Burundi: Most returnees from Mahama camp in Rwanda may soon return to exile.
They soon approach ten thousand Burundians to have left the Mahama refugee camp in Rwanda and returned to their country of origin. A repatriation started on August 27, 2020 after a group of refugees manipulated by Gitega’s power wrote a letter to Evariste Ndayishimiye asking for his help in getting permission to return home. An unusual procedure which had the sole objective of tarnishing the image of the host country, Rwanda, which had spared no effort to accommodate them in good conditions, unlike what is done in Tanzania. What proved that it was a manipulation of the military clique in power is that Pierre Nkurikiye, spokesperson for Gervais Ndirakobuca alias Ndakugarika quickly stepped up to say that Rwanda had taken the Burundian refugees hostage by preventing them from go back home. He will be supported later in this kind of speech by Evariste Ndayishimiye.
More than 90% of the first returnees came from the provinces of Kirundo and Muyinga, which border Rwanda. They had not shied away from threats from Gitega’s power; some had fled the famine that reigned in their areas, others out of fear, still others out of sheer adventure. They were then the first to sensitize others to return home, arguing that there is total security in the country as the authorities in Gitega kept chanting. Today, everything seems to indicate that this security is only utopian. Let’s talk about a few examples that prove our point before showing that the Mahama returnees are not viewed favourably by the cnddfdd administration and its imbonerakure militia.
Since August 2020, military training and arms distributions have resumed across the country. Some illustrative examples: the imbonerakure of Bwambarangwe commune in Kirundo resumed physical exercises on September 20, 2020. They wore boots with cnddfdd t-shirts. The same scene happened at Shombo in Muramvya. On September 30, 2020, the imbonerakure of Rwegura-Muruta in Kayanza were mobilized to begin training. In October 2020, the imbonerakure spent two weeks training in all areas of Gisuru in Ruyigi. They also learned about the reworking of weapons for the new ones. It was during the same month that Mabanda and Makamba’s were trained. In November 2020, the demobilized members of the cnddfdd of Kirundo carried out military training of imbonerakure in broad daylight in Busoni commune of Kirundo province; especially in the Nyagisozi and Mucegwa areas.
The distribution of weapons took place in Gihanga in Bubanza on October 10, 2020; 08 weapons were given to the imbonerakure of the Maramvya zone in Burambi commune in Rumonge under the supervision of Prime Ndayisenga, chief of the Maramvya zone
All this does not go without effects because the reports of organizations fighting against human rights violations in Burundi indicate that during the year 2020, 368 people were killed including 278 since the seizure of power by Evariste. Ndayishimiye; 182 tortured; 59 missing; 821 arbitrarily imprisoned; 33 girls and women raped.
In addition to this generalized insecurity, the returnees from Rwanda are freely suspected by the power of Gitega of having undergone military training; why they are watched by the whole administration and especially by the imbonerakure militia; they cannot move from one province to another without their first being informed. A certain Eric from Gatete hill, Gasare zone in Busoni commune in Kirundo, has already been killed. He had entered the 3rd round. He was reportedly abducted from his home after just two days. Another highlight: MP Remy Bigirumusase from Kirundo, in December 2020, said that returnees from Mahama in Rwanda seek to destroy the country, and asked the administration to follow them closely. In November, it was the head of the SNR in this province who said that these returnees from Mahama had undergone military training, that they should be monitored. Add to this the appeal launched on October 8, 2020 by Pierre Nkurikiye to the entire population to arrest anyone with a Rwandan accent. The first victim of this call was the young Sibomana Jean Paul who was beaten up by imbonerakure in Bugabira on October 10, 2020.
As if misfortune does not come alone, Busoni commune and other parts of the province are experiencing severe drought which means that people will have nothing to harvest in the fields. Which risks provoking yet another movement of departure towards the outside of the country to seek where the grass is still green.
URN HITAMWONEZA will never prevent those who wish to return home. This is their full right. But, they will never tire of showing the truth to those who are manipulated and who come home without knowing what to expect. Those who ignore our advice will only have to shoulder their responsibilities. We will always call on UNHCR and host countries to provide refugees who want to remain in camps with the maximum level of security and acceptable living conditions worthy of a human being. We learn that in Mahama camp there are still people who register and refuse to take the covid-19 test just to create disorder in the camp. Other refugees have a duty to identify them and report them to the authorities so that they are treated up to their acts with the necessary rigor. WhatsApp contact: +31685638237
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