Citation
BRUSSELS, April 11 (Reuter) - The first Belgians fleeing the fighting
in Rwanda arrived in Brussels on Monday.
Most of the 89 Belgians came from around the southern Rwandan town
Butare and had driven across the border into neighbouring Burundi to
escape the possible spread of violence from the capital, Kigali.
We decided to go because we heard what happened in Kigali,
said
Benedicte Van Cutsen, a Belgian teacher who fled with her Rwandan
husband.
There were rumours in Butare that there were some presidential guards
there, that they had left Kigali in civilian clothes... We were
afraid,
she said, adding that Butare was quiet.
After landing at Brussels airport on a plane belonging to the Belgian
national airline, Sabena, the Belgians were taken to a nearby military
hospital where they were reunited with relatives and welcomed by Red
Cross workers.
Twenty-six Dutch nationals were also on the plane.
Some of the evacuees said they had joined up with convoys of Germans
travelling to Bujumbura, the Burundi capital.
In Rwanda we had no escorts but all went well. From Burundi we had
escorts from province to province until we reached Bujumbura,
Van
Cutsen said.
None of the evacuees reported seeing any violence in Butare, but one
said he had heard what sounded like mortar fire in the distance. Many
said they were afraid for Belgian and Rwandan friends left behind.
We were very lucky to have had the chance to leave in calmness,
said
Stephane Verhaegen, another Belgian.
Belgian paratroopers were flown into Kigali on Sunday as part of an
international effort to evacuate Belgians and other foreigners after an
orgy of violence in the capital, where thousands are feared to have
died following the assassination of the president.
Fifteen hundred Belgian citizens were reported to have been living in
Rwanda, a former Belgian colony, when the violence erupted.
(c) Reuters Limited 1994
