Burundi: Why should the Burundian refugees from Mahama camp in Rwanda beg to President Evariste Ndayishimiye for their return home?
A group of Burundian refugees from Mahama camp has just sent President Ndayishimiye, on July 26, 2020, a message, the subject of which is: “ Petition on request for the dignified and legal repatriation of Burundian refugees exiled in the camp of Mahama in Rwanda ”, with a copy for the information of the Government of Rwanda and the UNHCR. These refugees are begging President Ndayishimiye to repatriate them with dignity and legality. This correspondence deserves deep analyzes on its motivation because the president does not stop sending them messages requesting return to their native country. What then is this correspondence for? Is there still a need to write such a petition? Does whoever returns home need to ask for permission? Does the work of repatriating Burundian refugees fall to the President of the Republic? Or are there other motivations behind it?
Logically, when refugees feel the need to return home, they register with UNHCR and UNHCR contacts the government of origin just to prepare for their reception. The repatriation of the refugees is organized by the UNHCR, in collaboration with the government hosting them. But, through this missive, we see that the UNHCR and the government of Rwanda only had a copy for information; which suggests a certain political manipulation.
Indeed, the Burundian refugees fall into several categories: some have fled poverty; they have taken advantage of the insecurity that reigned in the country to seek green grass elsewhere. Others fled out of fear. They overheard others running away or rumours spread by those around them and followed others. Still others fled the insecure country that did not allow their business to run smoothly. They have gone to countries where they find more security and a favourable environment to do their business well. With the increasing level of criminality, accompanied by settling of scores, there are those who have fled disagreements with either the government or with individuals close to power who uttered threats of all kinds. Some have fled after torture and rape, others have escaped death; power continues to seek them out. There are others who fled the 3rd term of late President Pierre Nkurunziza. Another category, the most dangerous, did not flee, but went on a mission of cnddfdd power. They took refuge and lived with them, just to follow everything that is being done in exile and to provide information. This category of refugees disguised as spies is very common in Tanzania, but they are also found in DR Congo, Uganda and Rwanda.
Now it is time for every refugee to do a soul-searching to see if what they fled is gone before they decide to return. Those who fled the 3rd term should already be in the country because the problem is no longer relevant. Those who left for business, those who fled poverty, fear, rumours, any misunderstandings, are probably those who are negotiating with the government of Ndayishimiye their return to the fold. No doubt the correspondence addressed to the president is to ask him to prepare to sort out their ‘’small problems ’’ so that they return. Those who have been sent to seek refuge while they are on a mission for this government, some will return with this first group (it is quite possible that they are the ones who are mobilizing and organizing this return in disorder) , the others will probably stay with those who will not return in order to continue their mission.
The information at our disposal tells us that the majority of those who were inscribed on the list annexed to the petition come from the provinces bordering Rwanda (Kirundo-Muyinga). The majority of them are said to have fled because of hunger. They and others are reportedly now being manipulated by some politicians from those provinces. The latter are also in talks with the power of Gitega for their return to the country and they would seek to satisfy the demand of the power to mobilize the refugees to return en masse.
Until the end of June 2020, the figures given by the UNHCR show that more than 430,000 Burundians are still refugees in many countries: 164,873 are in Tanzania, 103,690 in DRCongo, 72,007 in Rwanda, 48,275 in Uganda, 13,800 in Kenya, 7,800 in Mozambique, 8,300 in Malawi, 9,200 in South Africa, 6,000 in Zambia.
URN HITAMWONEZA believes that it is the most absolute right of refugees to return voluntarily to their countries of origin. It is enough that they themselves judge that their safety is guaranteed. So they don’t need to beg for their right. The official route is to go through the UNHCR and the hosting government and thus notify the native country (which should host them). Rather, such a petition shows a certain manipulation or long-held hidden links with the government of the country of origin (see the different categories of refugees cited above). Our hypothesis is justified by the fact that it is the spokesperson for public security (the man involved in all government mounting affairs) who was quick to respond to their correspondence (VOA of August 03, 2020). However, the correspondence had been addressed to the President of the Republic. He seems to accuse the government that hosts them of holding them back (the country that this government of Gitega has always called the enemy). This is perhaps what justifies that these refugees turned to the President of the Republic rather than to the UNHCR and the Rwandan government. This shows certain complicity between this group of refugees and the government of Gitega in this affair.
While it is the right of refugees to return when they feel the need, it is also the right to stay in the countries that host them when they do not yet feel safe in their country of origin; when they feel that what they fled is still there. UNHCR should ensure compliance with international refugee laws: avoid forced repatriation, respect the 150km between the place of the camp and the border of the country of origin, if the host country no longer wants refugees on its territory, seek them another host country. A country that ignores these laws should be brought to justice in competent courts.
