On Monday, May 19, Rwandan authorities welcomed 796 nationals who returned from eastern DR Congo, where they had been held captive by the FDLR, a militia formed by remnants of the perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
This group, consisting mostly of women and children, marks the second wave of returnees facilitated by the AFC/M23 rebel group, which currently controls parts of North and South Kivu provinces. The first group of 360 returnees had arrived two days earlier, on Saturday.
Officials involved in the repatriation process say many of the returnees had been held hostage or detained for years by the FDLR, a militia reportedly supported by authorities in DR Congo.
Prosper Mulindwa, Mayor of Rubavu District, received the returnees at the Grand Barrière Border Post, thanking them for their decision to come home.
“You are all equal as Rwandans,” Mulindwa said. “Join national development programmes and rebuild your lives.”
The returnees were transported to the Nyarushishi Transit Camp in Rusizi District, where they will receive support for reintegration, including ID cards, essential services, and help enrolling children back into school.
Mulindwa emphasized that Rwanda is a safe country and assured the group they would be welcomed without discrimination in their communities.
