Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Dar es Salaam (Fides Service) - In recent weeks increasing numbers of Burundian citizens have been crossing the border seeking safety in neighbouring Tanzania. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees UNHCR has expressed serious concern for conditions in which they are living in temporary centres in Tanzania. Over 4,000 people in the three transit centres in the Kibondo district north west Tanzania have requested asylum.
Since the beginning of the year about 3,500 Burundians have crossed the border and the number continues to grow with an average of 100 new arrivals every day. Yesterday over 500 new arrivals were registered in centres along the border. These structures were meant to serve as temporary centres for people who have just crossed the border.
UNHCR and partner agencies have done their best to improve the situation in the centres, increasing water supplies, digging waste canals close to showers and water collection centres, opening more kitchens and more garbage tips. Nevertheless threats to health persist with so many people in structures built to house much lower numbers. UNHCR negotiated with the Tanzanian authorities the possibility of transferring people whose right to asylum has been recognised from the border area to other existing camps further away.
Most of the new arrivals come from the province of Ruyigi, in eastern Burundi and give scarcity of food and growing insecurity as reasons for their flight. Among the new arrivals there are evident cases of malnutrition.
What is concerning is that many of the new arrivals had returned to Burundi not long ago after living for years as refugees in Tanzania. In Tanzania UNHCR assists about 350,000 refugees, and of these 195,000 are from Burundi. Since 2002 the Agency has run a voluntary repatriation operation for Burundian refugees with which it has helped over 290,000 people to return to their own country. In recent months however the number of people who choose to repatriate has reached the lowest level since the operation started. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 17/2/2006 righe 30 parole 373)
