RWANDA: Refugees return from Uganda

[ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

KIGALI, 6 Oct 2005 (IRIN) - Some 171 Rwandan refugees, most of whom fled their country during the 1994 genocide, have returned from neighbouring Uganda, an official of the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, told IRIN on Wednesday.

The refugees' arrival on Monday follows a mobilisation campaign by Rwanda's Ministry of Local Government and UNHCR officials in the country. These officials made field visits to all refugee sites in southwestern Uganda to assure them of their safety upon return to Rwanda.

"During the visits, the refugees had the opportunity to ask several questions and of which the [local government] minister was able to clarify," Volker Schimmel, a UNHCR information officer, said.

"It is the first voluntary repatriation from Uganda since March," he added.

The repatriation is a result of a tripartite agreement between Rwanda, Uganda and UNHCR.

Schimmel said the returnees, mainly women and children, were taken to the Rukumo Transit Centre in Rwanda's northern province of Byunmba where they underwent medical screening and received humanitarian aid.

Each returnee received food rations to last three months as well as household items such as blankets, plastic sheeting, cooking utensils and agricultural tools.

The returnees were part of the 15,000 Rwandan refugees who have been living in Ugandan camps for the past 11 years.

Signatories to the tripartite agreement have pledged to continue mobilising the return of the remaining lot, most of whom are in three settlements at Nakivale, Oruchinga and Kyaka, around the southwestern district of Mbarara.

About 48,000 Rwandan refugees remain in 14 African countries.

[ENDS]