US embassy cable - 04KIGALI1165

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KIGALI 001165 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/C AND PRM 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF, SMIG, RW, CG, BY, UNHCR 
SUBJECT: RWANDA'S UNHCR CAMPS FACE RESETTLEMENT CHALLENGE 
 
 
1. SUMMARY: The United Nations High Commission for Refugees 
(UNHCR) runs three refugee camps and three transit centers 
in Rwanda.  The camps house Congolese and Burundian 
refugees, while the transit centers provide for Rwandans 
returning from neighboring countries.  During recent visits 
to the UNHCR camps at Gikongoro and Kibuye, refugees 
expressed gratitude for the work of UNHCR, but also 
explained that the absence of viable options for leaving 
the camp, especially the slow process of resettlement, 
remained their greatest challenge.  The United States has 
accepted many refugees for resettlement, but it is the 
Government of Rwanda's (GOR) delay in granting exit visas 
that presents the main hindrance to the resettlement 
option.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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THE UNHCR IN RWANDA 
------------------- 
 
2. UNHCR, which began current operations in Rwanda in 1995, 
works with the Ministry for Local Government, Rural 
Development and Social Affairs (MINILOC); and it currently 
runs three refugee camps in the country.  The Gikongoro 
camp is specifically for Burundian refugees, while both the 
Kibuye and Byumba camps are for Congolese refugees 
(primarily Banyarwanda Tutsis from North Kivu).  The camps 
collectively hold close to 35,000 refugees and provide 
housing, health services, and educational opportunities. 
In addition to the refugee camps, UNHCR has three transit 
centers in Rwanda to reintegrate Rwandans returning from 
neighboring countries. 
 
3. UNHCR offers three options for refugees to leave the 
camps: repatriation returns refugees back to their home 
country; integration finds space for them in their country 
of refuge (Rwanda); and resettlement relocates the refugee 
to a third country (usually the United States or Canada). 
As both the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and 
Burundi remain conflict zones, repatriation is not a viable 
option.  Considering the population density of Rwanda, 
integrating refugees into its land is unrealistic. 
Resettlement remains the only viable option, yet 
difficulties in the process have hindered its successful 
completion.  Thus, many refugees remain in the UNHCR camps 
for extended periods. 
 
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GIKONGORO CAMP 
-------------- 
 
4. The UNHCR camp in Gikongoro houses approximately 750 
Burundian refugees escaping Burundi's civil war.  Many 
refugees escaped to Rwanda in 1972, while others have 
arrived post-1994.  Emboff visited the Gikongoro camp on 
August 4 and met with the camp manager.  The budget of the 
camp reflects its small size, and the camp seems to be 
struggling for resources.  The camp lacks the implementing 
partner organizations that often provide additional 
services to UNHCR refugees, and most of its facilities 
suffer as a result. 
 
5. The Gikongoro camp has a small, two-room dispensary 
staffed by two 'medical' employees, neither of them 
physicians.  The dispensary lacks capacity to treat most 
illnesses, and thus refers most cases to hospitals outside 
the camp.  The high altitude of the camp causes respiratory 
problems for many of the refugees.  HIV/AIDS, the flu, eye 
problems, psychological issues, and intestinal illnesses 
resulting from the close living quarters also affect the 
camp residents. 
 
6. Regarding education, the Gikongoro camp has its own 
facilities providing the first three years of primary 
education (P1-P3), with 132 children currently enrolled. 
These children study in small, one-room tents.  One tent in 
the makeshift school is a storeroom, and was virtually 
empty during Poloff's visit.  Teachers complain that the 
lack of books and other teaching materials presents the 
greatest challenge for them.  Children attend a nearby 
Rwandan primary school for the latter half of their primary 
education (P4-P6), where 87 refugee students are currently 
enrolled.  Currently, 42 Gikongoro refugees study outside 
the camp-site at Rwandan secondary schools.  [COMMENT:  It 
is unclear whether all children have the opportunity to 
continue to local Rwandan schools or only a select number 
may do so.  END COMMENT].  In addition to these educational 
opportunities, the Gikongoro camp offers basic computer 
training and is beginning a sewing program for its 
residents. 
 
