The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has received petitions from refugees in Rwanda alleging discrimination, hate speech, and killings targeting Tutsi communities and other Congolese citizens who speak Kinyarwanda in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The petitions were submitted on Wednesday, January 7, 2025, during a peaceful march by refugees to several diplomatic missions in Kigali, including the offices of UNHCR.
According to the petitioners, the alleged abuses affect both long-term refugees, some of whom have lived in exile for more than three decades without durable solutions, as well as individuals currently residing in the DRC who reportedly face discrimination, violence, and exclusion.
The refugees called on the United Nations and the international community to intervene, investigate the allegations, and support access to justice for affected communities.
Edison Munyakarambi Sebutozi, a representative of the Executive Committee of Kigeme Refugee Camp, said the group sought international advocacy after what he described as prolonged marginalization.
“We thank the Government of Rwanda for providing us with refuge and protection over the years,” he said. “However, we remain deeply concerned by continued persecution, threats to life, and being labeled as foreigners because we speak Kinyarwanda, despite being Congolese citizens.”
Sebutozi added that the community’s displacement stems from historical governance failures that denied them equal recognition and protection.
As part of the peaceful action, the refugees delivered written petitions denouncing what they described as discriminatory practices and hate speech to several embassies. The march began at the United States Embassy and continued to other diplomatic missions, including those of Angola, Germany, and Qatar, as well as UNHCR.
The organizers said that not all embassies were able to receive the petitions for reasons that were not immediately disclosed. They confirmed that UNHCR and the United States Embassy accepted the documents.
The refugees expressed hope that the submissions would prompt international attention, independent assessment, and concrete measures to address the alleged human rights violations.
