The UNHCR declared that effective 30th June 2013, there will be no more refugee status accorded to any Rwandan who fled between 1959 and 1998.
Marcel Gatsinzi, the Minister in charge of Disaster Management and Refugee affairs, told media that the decision of avoiding refugee status to any Rwandan living abroad was handed over to Rwanda on 2nd January 2012 and they highly appreciated it.
He said, “We have highly admired this decision.”
According to the UNHCR announcement affected persons include those who fled between the years 1959 and 1998.
This is because a big number of refugees fled during 1994 Tutsi Genocide and others fled in the 1998 period of war against insurgents.
The Minister added that the decision will be implemented right from the 30th June 2013 by the UNHCR and they will not consider any Rwandan living abroad as a refugee to be supported.
The decision would have been set on 31st December 2011 and executed right from 30th June 2012.
About 3,424,919 people that fled in 1994, have already returned to Rwanda.
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