II. RECOMMENDATIONS

To the Rwandan government:

1. Order all civilian and military authorities to cease immediately any use of force, intimidation, or threat to compel rural-dwellers to leave their homes against their will to reside in imidugudu. Investigate charges against government officials accused of violating this order and impose legally-provided administrative sanctions if they have done so.

2. Initiate a widespread public information campaign to inform all citizens that they are not required to move to imidugudu and will suffer no consequences for deciding to remain in their homes.

3. Permit those now in imidugudu to return to their homes if they so desire and provide those who destroyed their homes on government order with reasonable assistance in rebuilding them. Assure that needed resources are provided to the most vulnerable persons, including particularly women and children.

4. Ensure that those who ceded land for imidugudu receive compensation for the property ceded and have access to a legal remedy if they are dissatisfied.

5. Permit free discussion of national policies on housing, land, and economic development.

6. Make no further large grants of land to persons or associations until the National Transitional Assembly establishes a policy and a legal basis for such cessions.

7. Ensure that future decisions on housing and land issues not lead to violations of human rights protected by Rwandan law and international convention.

To U.N. agencies and nongovernmental organizations:

8. Review all available information to ascertain whether your support contributed, willingly or unwillingly, to the violation of the rights of rural-dwellers forced from their homes. If this was the case, adopt procedures to prevent this from happening in the future. Lobby donor governments to bring pressure on the Rwandan government to halt the forcible displacement of rural-dwellers and to remedy past violations.

To donor governments:

9. Refuse to provide any financial, technical, or other support for Rwandan government projects that involve the forcible displacement of people from their homes and lands and the destruction without reasonable compensation of homes and other property.

10. Offer assistance to the Rwandan government in assessing and improving the current policies and practices on land and housing, with particular attention to the rights to choice of residence, to adequate housing, and to the secure enjoyment of one's home.