“Refugees are not the problem but they have problems” this is one among the slogan we are bringing forward in order to promote the protection of refugees in Goma, North Kivu DRC
Our participation in Mayor of Goma Activities aiming at the promoting good environment and the security in Goma in order to advocate for the protection of refugees and asylum seekers who are the target in various security operations. Over 280 asylum seekers living in Goma, have been deported to Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi.
Introduction
Goma, the main city of North Kivu, the Democratic Republic of Congo is the main touristic city in the country. Goma hosts more than 5 million IDPs, estimated 30,000 refugees and asylum generally from Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda. But also unfortunately Goma host the only Rwandan Repatriation Transit Center, where those who are facing forced repatriation are closed before they are deported to Rwanda. It is also important to note that DRC and UNHCR in DRC are the only ones in the world sending refugees to Rwanda.
Targeting asylum seekers during security operations in Goma
Goma is current facing security threats especially in its periphery which hosts refugees, each night there killings, house break into, robbery, gunshot, and other related criminality, this has taken now a whole year. In response to this high criminality the Mayor of Goma initiated various security operations.
For the Mayor of Goma and security services those who are called “strangers and especially Rwandans” are the cause of insecurity in Goma. These two words are perceived negatively because of associated crimes committed in the country by Rwanda and other strangers, so the mere fact of being labeled either a Rwandan or stranger is automatically a sentence. Unfortunately asylum seekers from Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi who come to seek asylum here have been targeted and considered as strangers during security operations, and they are quickly deported back to their respective countries, the main cause of their arrest and deportation is staying in the country without valid document.
How can asylum seekers get documents in Goma?
With the current political tensions due to war of aggression between Rwanda and DRCongo, asylum seekers come in already too vulnerable because they cannot move freely in Goma as they can be easily perceived as spies, so they opt to stay in areas which are near to the border. There is no service which can receive them, they have no information about UNHCR, and in most cases UNHCR is extremily silent on issues of refugee protection in Goma due to political positioning with Rwanda, in order to keep a good relationship with Rwanda UNHCR opted to take distance from refugee protection mandate.
When we asked UNHCR officers what should be done to asylum seekers from Rwanda, UNHCR has been too vague, and only advises that they should go to CNR/Government body in charge of refugees. For the last three years now, CNR has not yet registered a single asylum seekers, those who came to seek asylum were told to go and wait until now. However as they wait, now comes in security operations and many have been arrested and deported back, in the whole process from the arrest up to the deportation we have not observed neither intervention from CNR nor efforts from UNHCR to follow up cases, despite our alerts and available information in the media.
Our interventions
We established links with some people in various security operations and have discussed with them about asylum seekers in Goma, we have also engaged the Mayor of Goma and the Migration Department on the necessity of the protection of asylum seekers. We have intervened directly on behalf of those already arrested and have secured their release.
This year 280 asylum seekers deported
This year has been too bad, and due to many factors more people became victims and we highly regret that more than 280 asylum seekers were deported back to Rwanda, Uganda and Uganda. Generally security operations could happen in the weekend when we are not in the offices and those arrested were deported in less than 6 hours after their arrests. The other issue is that we have not been involved in community awareness activities in order to ensure that we are direct contact with asylum seekers so that they can alert us when they are arrested, this caused that in some cases we received the information later.
Forced repatriation of refugees back to Rwanda
This year especially in November UNHCR/CNR started again forced repatriation of refugees who are sent to Rwanda.
Safisha Muji wa Goma Campaign
The Mayor of Goma launched this campaign called “Make the town of Goma Clean” yesterday Saturday December 7th, 2024, the event took place at the Unity Stadium in Goma. We joined the activities in order to share information with various stakeholders about refugees and asylum seekers in Goma who should be protected during security operations and who should also be involved in this campaign.
While our message attracted the attention of some people, however we received strong resistance from young people who are part of the security initiatives in Goma, who did not want to hear about the presence of refugees and asylum seekers in Goma. This is also good as it gave ideas on what we should in terms of awareness activities.
Our mission is to advocate for the protection of refugees and asylum seekers. However our work is facing funding challenges currently, the lack of funding has really affected our activities and has exposed many refugees to various risks.
It is our sincere call for generosity of people of good will to support our fundraising in order to get the necessary funding which can facilitate our activities.
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