US embassy cable - 04KINSHASA1874

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 001874 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF, PHUM, PGOV, PINS, CG, UNHCR, PRM 
SUBJECT: CONGOLESE REFUGEES ABROAD: NOT EASY TO RETURN HOME 
 
REF: KINSHASA 1807 
 
1. (SBU) Summary. UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) 
officials in Kinshasa expressed concern October 3 over the 
manipulation of refugee returns to the East from Burundi, 
Rwanda, and Tanzania. They are trying to work with the 
various governments involved to facilitate repatriation of 
refugees, but do not, however, see the need at this time for 
the repatriation of thousands of refugees from Tanzanian 
UNHCR-run camps. The Congolese government is making some 
efforts to sensitize the population of South Kivu about the 
need to welcome all refugees, yet there is no uniform policy 
towards Banyamulenge refugees, and hard liners in the 
government appear to be encouraging opposition to the return 
of this particular group. End Summary. 
 
More Refugees to Return from Burundi to South Kivu 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
2. (SBU) Poloff met September 30 with Aida Mariam, UNHCR's 
Deputy Country Representative in the DRC to discuss upcoming 
refugee returns to the DRC. Mariam said that UNHCR expects 
continued refugee returns from Burundi to South Kivu in the 
coming weeks. Vice-Minister of Interior Paul Musafiri told 
poloff October 1 that he would travel to Burundi and South 
Kivu in the following days to coordinate refugee assistance 
efforts. He said the Congo wanted a more organized return of 
refugees from Burundi in order to avoid a humanitarian 
crisis. MONUC sources in Kinshasa said that the UN was 
encouraging future returns from Burundi in manageable groups 
of 50 refugees at a time. 
 
3. (SBU) Acting UNHCR country representative, Mohamed Dayri, 
told poloff October 3 that out of the 366 mostly Banyamulenge 
refugees who arrived in Uvira the previous week (reftel), 150 
were planning to go to Minemwe and about 100 were planing to 
stay in Uvira; the remainder would go to other nearby 
communities. The situation in Uvira was reportedly calm. 
 
Banyamulenge Refugees at Cyangungu want to Return 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
4. (SBU) According to Dayri, approximately 700 Banyamulenge 
refugees remained at the Cyangungu transit center in Rwanda, 
close to the DRC border. These refugees had refused to be 
moved to refugee camps in central Rwanda. They clearly 
expressed to UNHCR authorities their wish to return to the 
Bukavu area from which they fled during earlier hostilities. 
Mariam told poloff that UNHCR's task in dealing with these 
refugees has been complicated by the attention given to 
Banyamulenge refugees in general and by the efforts of 
diverse groups to manipulate their return. She also explained 
that UNHCR could not keep refugees at a temporary transit 
center near the border for an indefinite period of time, 
especially after the Gatumba massacre. Dayri said that 
UNHCR-Kigali and Rwandan authorities have agreed to keep the 
transit center open for an additional month to provide 
sufficient time for a more organized return of refugees. 
 
5. (SBU) Musafiri told poloff that his mission to South Kivu 
included trips to Uvira and Bukavu to meet with civil 
society, church, and local authorities to sensitize people 
about the importance of accepting and welcoming returning 
refugees. He also would work to organize a committee in 
Bukavu to assist the expected refugees from Rwanda. Musafiri 
acknowledged that the GDRC did not speak with one voice in 
this matter and that differences of opinion regarding the 
return of refugees complicated his task. 
 
Political Pawns: Bringing Refugees Back from Tanzania 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
6. (SBU) Dayri explained that the Vice-Governor for South 
Kivu was working to bring back to the Congo up to 3,500 
refugees from Tanzania in the coming days. Most would be 
coming back to Uvira, Fizi, and Baraka in South Kivu. About 
500, however, would be going to Kalemie, an area that is 
already having difficulties coping with internally displaced 
people. Dayri was critical of this effort, saying there is no 
reason to rush the return of this particular group of 
refugees from UNHCR camps in Tanzania to Congolese areas that 
lack the humanitarian infrastructure to receive them. 
(Comment: The Vice-Governor, who is from the civil society 
component of the transitional government, is openly 
manipulating refugee returns for political gain, trying to 
bring large numbers of non-Banyamulenge refugees to offset 
the 366 Gatumba survivors who returned to Uvira. This is an 
apparent "tit for tat" contest with the RCD-G South Kivu 
Vice-Governor, who is seen as the Banyamulenges' sponsor, and 
is also guilty of political gamesmanship as he seeks to 
bolster his provincial base. End Comment.) 
 
 
UNHCR Plans to Start Repatriation from CAR to Equateur 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
7. (U) Mariam said that now that the DRC has signed a 
tripartite agreement with the Central African Republic (CAR) 
UNHCR would work to repatriate up to 3,000 refugees from 
UNHCR camps in the CAR back to Equateur Province before the 
end of the year. She estimates that there are an additional 
7,000 Congolese refugees in CAR who live outside camps and 
who will also receive assistance to return to the DRC. 
 
No Repatriation from Congo-Brazzaville for this Year 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
8. (U) Mariam explained that, although the GDRC also signed a 
tripartite agreement with Congo-Brazzaville, repatriation of 
refugees would not begin until next year due to the 
difficulty of traveling during the rainy season. She 
estimates that there are over 70,000 Congolese refugees in 
Congo-Brazzaville, most of whom will return to northern 
Equateur province. (Comment: Despite the difficult 
humanitarian situation in the province, the security 
situation in Equateur remains relatively stable, especially 
when compared to the east of the country. End Note.) 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
9. (SBU) Repatriation of refugees is normally coordinated by 
UNHCR with the respective governments of the countries 
involved through tripartite agreements. The return of 
Banyamulenge refugees to South Kivu, however, has changed 
this dynamic as local and national actors try to manipulate 
the issue for political gain. As one Vice-Governor from South 
Kivu tries to encourage Banyamulenge returns, the other seeks 
even larger returns of non-Banyamulenge from Tanzania, most 
likely with the support of hardline elements in Kinshasa. 
UNHCR finds itself in the uncomfortable position of being 
criticized for being too-cautious in its approach to refugee 
returns. Their mandate, however, is to safeguard the physical 
integrity of refugees under international law and to evaluate 
carefully the feasibility of returns to areas that remain 
volatile. UNHCR is correct in this case about its concerns of 
rapid large scale refugee returns to South Kivu, regarding 
both logistical and security issues. Nonetheless, the agency 
appears to have recognized to some degree that it needs to be 
flexible when facing returns of determined refugees. 
MEECE