Rwandan captives return from DRC
The team of eight Rwandans allegedly tortured in DR Congo
A group of eight Rwandans have returned from DR Congo after spending at least a month under captivity in the Congolese prison in the Northern Kivu Region.
The Rwandans are suspected to have returned after spending days starving in the T2 prison cells in Northern Kivu
The team, which returned on October 9, 2014, says that they crossed the Rwanda-Congo border with full travel documents to do business on the Congolese side, but were unlawfully arrested in the process, but at different intervals
Olivier Maniriho, a victim who was arrested on September 7, 2014 says that he was arrested by the Congolese armed forces at Camp Katingo and starved for several days in T2 prison and allegedly manhandled.
Maniriho also says that within that period there were many Rwandans arrested and detained in the camp, in addition to the other Rwandans.
Several Rwandans have in the previous years complained of the problem of unfair treatment by Congolese officials, and armed forces whenever they cross to do business on the Congolese side.
The contrary is that many Congolese citizens cross to Rwandan border side of Bukavu and Goma with ease.
Reports indicate that Rwandans are not wanted in Congo and Congolese residents have demanded that they return to Rwanda while accusing them for being spies to the Rwandan government.
Apparently Congolese residents have been sighted on the Rwanda border side, most of them coming for business, pleasure and relaxation around the trading centers.
The Congolese government officials have in the past denied the allegations.
Officials on the Rwanda- Congo border have raised concerns over Rwandans doing cross-border trade being tortured and illegally arrested by Congolese soldiers.
The Congolese official have however denied these allegations and said that the issues will be investigated, but the Rwandan officials insist that this has been the same statement made over and over and nothing has been done in spite of a call for action upon the concerns.
Rwanda says that over 100 Rwandans especially traders have suffered various attacks and violations at the hands of DRC authorities in Eastern part of the vast country.
Most of these traders have been locked up in military prisons being accused of collaborating with M23 rebels- of which Rwanda has strong rebuffed as false allegations.
