Rwandans seeking to defect from the FDLR armed group continue to face a dangerous and restrictive path home, the Rwanda Demobilization and Reintegration Commission (RDRC) has said.
RDRC Chairperson Valérie Nyirahabineza stated that the group tightly controls its members, making escape extremely difficult. Those who attempt to flee risk being tracked, forcibly returned, or killed.
She noted that safe passage is only possible for those who manage to reach areas controlled by M23, where they are allowed to proceed without being harmed or sent back.
A former FDLR combatant, Second Lieutenant Jean de Dieu Maniraguha, who joined the group in 2014, described his return as the result of repeated, high-risk attempts to escape. He said strict surveillance within the group makes defection nearly impossible, with several individuals reportedly killed after being suspected of planning to flee.
After eventually reaching Rwanda, Maniraguha said he found a reality different from what he had been led to believe while in eastern DR Congo, and expressed readiness to rebuild his life and contribute to national development.
The RDRC recently reintegrated a new group of returnees, including 178 former fighters and 36 civilians linked to armed groups. Officials say the reintegration process prioritises social support and mindset transformation, as many returnees arrive having been exposed to extremist ideology and anti-Rwanda narratives.
Authorities emphasise that families accompanying former combatants are also welcomed and supported as part of the reintegration programme.
Local leaders have called on the returnees to actively engage in community life and participate in government programmes, including citizen forums, to facilitate their full reintegration into society.
