Since 2011, the Ministry of Disaster Management and Refugees has carried out different activities encouraging the Rwandan refugees who were still living in exile to repatriate before the coming into effect of the Comprehensive Solutions Strategy (Cessation Clause) on 31st December, 2017.
84,596 Rwandans have been repatriated since 2009. The Ministry of Disaster Management and Refugees supported those Rwandans to be well integrated in the Rwandan Society. However, there are Rwandans still living in host countries under the refugee status.
In a press conference held on 22nd December, 2017 on the coming into effect of the cessation clause, the Hon. Minister of MIDIMAR, DE BONHEUR Jeanne d’Arc encouraged the Rwandan refugees to repatriate or get necessary documents allowing them to live legally in host countries before the coming into effect of the cessation Clause on 31st December, 2017.
“Since Rwanda is a peaceful country, we encourage the Rwandans to repatriate before the coming into effect of the cessation clause. Further, for those who are carrying out different activities in host countries, they advised to get necessary documents allowing them to legally live in those countries,” the Minister said during the press conference with national and international media.
Apart from advising the Rwandans to repatriate or get necessary documents, the Hon. Minister reminded the Rwandans living under the refugee status that they will no longer get support from international Humanitarian organizations as usual from the time the cessation clause comes into effect.
“According to international convention, once the refugees’ status is abolished the support also ceases. For this reason, we remind the Rwandans to repatriate or get necessary documents to avoid legal stances from host countries and the lack of support from the humanitarian organizations,” she reminded.
The Cessation Clause on Rwandan refugees which comes into effect on 31st December, 2017 will have no extension as it has previously been. The coming into effect of the cessation Clause impacts the Rwandans who fled the country between 1959 and 1998.
The cessation clause is provided by the 1951 Convention in its article 1 C spelling out the conditions under which a refugee ceases to be called a refugee. It clarifies that the cessation clause comes into effect when stateless persons whose reasons for becoming refugees have ceased to exist.