their own country. It is befitting and great news for us," said Francis Okagu, head of UNHCR's Western Province office.
"This country is safe because UNHCR does not encourage or facilitate any repatriation when the safety of areturnee is not assured."
Over the last six months, a total of 856 returnees passed through Kijote Transit Centre, which has received a total of 15,643 returnees over the last five years.