Burundi: When a government says “parent” (leta mvyeyi) does not respect any law and endangers its children.
This so-called “parent” government is that of Gitega, led at the highest level by generals. If he really should be a ‘’parent’’, he would be a ‘’bad parent’’. It is this “ parent ” who divides his children, who treats them differently, who feeds some poison, others good food, and another category to whom he gives nothing at all, not to mention another that ‘he doesn’t even want to see living under the family roof. The treatment inflicted on this category of Burundians who have fled the same “parent”, the same power, is different. Those in Tanzania have been regularly manhandled by his imbonerakure militia, in collaboration with the Tanzanian police, in gross violation of international refugee laws. Those of Mahama in Rwanda were safe because this country which respects itself and respects the rights of refugees did not allow (as Tanzania did) the imbonerakure to enter and leave the camp as they want to go and disrupt the survivors of their brutalities and atrocities. He still sent spies who disguised themselves as refugees. It is the latter who are now beginning to come forward by writing letters (in violation of the laws as their Master usually does) to President Evariste Ndayishimiye asking him to repatriate them. Maybe they’ve completed their assignment. But, do they forget that it is not Ndayishimiye who repatriates the refugees? Are they being manipulated? This latest version is the real one. But at least their manipulators had to put some little intelligence into it. When police spokesman Pierre Nkurikiye dares to state in the media that the government has always helped some of these Mahama refugees escape the camp and return home, it is more than scandalous. But, the truth is that it is the same ones who were sent on mission who returned to give mission reports. And to make them escape from the camp is to put them in danger of death. What is not a problem for this government says “parent” because for it, the most important thing is that it reaches its objective. But to say it on the media is more than silly.
Ridiculous too are these cnddfdd system spies sent to Mahama camp who dare to draw up lists of refugees who say they are asking to return home without consulting them. It is today that those who have seen themselves on these lists are starting to cry out to denounce these unacceptable cheatings by this group and demand that justice be done to them. Bringing someone back by force to the country they fled is more than criminal. International refugee law pro hibits it.
Entire families have been seen on the lists, some without the children, and others with one of the children without the others, others who have never been consulted. Worse still, a certain Ezechiel Minani was put on the list for asking to come home after a long time dead, says a relative.
These families believe that by fleeing the country they did not write a letter and that it is not by wanting to return to their country that they would write letters. The official route is known: register with the UNHCR which, in collaboration with the host government, organizes the return of the refugees after notifying the country of origin. UNHCR and the Government of Rwanda said they had not received any requests from any refugees wishing to return to their homeland. If not, they are ready to help anyone who wishes and who individually expresses a request. Despite President Ndayishimiye’s incessant appeal for refugees to return, it is clear that this government has not prepared to welcome them. Maybe there is one category he wants to receive, and others he doesn’t want to see. Cornered by the BBC journalist’s questions on August 4, 2020, President Ndayishimiye’s spokesperson said that it is not necessary to prepare reception facilities because everyone must directly return home, all their Assets are in place and in good shape, protected by the ‘parent’ government. Lie !! At least not for everyone.
Yes, General Ndayishimiye sometimes says one thing and it’s opposite. Completely normal when you talk too much like him, you might even say the wrong thing. In February 2020, 06 Burundians, including Jérémie Ngendakumana, who were returning were refused access to the country after they had already arrived in Kampala in Uganda. Justifying the refusal, Ndayishimiye told the media it was because they did not follow the normal procedure: go through UNHCR. Today, the police spokesperson says the government is helping refugees escape from camps back to their country. Very ridiculous. We understand that the cnddfdd was afraid of these politicians who wanted to participate in the elections, we also understand that manipulating the refugees from Mahama is part of the desire to force them to return (because they themselves say that the power they fled is still there and continues to kill) in order to show the public that there is total peace in Burundi. But, manipulation that causes them to violate international laws and the laws of the country that hosts them is not worthy of a ‘’parent government’’ ’.
URN HITAMWONEZA is entitled to support these families who were not consulted but who ended up on the lists of people asking to return to Burundi, in their demand for justice. Fortunately, he has 05 officials who signed off on the petition. They have to take that responsibility. We ask that everything be done to hold them accountable for their actions before competent institutions.