Rwanda: Situation of Tutsi survivors (who remained in Rwanda during the genocide) and whether there is any tension between them and other Tutsis who have returned from the Diaspora (August 2004)

During a 24 August 2004 telephone interview, a journalist with the Belgian newspaper Le Soir, who is an expert on the Great Lakes Region of Africa, provided the following information.

The current Rwandan regime favours Tutsis returning from Diaspora communities, particularly those from Uganda, in the public service and the recruitment into or promotion within the army. However, Tutsi survivors of the 1994 genocide also enjoy some specific advantages, including the free admission to secondary schools for children and for some of them, the free access to medical treatment particularly for HIV-AIDS illness.

The journalist explained that the most common challenges that face Tutsi survivors of the 1994 genocide, include the poverty they now endure and the fear that Hutus who are being released from jail would kill them. The journalist added that Tutsi survivors are also despised by their fellow Tutsis who have returned from exile after the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) victory in July 1994. She explained that many Diaspora Tutsis are suspicious of survivors. They often accuse them of having cooperated with Hutus killers during the genocide.

Describing the current situation of genocide survivors, a 28 March 2004 Observer article stated the following.

In Rwanda today, the survivors are a small, weak community. Most are poor, they have lost their families, houses and any other assets they had. Those who lived in villages in Rwanda's beautiful green hills have moved to the towns, where they can support each other. Many are neither physically nor mentally capable of holding down a job. They are trapped between Hutus who killed their families – many of whom are being freed from prison – and Tutsis who have returned from exile since 1994.

The same article added that survivors of the 1994 genocide "often find" that the current authorities in Rwanda are "insensitive" to their situation and some Tutsi returnees "suspicious" of them (The Observer 28 March 2004).

Various reports also indicated that genocide survivors have been targeted for killing, intimidation and harassment in order to prevent them from testifying before the Gacaca courts [traditional courts] (Country Reports 2003 2003, sect. 1.a; IRIN 14 May 2004; ibid. 12 Jan. 2004; BBC 16 Dec. 2004). The same reports refer specifically to several survivors who have been murdered by "assailants" in the southwestern province of Gikongoro in late 2003 (ibid.; Country Reports 2003 2003, sect. 1.a; IRIN 14 May 2004).

While about 25 of suspects in connection with those murders were arrested (IRIN 12 Jan. 2004) and some of them sentenced to death (IRIN 14 May 2004), the Rwanda government had also launched a parliamentary commission to investigate those killings (HRW 2 July 2004; ibid. 19 Jan. 2004; ibid. 9 Jan. 2004).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

BBC. 16 December 2003. "Genocide Witnesses 'Being Killed'."

Country Reports of Human Rights Practices for 2003. 25 February 2004. US Department of State. Washington D.C. [Accessed 23 August 2004]

Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN). 2 July 2004. "Rwanda: Parliament Seeks to Abolish Rights Group." [Accessed 23 Aug. 2004]
_____. 14 May 2004. "Rwanda: Kagame Dismisses District Leaders Over Genocide-Related Deaths." [Accessed 23 Aug. 2004]
_____. 12 January 2004. "Rwanda: Genocide Survivors Flee Province Over Killings." [Accessed 23 Aug. 2004]
_____. 9 January 2004. "Rwanda: Probe Launched Into Genocide-Linked Deaths." [Accessed 13 Aug. 2004]
_____. 19 December 2003. "Rwanda: Commission to Probe Murder and Harassment of Genocide survivors." [Accessed 23 Aug. 2004]

The Observer [London]. 28 March 2004. "Rwanda's Genocide Could Have Been Prevented. The UN Let People Die and Now It Watches as the Survivors Die." [Accessed 23 August 2004]

Le Soir [Brussels]. 24 August 2004. Telephone interview with a journalist specializing in the Great Lakes Region of Africa.

Additional Sources Consulted

Publications: Africa Confidential, Africa Research Bulletin, Jeune Afrique/L'Intelligent, Keesing's Record of World Events, Resource Centre country file.

Internet sites, including: Africatime, AllAfrica, Amnesty International, BBC Africa, Dialog, European Country of Origin Information Network, FIDH, HRW, Minorities at Risk Project, MISNA.