Hotel Rwanda hero says UK asylum deal could set off bloodshed and warns of struggle

Rwanda could quickly be a struggle zone and sending asylum seekers there might set off extra bloodshed, the real-life Hotel Rwanda hero has warned.

Paul Rusesabagina, who saved tons of of lives through the 1994 genocide, has pleaded with Rishi Sunak to scrap the controversial deportation deal. He himself spent greater than two-and-a-half years in jail after criticising President Paul Kagame, and has warned enemies of the regime are routinely killed.

Mr Rusesabagina advised The Mirror Rwanda is a “boiling volcano” and stated it is “definitely not safe” regardless of the UK Government claiming it’s. He warned struggle within the neighbouring Democratic of Congo is on the verge of boiling over into his homeland.

And he stated Rwanda would not have the assets to supply for the asylum seekers the UK Government desires to ship over – risking a lethal backlash. He ominously warned: “The Rwandan population is already suffering from lack of food, housing and lack of resources, imagine what will happen with more refugees?

“Rwandans do not want asylum seekers to come to Rwanda. One of the contributing factors to the 1994 Genocide was competition for limited land. At that time, Rwanda had a population of about 7million and now it is more than 13million.”

The human rights campaigner, who was portrayed by US actor Don Cheadle in 2004 movie Hotel Rwanda, added: “Rwanda is not a safe country. It is a boiling volcano. There is no freedom of expression. War in the Congo that is driven by Rwanda is about to boil over, and this could lead to the conflict moving into Rwanda.

“Rwanda could be a war zone soon, and is definitely not safe.” Mr Sunak is currently pushing through legislation that would see Parliament declare Rwanda is a safe country for refugees, in spite of a Supreme Court ruling that it’s not.

Mr Rusesabagina pointed out that Congolese refugees had been killed for protesting about food rations in 2018. “Political opponents are all in danger,” he said. “People disappear and die in Rwanda for speaking out.”

His remarks come after he told a Parliamentary committee that his fame could be the only reason he is still alive. Mr Rusesabagina was a manager at the Hotel des Mille Collines in Kigali during the genocide, which claimed the lives of an estimated 800,000 civilians.

He claimed asylum in Belgium after the atrocities, and has been heavily critical of Mr Kagame’s regime. Mr Rusesabagina was imprisoned after being duped into returning to Rwanda in 2020 and taking part in a “show trial” that sparked worldwide outrage.

He told the Joint Human Rights Committee he was tortured and kept in solitary confinement, stating: “ So far, I’m the only one who has been kidnapped, taken to Rwanda, and happened to get out alive. That prison is like a hell.”

The Government is pushing through the controversial Safety of Rwanda Bill, aimed at getting around November’s Supreme Court ruling that the scheme is illegal. The UK has already handed £240million to the Rwandan Government, with a further £50million to be paid in April and further annual payments in 2025 and 2026.

No asylum seekers have yet been sent to the African nation. Mr Rusesabagina told The Mirror: “The UK should think about this agreement and say no.”

A Home Office spokeswoman stated: “Rwanda is a secure nation that cares deeply about supporting refugees. They stand able to obtain relocated individuals and assist them rebuild their lives. “The UK has provided Rwanda with £220 million to assist in the economic development of Rwanda through the Economic Transformation and Integration Fund. Investment has gone into areas such as education, health and job creation in Rwanda.”

The Mirror has contacted the Rwandan authorities for remark.