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Diary of Refugees – Rwandan women in eastern DRC speak up

 

Oct 24th, 2015 at 11:12 | By Jambonews 

Since the Rwandan genocide in 1994, thousands of refugees have settled in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) under harsh circumstances. Their stories have mainly been kept silent in mainstream media, leading to worldwide unawareness of their existence. With the column ‘’Diary of Refugees’’, Jambonews and Aferwar-Duterimbere, the association of Rwandan women refugees in eastern DRC, have set up a platform to give a voice to women refugees in eastern DRC. In this column, women refugees from Kisangani will describe in their own words their daily struggles and joys to the outside world.

For this first publication, Jambonews spoke with Louise Mukasine about the AFERWAR association and what our audience can expect from their articles.

Jambonews: Can you introduce yourself to our audience?

LM: My name is Louise Mukasine and I am a field reporter for AFERWAR-DUTERIMBERE in Kisangani, eastern DRC.

Jambonews: What is your role within Aferwar?

LM: I am the mouthpiece of AFERWAR-Duterimbere in disseminating information to reach other Rwandan women refugees scattered around the world. My role is mainly to inform the whole world about the suffering Rwandan women refugees in eastern Congo are going through. The objective of my role is to raise awareness of the bad conditions these women are living in and the problems they are facing especially those living in the jungle of the eastern DRC.

Jambonews: What does the organisation stand for and what do you do?

LM: AFERWAR-DUTERIMBERE stands for “ASSOCIATION FOR RWANDESE WOMEN REFUGEES-DUTERIMBERE”. It was founded by Rwandese women refugees in DRC in 2003 with the objectives to sustain themselves and to raise awareness of the living conditions of all Rwandese women refugees in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

The association is usually known by its French acronym: AFERWAR-DUTERIMBERE.” Association des Femmes Rwandaises Réfugiées-DUTERIMBERE”

Our association helps those who are victimized by war, especially women and girls, and assist them in rebuilding their lives. We also fight for all human rights, those of women and girls in particular, and we support in the promotion of Rwandese culture in order to saveguard it for the new generations. In addition, we provide education in different areas , in order to empower and improve the lives of women and girls. Also, we exchange knowledge in matters of women’s health.

Jambonews: Can you tell us a bit more about the members of the association?

The leaders of AFERWAR-DUTERIMBERE

LM: There are three types of membership for AFERWAR – DUTERIMBERE; founding members, regular members and honorary members. Founding members and regular members must be Rwandan women refugees who accept to apply the rules and regulations of the Association. An honorary member can be a Rwandese woman or a foreigner who accepts to follow the rules and regulations of the Association.

Jambonews: What kind of articles will you be writing through Jambonews, what can our readers expect?

LM: Our articles focus primarily on current events affecting Rwandan refugees in DRC in general but particularly those affecting women. Our primary mission is to advocate for the most vulnerable amongst our refugee population.

Jambonews: What is your message to the outside world?

LM: Our message to the outside world is very simple. After more than twenty years of total silence and
neglect by the International community with regards to the refugees in DRC, it is about time for all people of good will to add their voices to ours in order to remind the World that we have the right under both national and international law to be treated with dignity and that our right to life is sacred.

 

 

 

 

EM

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