AFRICA/GREAT LAKES - Burundi and Rwanda: repatriation of refugees marks important step on the path towards reconciliation in these two countries. Many had not seen their home country for 10 years

Rome (Fides Service)- Some 500,000 Burundi refugees remain in camps and settlements or have spontaneously settled in Tanzania, and UNHCR hopes to help approximately 150,000 of them return home this year.
Since 2001, approximately 195,500 Burundi refugees have returned home from Tanzania. Some 27,500 of them have returned so far in 2004, with UNHCR stepping up its operation, deploying additional staff, and opening new offices in previously inaccessible areas of Burundi to receive the returning refugees.
Some 230 Rwandan refugees returned home last week Nakivale camp in Uganda in the south west district of Mbarara. This brought the total number of Rwandan refugees repatriated since the beginning of this year to 1,146. The people and the belonging were carried south by five UNHCR trucks. They were met on the border by friends and were visible relieved to be at home. Many had not seen Rwanda for 10 years and for many of the children born in refugee camps it was the first time they set foot in their country..
About 2 million people fled Rwanda because of the genocide in 1994. UNHCR says there are still about 60,000 Rwandan refugees in various African countries, 18,000 in Uganda alone. In early January the Rwandan and Burundian governments signed an agreement UNHCR to promote the repatriation of all the refugees in camps in Uganda. After crossing the border the refugees go to the Byumba transit centre, 25 km from the Ugandan border, set up by the Rwandan government which registers as many as 500 persons every day. This modern structure helps to speed up the process of restitution of nationality to repatriating refugees, all done in one day, who also receive a repatriation parcel of kitchen tools, plastic sheeting, blankets, water cans and soap.
Repatriation operations will continue as long as people in Kyaka II, Nakivale e Oruchinga camps in Uganda ask to return to Rwanda. With an information campaign UNHCR supplies information on security in Rwanda encouraging refugees to register for assisted, easy repatriation. The new government of Rwanda, anxious to welcome its people has signed similar agreements with nine other countries which host Rwandan refugees. Since 2002 UNHCR has worked to repatriate people to Rwanda and it hopes this year to help 40,000 Rwandans to go home. Last year more than 22,700 returned to Rwanda from different neighbouring countries with the help of UNHCR. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 2/4/2004, righe parole)