Following government initiatives to apprehend refugees wanted in their home countries on a variety of charges, Rwandan refugees and asylum seekers in Malawi claim they are afraid of being deported or losing their right to remain in the nation.
The government of Malawi announced last week that it had received a request from Rwanda for assistance in finding 55 alleged warlords who were hiding in Malawi. Rwandan refugees claim that before taking any action, officials should confirm the claims.
After Vincent Ngendahimana Kanyoni, a suspect in the 2019 Rwandan genocide, was deported on Monday, the Rwandan refugees expressed their worries in a statement.
In a statement, the Concerned Rwandan Refugees, a group of refugees, advised Malawi to be wary of requests from the Rwandan government. The group suggested that Rwanda might be using what it referred to as “the genocide card” to target its political opponents who are living in exile.
Kanyoni’s deportation, in her opinion, was based on false information, according to Odette Narikundo, a representative of Rwandan refugees in Malawi, who spoke to VOA. She claimed that the suspect never received military training or employment in Rwanda.
Narikundo questioned Rwanda’s assertion that so many ex-generals from that country are hiding in Malawi. She claimed that the generals wouldn’t have been at the Dzaleka refugee camp if they were hiding. She questioned Malawi’s motivation for acting in this manner.
Narikundo asserted that she thinks Rwanda is using allegations of genocide to pursue political rivals who are based abroad. Many refugees from Rwanda, according to her, are afraid of being apprehended and deported without ever having the opportunity to present a defense in court, as was the case with Kanyoni.
People are now living in fear, she claimed. She referred to Malawi’s actions as kidnapping because he skipped court before being deported.
Before acting hastily, Narikundo advised Malawi to confirm any information from Rwanda with the organization known as the Government of Rwandans in Exile, based in France.
Malawi is a sovereign state that operates in accordance with its laws, according to Patrick Botha, a spokesman for the ministry of homeland security in Malawi, who spoke to VOA.
But, Botha continued, “We have working relationships with various nations, particularly our neighbors, and that includes Rwanda and Burundi, just as we do with Zambia, Mozambique, and Tanzania.” “We work hand in hand with these governments on security issues.”
But Botha turned down more inquiries, citing the delicate nature of the subject.
All he could say was, “That’s all I can say on the matter,” he said. “It’s not appropriate for me to go into those details because the other issues pertaining to this are very sensitive and involve numerous security issues.”
The Center for Human Rights and Rehabilitation in Malawi’s executive director, Michael Kaiyatsa, understands the worries of the refugees from Rwanda.
Because of the way the government is handling the situation, Kaiyatsa claimed that even legitimate refugees run the risk of being deported in such a manner. “They won’t have a chance to stand up for themselves. You know, since they are not courts themselves, police or immigration [officers] cannot decide that.
Malawi began revoking citizenship last month for refugees and asylum seekers who, according to officials, were given false documentation to obtain their status.
Approximately 400 people, mostly from Burundi and Rwanda, have had their citizenship in Malawi revoked, and deportation plans are currently being made for them.
