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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KIGALI 000120 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/23/2020 
TAGS: PREF PREL PHUM EAID CG RW
SUBJECT: RWANDA, DRC SIGN REFUGEE REPATRIATION AGREEMENTS 
 
KIGALI 00000120  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Classified By: CDA Anne Casper for reasons 1.4 (b) (d) 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: After much deliberation, the governments of 
Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) signed 
repatriation agreements at the conclusion of a February 16-17 
tripartite meeting with the UNHCR in Kigali to discuss the 
voluntary repatriation of refugees in the two countries. 
During a visit to the Gihembe camp the Congolese delegation 
addressed refugee concerns relating to land, security and 
ethnicity, informing them that the GDRC will need time to 
prepare for their return. The delegations set the next 
tripartite meeting for May 18-20; in the meantime UNHCR is 
drafting a detailed implementation plan. END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (SBU) On February 19 UNHCR contact gave Poloff a read-out 
of the February 16-17 tripartite meeting between 
representatives from the GOR, GDRC and UNHCR in Kigali to 
discuss the repatriation of Rwandan refugees in the DRC and 
Congolese refugees in Rwanda. On day one, a technical working 
group drafted repatriation agreements and an implementation 
plan of activities to facilitate the voluntary repatriation 
of refugees in the two countries. During a presentation by 
the Rwandan team, GOR officials noted that UNHCR completed a 
survey in 2008 that showed 83 percent of Congolese refugees 
were ready to repatriate if peace was restored in eastern 
DRC. They also described the various savings and loan 
programs available to ease the transition for Rwandan 
returnees. During its own presentation, the DRC delegation 
claimed that 80 percent of eastern DRC is now safe for 
returnees. They also mentioned that as part of the GDRC's 
current military campaign in eastern DRC combatants receive 
$50 for every weapon they hand over, which has improved the 
security situation. 
 
¶3. (SBU) On February 17 the tripartite commission, which 
included a 24 person Congolese delegation, visited the 
Gihembe refugee camp. The DRC Minister of Interior addressed 
the refugees and told them that on behalf of President 
Kabila, the DRC was ready to welcome them back and assured 
them that land, ethnicity, and security were no longer 
problems. During a question and answer session, refugees 
posed questions on those very issues - land, ethnicity, and 
security - and said that they hear regular media reports 
about continuing insecurity in eastern DRC. According to 
UNHCR, the minister avoided the question and delivered a more 
realistic message, that the GDRC recognizes that repatriation 
can be a long process and it will need time to prepare for 
the return of the refugees. 
 
¶4. (C) Upon return to Kigali, the technical group submitted 
draft repatriation agreements to the heads of the delegations 
and the UNHCR regional representative from Kinshasa. The 
signing ceremony was scheduled to begin at 5:30 pm, but the 
minister of state in charge of community development and 
social affairs in the Rwandan Ministry of Local Government 
(MINALOC) refused to sign the agreement due to the wording of 
one article. According to UNHCR, the original language said 
that the GOR would be "responsible for protecting returnees 
from intimidation and persecution." The minister of state 
said the proposed language was "too negative," and after 
several hours of heated discussion, the parties agreed to 
change the wording to say that the GOR would "protect the 
fundamental rights of returnees." Journalists were present 
for a press conference that took place at midnight. 
Qfor a press conference that took place at midnight. 
 
¶5. (C) UNHCR will continue drafting the implementation plan 
and intends to present it to the two governments by April 1. 
The next tripartite meeting is scheduled for May 18-19, and 
the tripartite commission plans to validate the 
implementation plan on May 20. One of the proposed activities 
is a sensitization campaign to explain the voluntary 
repatriation process to Congolese refugees in Rwanda. (Note: 
Voluntary repatriation of Rwandan refugees is ongoing. End 
Note.) The GDRC and UNHCR plan to profile areas of return in 
eastern DRC by mid-September, after receiving profiles of all 
Congolese refugees in Rwanda by the end of July. 
Additionally, the parties discussed the issue of Rwandan 
citizens going to UNHCR transit centers in DRC and claiming 
to be refugees, in order to receive a returnee kit that 
includes about 50,000 Rwandan francs (approximately $100). 
UNHCR has difficulty determining the status of these 
individuals, as most Rwandan refugees in the DRC are 
unregistered. UNHCR/Rwanda plans to create a profile of 
repeat "offenders" and share the results with the technical 
working group May 18-19. According to UNHCR/Rwanda, the GOR 
dislikes recognizing that Rwandan citizens are willing to 
pose as refugees to receive money. 
 
¶6. (C) COMMENT: Congolese refugees in Rwanda are eager to 
 
KIGALI 00000120  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
return to DRC if and when security is restored. According to 
UNHCR/Rwanda the refugees at Gihembe camp understood that the 
DRC Minister of Interior's change of message during his visit 
there signaled that the security situation was not stable 
enough for them to pack their bags and leave that night. 
Although the three parties agreed to more information 
sharing, mistrust between UNHCR/Rwanda and the GOR, 
specifically MINALOC, and a lack of communication between 
UNHCR/Rwanda and UNHCR/DRC seems to have often resulted in 
two different assessments of the refugee situation. It 
appears that all parties recognize the need to craft and 
follow a solid implementation plan to avoid further 
destabilizing eastern DRC. END COMMENT. 
 
 
 
CASPER