The Return: Dilemmas for Congolese Refugees in Rwanda
Published: 9 Sep 2011
By: Lucy Hovil
Rumor and speculation are rife in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) North Kivu province regarding the anticipated return of Congolese refugees from Rwanda. Sparked by the signing of a tripartite agreement between the governments of the DRC, Rwanda and UNHCR in February 2010, feelings of hostility towards the idea of their “return” are widespread. These refugees are not really Congolese, some argue, and their “repatriation” is, in fact, part of a broader scheme by Rwanda to appropriate land in North Kivu. Indeed, some of the UN agencies operating in North Kivu have been accused of having a hidden agenda and promoting Rwandan encroachment on Congolese territory by facilitating their return.
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