The United Nations World Food Programme has identified over 1OO,OOO people in need of food aid in Gisenyi and the neighbouring prefecture of Ruhengeri, most would-be beneficiaries having been displaced from their communities and housed in camps and other temporary accommodation. Nyagahinika, a village 2O kilometres south of Gisenyi, was one of the areas targeted by the WFP, with around 1,11O displaced being given food aid, most of them Tutsi who fled from earlier attacks. You have to denounce these people or you'll be chased from village to village,'' Uwamungu said. But his audience appeared restless and indifferent to the message. Accused by the bourgmestre of fleeing their homes for no reasons, the refugees had in fact been moved on by the military who had been carrying out 'clean-up' operations near their homes to the north.
Many attacks go unreported.
For example, prior to the WFP distribution in Nyagahinika last week, there had been Interahamwe activity just across the valley. Rumours of fresh incidents constantly filter back to Kigali, but often prove impossible to corroborate. The same is true in Goma, just across the frontier, where there are regular reports of clashes and confrontations in the surrounding countryside. Nkamira is different because of its obvious visibility. While the authorities were initially slow to release information on the killings, on Friday, Prime Minister Celestin Rwigema headed a high- level delegation to the camp.