The recent letter claiming “Rwanda is not a safe country for refugees” (Letters, 6 July) is yet another example of an archaic view of Africa as a land of darkness and danger. Go to Rwanda and see for yourself the modern, hopeful and progressive nation we are building.
Our treatment of refugees has been recognised as exemplary by the UNHCR and others. We were commended for stepping in to evacuate refugees from detention centres in Libya, for welcoming Afghan girls wanting to pursue their education, and for hosting 140,000 refugees in our country.
Rwanda ranks third in Africa for economic freedom, first globally for the percentage of women in parliament (61.3%), and this representation extends throughout society. Life expectancy has gone from 49 in 2000 to 70 today, and we are approaching universal access to healthcare and education. By any metric, Rwanda is a safe country.
The crisis unfolding in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo is an internal affair. Rwanda does what’s necessary to ensure the crisis does not impact the safety of its citizens or anyone we welcome on our territory. After our tragic history, this will always be a priority. The DRC government and armed forces, far from providing security for their citizens, have instead formed heinous alliances with genocidal militias such as the Forces Démocratiques de Libération du Rwanda (FDLR), one of more than 130 active illegal armed groups in eastern DRC.
FDLR is made up of former genocide perpetrators, and yet the commentary inexplicably seeks to minimise the threat of FDLR’s extremist ideology and the ethnic cleansing of Congolese Tutsi communities. Rwanda will continue to do what it takes to maintain our safety, security and socioeconomic development.
Johnston Busingye
High commissioner for Rwanda to the UK
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