Rights group makes resettlement call in Rwanda

A US human rights group today called on Rwanda to halt the forced resettlement of farmers in new villages that the Government claims will foster development and provide security.

The New York-based Human Rights Watch said the Rwandan Government had violated the basic rights of tens of thousands of people by forcing them to abandon their rural homes and move to Government-designated villages or ‘‘imidugudu’’.

The group has called on international organisations, non-governmental organisations and bilateral donor nations to refuse to help the Government’s in relocation programme.