Burundi: Why the government refuses to welcome some Burundians, but accuses Rwanda of taking its refugees hostage.
The so-called parent government of Evariste Ndayishimiye and his military clique is shouting loudly that Rwanda is taking Burundian refugees hostage in that country, but refuses to welcome more than 130 Burundians stranded in Rwanda by Covid19. These are mainly composed of Burundians who were receiving treatment in Rwanda, Burundian pupils and students, people who were in Rwanda for various reasons, but who were unable to return to the country because the borders were blocked on both sides ( Rwanda and Burundi) following the coronavirus pandemic. These Burundians have asked the Burundian embassy in Rwanda to plead for them to have their country accept to welcome them, but to no avail. The embassy had asked them to deposit their passports and money for transportation, which they did with good will, but the parent government still refuses to take in their children. Things got so complicated that the embassy handed them the documents and the money they had given. In other words, this parent, even if he does not say it out loud, categorically refused to receive them. For what bad reason? We’re still looking.
However, this Burundian government, led by Evariste Ndayishimiye, constantly shouts at any opportunity that presents itself, that the Burundian refugees in Rwanda are being held hostage by this country which will not let them return. This is called wanting one thing and its opposite.
It is clear that the current leaders in Burundi do not have the will to repatriate all Burundians who are outside. There is a category of people he prefers to see come in, and another one he wanted to see stay outside. Here is an unfair parent. He has set himself the goal of discrediting Rwanda, accusing it of all evils to mask the real objective. Why then this constant provocation? Why does he refuse the hand extended by Rwanda to see how to improve relations between the two countries and allow the two peoples to resume trade? What is this force that drives Burundi to persist? Anyone can attempt an answer. But, what is certain is that this military clique is blaming itself for something; which pushes her to look for scapegoats. These leaders know full well that they have good relations with the enemies of Rwanda, the FDRL-Interahamwe, who committed the genocide against the Tutsi in 1994, and who are still seeking to destabilize the country. These negative forces receive a rear base, but also logistical support from the government of Neva and Bunyoni. The attack on southern Rwanda in June this year 2020 is a shining example. The objects seized from the captured or killed criminals show it, the testimonies prove it. It is a very serious sin for a neighboring and brother country. This is what makes the military clique in power in Giga seek by all means, anything that can tarnish the image of the Rwandan government which is in the process of shining internationally. Confident of himself, he continues to ensure the safety of his citizens and his country, without forgetting that of all refugees in his territory (from Burundi or elsewhere). With a very fine diplomacy, he does not stop calling on the government of Burundi to show the will to resolve the differences between them together, but Ndayishimiye and his clique turn a deaf ear and multiply ridiculous accusations.
During a program – debate between Pierre Nkurikiye, Jacques Bigirimana and Anicet Niyonkuru on August 12, 2020, Anicet Niyonkuru, former secretary general of the opposition political platform CNARED, he declared that he is in contact with refugees from Mahama, they say they live in bad conditions. According to the same so-called politician, 05 Burundians would have deserted the camp wanting to return and would have been blocked by Rwanda at its border with Kirundo. They refused to return to the camp fearing sanctions. Anicet Niyonkuru added that he spoke with them even in the morning that they are staying in households of Rwandan citizens. What seems a little obscure, why not an outright montage, just in their intention to always discredit Rwanda. Anicet Niyonkuru forgets that Rwanda is not Burundi. In Rwanda, nothing can be done out of order. Repatriation must be organized. Going through the manipulations of the refugees in order to satisfy their thirst to see Rwanda disturbed will not be easy for them. The Rwandan authorities have declared loud and clear that any refugee who wants to return must go through known routes, and no one will be blocked. What is amazing is that people are looking more for roundabouts. But, it is clear that the refugees who write messy letters, who draw up lists of refugees who have already died, and others who have not asked to return, to show that everyone wanted to return, but that they are held hostage by Rwanda, are those who are in a mission to discredit and destabilize the host country, in connection with the government of Gitega. Which is too ridiculous, because they know that returning to the country of origin when one is a refugee is an individual decision.
Anicet Niyonkuru made an interesting request. He winked at the Government of Gitega to leave some exiles, to whom he has stuck arrest warrants, to allow those who want to return, if necessary to bring them to justice being at liberty so that they give their contribution to the country’s development. He unknowingly unveiled the plan that CNARED had concocted with the government of Gitega, to do everything to break the opposition in exile. Some politicians had to come home after their arrest warrants were cancelled. The result is that they would not have agreed on the rest of the concrete modalities of their return to the country. Do not be surprised if tomorrow they raise their voices to say that there is total peace and security in the country and that everyone must return to their homeland.
Once again, URNHITAMWONEZA warns the Burundians who have fled the country to remain calm, to be patient and not to return until their safety is guaranteed. Do not be satisfied with the sayings of the Ventriotes politicians who are manipulated by this power which seeks that all those who have escaped it return home under this policy of returning refugees. Once back, this power will lock you inside with no way out, leave you with some semblance of peace for a while, and do whatever it wants with you when the time comes. Who to kill, who to imprison, who to let live in peace, it will be up to him to decide. The criminals you have fled from are the same who are in charge, with more authority today than yesterday. Let those who were on a mission come in to follow whatever you say and do, they may have finished their job. Also denounce such traitors who continue to tarnish the image of the host country in collaboration with the genocidal extremists of Gitega, so that they are treated at the height of their crime.