On 22 February 2018, Rwandan military and police used tear gas, live bullets and grenades to disperse a group of Congolese refugees who were demonstrating peacefully in front of the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Kibuye, Karongi District, Rwanda.
The group of over 4,000 men, women and children had marched 15 kilometres from Kiziba Refugee Camp in western Rwanda on 20 February 2018, and stationed themselves outside the UNHCR office. Their intention was to raise their concerns with UNHCR about the appalling and deteriorating conditions in the camp. The group had previously sent letters expressing their concerns to
UNHCR and the Rwandan Government, but had not received any response. The concerns of the refugees included: the progressive reduction in rations since November 2017 to USD $6.70 per person per month, food shortages, a total lack of employment or means of livelihood for camp residents, the ongoing exploitation of youth, and discrimination in education and employment. (Refugees are paid less than Rwandan nationals for equivalent work, and refugees can only study up to year 9.) Many of these concerns relate to UNHCR’s operations in Rwanda being chronically under-funded.
Many of the camp residents who joined the march had been living in Kiziba Refugee Camp for more than two decades, having fled from the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1996. Their appeal to the UN refugee agency was for longer-term solutions to their plight, including access to basic education and healthcare, increase in food supplies, protection of their safety and livelihoods, and freedom from discrimination.
The Rwandan military and police responded to the group’s peaceful efforts by using live ammunition to disperse the refugees on 20 February 2018, and then by using violence to force the refugees back to Kiziba Refugee Camp on 22 February 2018. Also on 22 February 2018, police and military personnel stationed at Kibiza Refugee Camp opened fire on the refugees at the camp. The violence has resulted in community estimates of at least 22 deaths, multiple injuries, the arrest and detention of camp residents accused of leading the demonstrators, and many more persons unaccounted for. Camp residents were forced to return to Kiziba under armed escort, and are now surrounded in the camp by the same military and police personnel who perpetrated the violence against them. Those whose family members were killed have been prevented from burying their loved ones in the camp, and there have been restrictions on people leaving the camp to attend to the injured or perform burial duties.
Call to action
Congolese community members in Australia — many of whom have lived in the Kiziba Refugee Camp before — have been deeply impacted by this violence and are calling on the international community to act swiftly.
The undersigned call on:
- UNHCR to assume full responsibility for the management of Kiziba Refugee Camp, including urgently relocating victims of the Kiziba massacre to a safe third country in the region while longer-term solutions are explored.
- The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch to undertake independent investigations of the events and response that led to the deaths of refugees from Kiziba Refugee Camp.
- UNHCR and the Government of Rwanda to allow the victims of the Kiziba massacre to bury their loved ones in a way that respects the customs and wishes of bereaved families.
- Humanitarian agencies, led by UNHCR, to provide urgent emergency relief (food, medical care) to Kiziba Refugee Camp residents.
- International donors, including the Australian Government, to substantially increase funding to UNHCR to ensure refugees in Rwanda are able to meet their basic needs.
- Resettlement states —including Australia— to allocate an emergency quota of resettlement places for those affected by the Kiziba massacre.
Organisations supporting this statement
- Refugee Council of Australia
- Great Lakes Agency for Peace and Development International (Sydney)
- Townsville Congolese Community United
- Congolese United for Peace and Reconciliation in Australia (Brisbane)
- KIVU United Community (Adelaide)
- Perth Congolese Community
- Toowoomba Congolese Association
- Congolese Association of Victoria
Contact
We invite representatives of the Australian Government, UNHCR, humanitarian agencies and media to contact us to find out more about the recent events and what can and should be done in response.
• Paul Power, CEO, Refugee Council of Australia (02 9211 9333 / international@refugeecouncil.org.au)
Media coverage and additional reporting
Rwanda: Police shot dead 11 refugees in food riot, Deutsche Welle (27 February 2018).
Rwandan Army Uses Live Ammo on Congolese Refugee Protest, Voice of America (20 February 2018).
Impunzi z’Abanyekongo Umunani Ziciwe kuri HCR Zashyinguwe, Voice of America (24 February 2018).
11 Congolese refugees killed in Rwanda protests, UN says, news24 (26 February 2018).
Rwanda: révolte dans un camp de réfugiés congolais, Futuromètre (23 February 2018).
Video of the Rwandan police addressing refugees before the massacre, Youtube (published on 21 February 2018).
UNHCR funding
UNHCR is advocating with donors to address the gaps in humanitarian funding and the urgent needs of refugees. To date, UNHCR’s 2018 appeal for US$98.8 million to support refugees in Rwanda is only 2 per cent funded.
See UNHCR calls for calm and restraint after Rwanda refugee camp protests (22 February 2018).
