Africa (Commonwealth Union) _ More than 1,100 Rwandans have returned home after spending over three decades under the control of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a militia group based in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which represents an important turning point in the country’s repatriation efforts.
The returnees, many of whom were born in captivity or spent most of their lives in militia-controlled areas, arrived through the Grand Barrière border post in Rubavu District between Saturday, May 17, and Monday, May 19. The latest group of 796, mostly women and children, followed an earlier group of 360 who arrived on Saturday.
They are currently being hosted at Kijote Transit Camp in Nyabihu District and Nyarushishi Transit Camp in Rusizi District, where they will remain for two weeks before reintegration into Rwandan society.
Officials say this return is part of a broader repatriation program targeting about 2,500 Rwandans still believed to be held by the FDLR, a group formed by remnants of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. The Ministry of Emergency Management reports that more than 4,000 Rwandans have returned from DR Congo since January 2025, adding to over 3.5 million repatriated since 1994.
Returnees expressed profound relief and surprise at the progress Rwanda has made. “We left long ago, but what we have found here is incredible. The development and peace we see today were unimaginable,” said Theogene Ntibarora, a returnee.
Esperance Uwimana recalled the turmoil of life in DR Congo: “We couldn’t sleep due to constant war. Thanks to the good leadership in Rwanda, we are finally safe.”
Another returnee, 25-year-old Marie Jeanne Furaha, was visibly emotional. “I feel safe now. I am home, and I’m going to meet my family,” she said.
The Minister of Emergency Management, Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Albert Murasira, welcomed the returnees and assured them of full support, including documentation, healthcare, and opportunities for education and employment.
“You are no longer refugees you are Rwandans,” he said. “We want you to be part of rebuilding this country. There’s no more divisionism here.”
Murasira reiterated the government’s policy of unity and reconciliation, emphasizing that even former FDLR members can return, provided they face justice if implicated in past crimes.
