Congolese refugees start returning home

Some of the Congolese refugees camped at Nyakabande Refugee Transit Camp in Kisoro District have started returning to their country, the Daily Monitor has established.

“On Sunday, about 448 out of the 10,006 refugees currently camped at the camp accepted to return to their home country,” Mr Shafiq Ssekandi, the Kisoro Resident District Commissioner (RDC), told Daily Monitor yesterday.

“They passed through Busanza and Bunagana border posts. The remaining ones are also preparing to return home,” he said.

The RDC said the cumulative number of those who have returned to their home country between September 2 and October 9 is now 17,792, of whom 8,095 are males while the rest are females.

He added that the cumulative number of Congolese refugees registered since March when fighting erupted between the M23 rebels and the Congolese government forces is 54,016 refugees from 27,567 households.

“Although the cumulative number of Congolese refugees tested for Covid-19 between March and October 9 is 42,590 and the confirmed cases being 671, there is no active case of Covid-19 and Ebola at the isolation centre as of October 9,” he said.

He observed that there is now relative calm since there hasn’t been any fighting between the M23 rebels and the Congolese government forces for almost one month and the border line remains calm.
“This could have given the refugees confidence to return home,” he said.

Mr Ssekandi said hundreds of Congolese refugees who had earlier been relocated to different settlement camps in Uganda last month, started returning to their home country citing inadequate medical services in the settlement camps, reduced food rations and other privileges, while others opted for self-repatriation, arguing that their troubled home country is safe.

The commandant of Nyakabande Refugee Transit Camp, Mr Daniel Kisaamo, on Monday confirmed the return of some Congolese refugees to their home country.

“Although we are suffering with hiring trucks to transport our family members, luggage and domestic animals, we are happy to return home because we shall cultivate our gardens and get enough food,” Ms Dusabe Byiringiro, one of the returning refugees, said.

Last month, the Kisoro District security committee issued a two-day ultimatum for the Congolese refugees camped at the Ugandan-DR Congo border villages and trading centres to either report to Nyakabande Refugee Transit Camp or return to their respective homes.

The Kisoro District leaders said the refugees can better be managed and monitored while in the transit camps than when they are scattered in the district.

Background
Thousands of Congolese refugees in March fled into Uganda and camped at Nyakabande Refugee Transit Camp in Kisoro District fearing for their lives as fighting erupted between the M23 rebels and the Congolese government forces.

In June, the situation worsened when the M23 rebels captured the main border town of Bunagana, which is still under their control up to date.