300 refugees return from South Kivu

Some 300 Rwandan refugees, among them nine former combatants, have returned from the from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), state-owned Radio Rwanda reported on Sunday.

After nearly eight years in exile, the returnees cited poor living conditions in the DRC jungles as one of the major reasons for their return home.

The radio reported that the returnees included 88 women, 40 men and 163 children who had been living Shabunda, Bunyakili and Mwenga areas in the eastern province of South Kivu.

"The returnees will stay in Nyagatare camp in Cyagungu province, pending their return to their ancestral homes," the radio quoted an official of the Rwanda Refugee Repatriation Commission as saying.

The nine former combatants would be taken to a camp in the northwestern province of Ruhengeri for either demobilisation or reintegration into the current government forces.

The recent return of a Hutu militia commander, Maj-Gen Paul Rwarakabije, seems to have accelerated the return of more refugees from the Congo, according to an official of the repatriation commission.

The commission estimates that at least 700 refugees, including 156 former combatants, have returned home in the last two months.

On arrival at a transit camp, the returnees are issued with a standard repatriation package by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, consisting of a three-month food ration and basic non-food items such as jerry cans, kitchen utensils, blankets, soap and plastic sheeting.