7. There are no televisions or other forms of entertainment 
available to the refugees, and they complain that there is 
nothing to do at the camp.  The lack of job opportunities 
restricts their options of finding other ways to pass the 
time.  Frustrated by the inability to return to their 
country, the impossibility of integrating in Rwanda, and 
the slow and limited process of resettlement, many refugees 
leave the camp in frustration. 
 
8. Many refugees express gratitude for the work of UNHCR, 
and say that they get along with their Rwandan neighbors. 
Still, they express a desire to return home as soon as 
possible. 
 
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KIBUYE CAMP 
----------- 
9. The UNHCR Kibuye camp is home to approximately 16,500 
Congolese refugees mainly escaping the ongoing conflict in 
the eastern DRC.  The camp, which was originally in Gisenyi 
province, now is situated in an isolated part of Kibuye 
province; and the refugees have few neighbors.  The Kibuye 
camp has a number of implementing partner NGOs that improve 
the atmosphere for the refugees, including the American 
Refugee Committee (ARC), Africa Humanitarian Action (AHA), 
Jesuit Relief Services (JRS), and Right-to-Play.  As a 
result, the Kibuye camp has better facilities than the 
Gikongoro camp. 
 
10. The hospital at Kibuye camp consists of 3-4 buildings, 
including a maternity ward, and is equipped and managed by 
AHA.  The hospital, staffed by an Ethiopian surgeon and 
many assistants, provides excellent healthcare for the 
refugees. 
 
11. The Kibuye camp has on its grounds both a primary and 
secondary school, consisting of many small tents.  In 
addition, a women's cooperative provides sewing 
opportunities for the women, while men learn shoemaking and 
carpentry. 
 
12. The Kibuye camp also lacks televisions, but Right-to- 
Play provides sports, games, and life-skills for the 
refugees.  The refugees' main complaints are that food 
rations are inadequate and the resettlement process is 
inefficient. 
 
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THE RESETTLEMENT CHALLENGE 
-------------------------- 
 
13. Budget restraints challenge both refugee camps and 
cause other problems to arise.  The World Food Program 
(WFP) calculates food rations and, except for a two-month 
reduction earlier this year, has provided the standard 
package to all refugee camps.  Still, refugees complain 
that the quantities are insufficient.  They also comment 
that there are few opportunities to generate income and 
that other options to pass the time are nonexistent.  But 
by far the greatest complaint is the lack of alternatives 
to staying at the refugee camp.  Many refugees resent that 
repatriation is not an option and resettlement is an 
extremely slow process. 
 
14. The resettlement process consists of a UNHCR interview 
and petition to a third-party country for resettlement, an 
interview conducted by the resettlement country, a medical 
examination, cultural lessons, and an exit visa granted by 
the current host country (Rwanda).  It is the exit visa 
that presents the problem for many refugees looking to 
resettle. 
 
15. Considering the small size of the Burundi camp in 
Gikongoro, UNHCR has attempted to resettle the entire camp. 
However, despite United States agreement to accept many of 
the refugees for resettlement, the Burundians remain in 
Rwanda.  UNHCR officials explained that the GOR has delayed 
in granting their exit visas.  Before clearing the visa, 
the GOR investigates the refugees' involvement in the 1994 
Genocide, as thousands of Burundian Hutus fled to Rwanda in 
1972 following heavy persecution in Burundi and were in- 
country during the Genocide.  This investigative process 
has been very slow.  UNHCR officials had hoped that the 
process would be faster for Burundians entering Rwanda 
after 1994, but this has not been the case. 
 
16. UNHCR says that the GOR promised a reply by June on the 
status of the refugees' exit visas, but to date no reply 
has come.  UNHCR explains that the Burundian refugees are 
investigated by the GOR's National Security Service, and 
UNHCR is prevented from checking their progress.  The 
Burundian refugees are supposed to be cleared on an 
individual basis, but thus far none of them have been 
granted exit visas.  This hindrance has prevented all 
Burundian refugees from resettling elsewhere and is the 
cause for much of their frustration.  Congolese refugees 
face fewer problems concerning resettlement--as most 
Congolese were not in Rwanda before 1994 and therefore are 
not believed to have participated in the Genocide--and many 
were resettled as recently as May. 
 
O'LEARY