Ongoing attacks on Rwandan refugees in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Referring to the 12 June 2016 dated report, from the Rwandan refugee representative in North Kivu Mr Manassé Munyakazi, on the attacks and killings of Rwandan Hutu refugees, who dissociated from the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), that started in the morning of 11 June 2016 around 8:30, in the valleys and mountains among MWESO, KASHUGA, NYANZALE and KIKUKU villages in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and commanded by Major General Gaston Iyamuremye alias Victor Byiringiro Rumuli;

Rwandan refugees in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Referring to the news, published by a Rwandan online newspaper VERITASINFO on 13 June 2016, about the call for help from the refugees attacked;
 With reference to the 11 June 2016 phone interview between one of those Rwandan refugees who were attacked, Mrs Agnès Ayinkamiye and the Journalist of Radio-Itahuka, Mr Serge Ndayizeye (see the attached interview translation);

Referring to the reports we kept receiving from other refugees in the North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo;

We would like to inform the Rwandans, journalists and international organizations the following:

1.We condemn Major General Gaston Iyamuremye’s decision to attack and kill Rwandan refugees he was supposed to protect. Such a decision is not different from the Rwandan government agenda of killing Rwandan Hutu refugees still present in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s jungles, since 1996 until now. Note that there are more than 250, 000 Hutu refugees still in those forests.

2.We demand that Major General Gaston Iyamuremye alias Victor Byiringiro and his combatants stop immediately attacking and killing refugees that they had protected for more than 20 years.

3.We implore the United Nations — UN, the Southern African Development Community — SADEC, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees — UNHCR, the European Union — EU, and the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo to firmly condemn such crimes that are currently being committed by Major General Gaston Iyamuremye against Rwandan Hutu refugees.

4.We implore the International Criminal Court –ICC to conduct investigations and get Major General Gaston Iyamuremye alias Victor Byiringiro Rumuli arrested, as well as others who massacred Hutu refugees.

Done in Paris, 16 June 2016

Mr Jean Kalisa
The representative of Rwandan refugee survivors in Europe
E mail :jeankalisa72@gmail.com