Former militia members open up on terror groups targeting Rwanda

Former Soldiers who fought for Government Forces before the Country was liberated known as Ex-FAR; as well as former Combatants of Armed Groups say the fact that they were received back into Rwanda and now enjoy all the rights and freedoms of regular citizens is testament of the country's current good leadership.

Faustin Gashugi who lives in Nyarugenge District here in Kigali City was an Ex-FAR soldier, a Sgt Major in the Force's Para-Commando Unit.

He told us that like the Government of the time, Soldiers too lived by principles and policies centered on divisionism; which ultimately led the soldiers of what used to be RPA Inkotanyi to fight them and liberate the country in 1994.

Like many Ex-FAR soldiers, Gashugi then fled Rwanda.  

"After the Government was defeated, I fled to Congo, then to Congo Brazzaville, where too I was a soldier because when Sassou Nguesso was fighting Lissouba; we were among those who helped him to overthrow the Government, along with the Angolans. I remember that we captured Maya Maya Airport, and the big hill of Mont Barnier."  Gashugi said

Gashugi would later return to the DRC and fight on the side of former President Laurent Desire Kabila and after defeat, he begun to reconsider the choices he had made.

He added; "The longer we fought, the more I analyzed the situation and realized that not even our leaders agreed among themselves: be it Mudacumura or Mugaragu. He was arrested and sent to Arusha after I left. You cannot fight to capture a country when you are so divided among yourselves. During the Tutsi Genocide; they were hunting Tutsis; but after we fled, the Abaciga and Nyenduga started hunting each other. I realized that we had no true cause, all we did was steal."

Deciding to return to Rwanda, Gashugi says he did not expect to be received the way he was, and notes that in many other places around the world, surrendering himself to people he had fought of as enemies for years and fought against would have meant certain death, but not in Rwanda.

He would later become a local security official in Kimisagara Sector and says the fact that he was elected and allowed to properly fulfill his duties is another testament of the uniqueness of Rwandans, saying he was never victimized because of his past.
Others too like Gashugi who were once Ex-Far Soldiers are now regular citizens and doing well, like JMV Ngiruwonsanga; a farmer in Rulindo District who has become so successful, he trains others on how to produce quality-planting seeds.

Rwanda's Policies of treating all citizens equally has been seen as extremely effective in promoting Unity  and Reconciliation while boosting the country's overall rate of development.