| UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA - AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER |
RWANDA
CIVIL DISTURBANCE
DHA-GENEVA DAILY INFORMATION REPORT NO.37
8 SEPTEMBER 1994
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Information for this report is provided by the
UN Rwanda Emergency Office in Kigali
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DHA-GENEVA 94/3241
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GENERAL INFORMATION
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In view of the significant spill-over of the crisis engulfing Rwanda on its neighbouring countries, the Secretary-General has decided to pursue more vigorously a regional approach to address the problems in Rwanda and its consequences for Burundi, United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda and Zaire. Such an approach would enable a more effective utilization of resources available within the region as well as a more comprehensive set of measures to address the problems of the region. It will also help identify problems that may have implications for other countries and enhance the coordination of the overall efforts of the United Nations and concerned humanitarian organizations.
The Secretary-General has consequently asked Robert Sherwood Dillon, former United States Ambassador to Lebanon, who has also served as the Deputy Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), to undertake a mission to the region.
Mr. Dillon will consult with all concerned in the region and identify measures for strengthening coordination of United Nations humanitarian effort throughout the region. He will also consult with all United Nations Agencies engaged in programmes of assistance to the Rwandans, inside and outside the country, affected by the crisis.
The Secretary-General continues to be concerned about the deterioration in the security conditions in the refugee camps. He has instructed his Special Representative in Rwanda, Shahryar Khan, to urgently discuss this with the neighbouring countries and recommend appropriate measures to improve the security within the camps in Zaire and Tanzania.
RETURNEES
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UNHCR reports that between 23 August and 5 September, 1,737 displaced persons were transported back by UNHCR/IOM from Gikongoro and 1,367 from Cyangugu. 732 additional persons were transported by UNAMIR during the same period.
Returnee operations from Cyangugu are now operating in a coordinated manner with different agencies and the first convoy working under the locally agreed division of responsibilities left on 7 September for Kigali. At a meeting convened by UNREO, it was agreed that UNHCR is to provide registration and reception facilities while UNAMIR provides armed escorts for the five trucks. Food and water are to be provided by ICRC while MSF ensures medical cover. The 250 returnees will be taken to Butare for an overnight stop before being delivered home to Kigali and other points on the route.
The UNREO Field Office in Cyangugu reports that over 1,000 people returned to Rwanda from Zaire on 6 September. The number of people moving from Rwanda to Zaire has tailed off dramatically; many of the people travelling into Zaire say that they are simply going into the camps at Bukavu to search for relatives to bring back home.
UNHCR reports that in the last six weeks some 100,000 people have returned from Goma. This is despite the absence of a formal repatriation operation. UNHCR say they cannot start such an operation until the security situation improves, both within the camps and within Rwanda.
SECURITY
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The country is seen as generally secure, although there are continued accounts of banditry. UN personnel are not allowed to travel by night although the security phase was reduced from 4 to 3 on 1 September.
The transition to an RPA presence in sector 4 is continuing; on 6 September Government Prefects, each protected by a 30-man platoon of RPA soldiers, were scheduled to move into Kibuye, Gikongoro and Cyangugu to begin the new administration of the south west area. However, it has been reported that, for logistical reasons, the troops did not move in as expected. Despite this, the plan remains for the RPA to continue significantly increasing their presence in the region over the next 2-4 weeks.
Most of the French-established Gendarmerie has now handed over their weapons; the UNREO Field Office in Cyangugu reports that as of 7 September, 213 had surrendered their weapons. Many of them have volunteered to return to Kigali for training and integration into the new Gendarmerie.
SOUTH WEST
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The UNREO Field Office in Gikongoro reports that a warehouse has been set up in Kigeme Secondary School to supply relief items to NGOs operating in the Prefecture. Stocks will include equipment for water storage, basic health care, provision of supplementary foods, shelter and cooking. The items are available on a first-come, first-serve basis with the priority being for projects supporting unaccompanied children. A stock report will be available at UNICEF and circulated in the area by UNREO.
An UNREO assessment mission will be sent into the region 8-9 September to identify humanitarian assistance requirements.
Kibungo Prefecture estimates tha t85,000 persons returned to the area during August.
NORTH EAST
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A UNHCR / Ministry of Rehabilitation and Social Integration / Austrian Relief Programme mission to the area confirmed that some 100,000 refugees have returned from Uganda. The mission proposes a two-phase approach:
1) one-time relief for returnees (mainly household items), and
2) community - based assistance in the sectors of Health, Education, Crop Protection and Animal Husbandry.
WATER
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Water supply has been rehabilitated in Kigali and 9 out of the 13 piped water supply schemes in the country are also operating.
SALARIES
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Government employees are still not being paid; this is a problem which needs to be settled without delay. UNHCR reports that some Government employees are now leaving the posts to which they had recently returned.
At the UNREO general meeting on 6 September, the Government representative said that some guidelines on salaries are expected to be ready for discussion by Friday 9 September.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
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A UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) mission has arrived in the region to investigate the problems of environmental impacts of the recent crisis. With huge numbers of displaced persons and refugees, there are likely to be enormous problems of soil erosion and destruction of limited fuelwood resources. Contamination of water supplies and destruction of rare habitat are also potential problems. A recent CARE assessment mission to Gikongoro Prefecture noted that environmental degradation was the most significant long-term impact of the influx of displaced persons in the region.