![[Rwanda] Houses built under the Rwandan housing scheme known as Imidugudu. Most of the homes were built for thousands of refugees who returned after the 1994 genocide.](https://assets.thenewhumanitarian.org/s3fs-public/styles/responsive_large_2x/public/images/20041051.jpg.webp?itok=AHfh9jH4 "Houses built for returnees in Rwanda: Officials say at least 20 Rwandan refugees are fleeing camps in Uganda daily, for localities further inland, fearing imminent repatriation")
//CORRECTED//Some 20 Rwandan refugees a day are fleeing camps in neighbouring Uganda for localities further inland, fearing imminent repatriation, officials said.
"They [the refugees] are trying to mingle with local communities but we have been returning them to the camp," Poly Namayi, southwestern Uganda police spokesperson, told IRIN.
Namayi said some refugees had been arrested in Isingiro district. Others were crossing into neighbouring Lyantonde, Mubende and Kiboga districts, and as far as Karagwe in northern Tanzania.
At least 20 refugees have been leaving the Nakivale refugee settlement daily in the last week, according to police records. Nakivale is home to about 11,000 Rwandan refugees, most of whom fled to Uganda after the 1994 genocide.
A senior police officer said some refugees were selling their belongings as they prepared to leave the camps before the 31 July repatriation deadline set by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the Ugandan government.
According to UNHCR communications officer, Vanessa Akello, the agency is investigating the cases of the fleeing refugees.
She said UNHCR was giving assistance to those Rwandans wanting to return home but underlined that the agency had a mandate to ensure the voluntary nature of refguees' return their country of origin.
"The government of Uganda and UNHCR will undertake to find a durable solution" for those refugees remaining in Uganda after 31 July, Akello said, explaining that such solutions included voluntary repatriation, local integration and resettlement to a third country.
Since April, the Rwandan and Ugandan governments, with UNHCR, have been conducting sensitisation campaigns to encourage returns.
The first batch of 80 returnees is expected to leave Uganda on 19 May, said Innocent Ngango, the head of refugee repatriation in the Rwanda’s local government ministry.
Gacaca fears
However, Ngango noted that some elements in the refugee camps were discouraging their counterparts from returning to Rwanda for fear of being prosecuted for genocide-related crimes.
A lack of understanding of the workings of the Rwandan traditional court system, the Gacaca, is contributing to the refugees' reluctance to return home, Denis Bikesha, the head of mobilisation in the courts, told IRIN earlier.
At present, Uganda is hosting about 20,000 Rwandan refugees half of whom have in the past been opposed to repatriation, according to camp officials.
nb/aw/mw
"They [the refugees] are trying to mingle with local communities but we have been returning them to the camp," Poly Namayi, southwestern Uganda police spokesperson, told IRIN.
Namayi said some refugees had been arrested in Isingiro district. Others were crossing into neighbouring Lyantonde, Mubende and Kiboga districts, and as far as Karagwe in northern Tanzania.
At least 20 refugees have been leaving the Nakivale refugee settlement daily in the last week, according to police records. Nakivale is home to about 11,000 Rwandan refugees, most of whom fled to Uganda after the 1994 genocide.
A senior police officer said some refugees were selling their belongings as they prepared to leave the camps before the 31 July repatriation deadline set by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the Ugandan government.
According to UNHCR communications officer, Vanessa Akello, the agency is investigating the cases of the fleeing refugees.
She said UNHCR was giving assistance to those Rwandans wanting to return home but underlined that the agency had a mandate to ensure the voluntary nature of refguees' return their country of origin.
"The government of Uganda and UNHCR will undertake to find a durable solution" for those refugees remaining in Uganda after 31 July, Akello said, explaining that such solutions included voluntary repatriation, local integration and resettlement to a third country.
Since April, the Rwandan and Ugandan governments, with UNHCR, have been conducting sensitisation campaigns to encourage returns.
The first batch of 80 returnees is expected to leave Uganda on 19 May, said Innocent Ngango, the head of refugee repatriation in the Rwanda’s local government ministry.
Gacaca fears
However, Ngango noted that some elements in the refugee camps were discouraging their counterparts from returning to Rwanda for fear of being prosecuted for genocide-related crimes.
A lack of understanding of the workings of the Rwandan traditional court system, the Gacaca, is contributing to the refugees' reluctance to return home, Denis Bikesha, the head of mobilisation in the courts, told IRIN earlier.
At present, Uganda is hosting about 20,000 Rwandan refugees half of whom have in the past been opposed to repatriation, according to camp officials.
nb/aw/mw
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
Share this article
