Burundi: Maison Shalom is starving to kill Burundian students who are refugees in Rwanda.
When we talk about Maison Shalom, we are indirectly talking about its founder Marguerite Barankitse, whom some or the most intimate call “‘Mom Maggy” or ”Maggy” at all. It was she, without a doubt, who made the “criminal” decision to suspend, towards the end of the academic year, the scholarships of a hundred students without good reason or without explanation.
The information at our disposal is that Marguerite Barankitse has indicated that she will not say anything about this file. She would have decided to do radio silence. Some of the few media outlets that have ventured on this issue have been promised by the communications officer within the box to answer their questions later, but so far he continues to play the time retarder. In the meantime, students are suffering from hunger. They are on campus, the universities have given them the chance to continue the courses, but some have cut off the ration; it’s up to everyone to manage to eat. The Musanze students we spoke with tell us that because of a lack of means, they eat once a day; they buy a plate at 600 frwa and share it at three or even more, just so as not to starve. That’s why we dare to say that Maggy’s decision is criminal. How can a teenager who eats once a day (insufficient ration) follow suitably in class? They agree to die in the school bench because for the most part (and they are the most numerous), this is the last period of the academic year. The others have one more year before they finish.
The Table of School Fees to be Paid for this last period of the year, which we have at our disposal, issued by the University of Musanze, shows amounts ranging from 250,000frwa to 338,333frwa, which varies according to the faculties: 05 students will each have to pay 250,000frwa; 09 will each pay 321.666frwa; 17 must pay 338,333frwa; 01 will pay 255,000frwa; 07 will pay 305,000frwa and 14 will have to pay 226,666frwa each. Only the top 5 are in the 3rd year, all the others are in their last year, their last period.
In the logic of things, this money should be paid by Maison Shalom which signed agreements with the Universities at the beginning of the year. She paid for both periods; she would have to pay the last one since the convention is annual. Article 3 (a) of the agreement that Maison Shalom signed with the student says that: ”The Shalom House is committed to finding places in the University of Rwanda or in private universities….’. Article 2 stipulates that the agreement is for a renewable year depending on the availability of funds, the conduct and performance of the student….” Here there is a firm commitment from Maison Shalom because it has withdrawn the students from the refugee camp where they were assisted, it has done well to pay them the scholarships, but it is not at the end of their studies that it would decide to let them go, and this towards the end of the year. The motive put forward by Richard Nijimbere, country director of Maison Shalom, does not hold up, no one would understand it.
It should also be noted that there is no shortage of funds at Maison Shalom because it would not have found enough to pay the costs of those who will start the first year. We also learn that two students (who were on the list of those who had their scholarships suspended) who have relatives within Maison Shalom would have had the agreement to pay their scholarships; double standards for the woman who claims to be the mother of all children. Finally, there are children to kill and others to rise. It would be no different from this government of Gitega, which says it is “Leta Mvyeyi” when it merely divides the country’s children and treats them differently: some to kill and throw in rivers, to imprison or push for exile and others to maintain.
Among those who were chasing Evariste Ndayishimiye’s men who managed to flee the country and protect themselves from these criminals are those students who are starving as a result of a criminal decision by a refugee like them, who uses funds that come not from his own pockets, but from organizations that advance and respect human rights, especially those of the most vulnerable.
URN HITAMWONEZA believes that Maison Shalom should pay these scholarships to all these students as soon as possible if it does not want legal proceedings to be initiated. To be silent, not to communicate on this file means that the staff of Maison Shalom is not in the real. In the meantime, these young refugees need to eat. Working without eating can be a source of many diseases and the primary responsibility will fall to Marguerite Barankitse and her Maison Shalom. We appeal to all charitable souls to support these students so that they can complete their studies in peace and obtain their diplomas. WhatsApp contact: +31685638237
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