MUSANZE - A human rights activist has commended former rebels, currently undergoing demobilisation and reintegration course at Mutobo Demobilisation and Reintegration centre, for abandoning rebellion.

Addressing the ex-combatants, Maitre Laurent Nkongori, a commissioner in the national Human Rights Commission, also noted that Rwanda has attained a high degree of security and respect for human rights. 

"Its now clear that the conditions to justify war, including abuse of human rights, do not exist in Rwanda today, which is one reason you have decided to stop fighting and are now safe and free to return to your respective homes,’’ Nkongori said.

"Laying down arms to come to pursue peace and build your country is another way of heroism.’’  

Over 150 former rebels who defected recently from different fighting groups in Congo are attending a three-month course, where they are given lessons on development, security, genocide and its ideology and unity and reconciliation. 

Theogene Maniraho who held a rank of Major in the FDLR, noted that many rebels desist from returning because of misinformation.

"There is a lot of misinformation and propaganda fed to the fighters in the FDLR. We are stunned to find that Rwanda is different from how we left it in 1994,’’ Maj. Maniraho said.

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