Mugambage slams report on refugees

Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Uganda, Frank Mugambage, has described a recent report on Rwandan refugees in Uganda as baseless and unfounded. The report carried out by the International Refugee Rights Initiative was released on Monday in Kampala by the Refugee Law Project, an organization under the Faculty of Law at Makerere University. Addressing a press conference in Kampala yesterday, the envoy wondered how the authors of the report could interview a handful of refugees in Nakivale camp and make false conclusions on the situation in Rwanda. “If you cared to ask some of these people, before long you will discover there is something they have not told you as to why they are running away. These include issues like Gacaca courts,” Mugambage said. He added that he had no doubt that some of these were Genocide suspects running away from justice, and added that these were influencing many others who may not necessarily have that record. Mugambage told reporters that UNHCR had carried out thorough evaluations and that they had concluded that there is no condition whatsoever in Rwanda that can justify people running away and claiming to be refugees. “After so many years, they (UNHCR) have come to that conclusion. Remember these are people who moved from village to village, and talked to people,” Mugambage said. The UNHCR will begin applying the cessation clause on Rwandan refugees living in Uganda next year. The clause, under the UNHCR system, does not qualify for UN protection. Ends

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Mugambage slams report on refugees