By Kulihoshi M | Provincial Coordinator of North Kivu
Engaging on various activities to decriminalize refugees in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo,
First of all, allow us to thank you so much for your generoeus financial contributions towards this cause, we also thank all those who have supported our projects towards refugees in DRCongo.
Most of the refugee population in eastern DRCongo come from Rwanda and from Burundi, and currently Rwanda is commemorating 100 Days of Genocide which are believed to have been committed by those who are asylum seekers in DRCongo. And his speech on Sunday April 7th, 2024 during the launch of the Genocide President Paul Kagame continued with his approach of criminalizing all Hutus who are in DRCongo as responsible for the genocide, we do not agree with this and we are pushing for the establishment of the truth of who did what, but also at the same raising up issues of the genocide against Rwandan Refugees in DRCongo.
What we have been able to do
We are glad to share with the audience that more than 90% of the current Rwandan refugee population in DRCongo are young people below 40 years, some during the genocide in 1994 they were either children bellow ten years and others were born in DRCongo. According to the United Nations the current Rwandan refugee population in DRC is composed of 78% women and children, which are more victims of various violations and are not involved in the geneocide.
After four months, now we have the very first draft of the new refugee policy in the Democratic Republic of Congo, we really thank our volunteers from Florida University who helped us to make the very first draft of the new refugee policy. Now with this document we are able to engage on more discussions with other stakeholders at different levels.
We pushed for the protection and the security of refugees in North Kivu, the general physical protection of refugees in North Kivu is very fine and there are no targets towards refugees in particular.
This has been achieved through regular meetings with security services and awareness campaigns and activities, and various media engagement which have helped the wider audience to know more about these refugees and propose better ways to help them. We have also engaged with the United Nations Mission in DRCongo to ensure that her programs aim at the protection of refugees.
What remains to be done?
As per now we need to keep on engaging actors at various levels on the situation of refugees in Eastern DRCongo,
We need to collect accurate information and dissiminate it on the situation of refugees in eastern DRCongo in order to reduce the propaganda of criminalization, stigmatization and exclusion of those refugee who need protection,
Push for the legal reforms as we have already started it, this needs to advocate for a new refugee policy in the Democratic Republic of Congo covering the whole protection of refugees,
Training stakeholders and refugees about their rights and about the law in DRCongo, the conventions and other legal instruments,
Advocate for an effective protection of refugees especially Rwandan refugees in the Democratic Republic of Congo,
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