Number of Burundian refugees soar to 20,000

Some Rwandans have approached the Rwandan Embassy in Burundi seeking papers to facilitate their return home following the unrest that has for the past few weeks rocked the country, according to the diplomatic mission. Speaking to The New Times, yesterday, Rwanda’s ambassador to Burundi, Amandin Rugira, said Rwandans mainly approached the embassy ahead of the congress by the ruling party CNDD/FDD, which convened on Saturday, and confirmed President Pierre Nkurunziza as its flag bearer. “So far, we do not have any Rwandan case in trouble except some calls that have come through from people who need travel documents to be able to go to Rwanda,” said Amb. Rugira. According to Rugira, there is an estimated 6,000 documented Rwandans living in Burundi. Riots rocked the country, yesterday, with video footage showing police in running battles with rioters. A rioter and a police officer were shot dead, media reports said. Refugees soar Following the unrest that escalated over the weekend, the number of refugees that have crossed into Rwanda has since increased to over 20,000, according to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs. Fredric Nyawukuriryayo, the communications officer at the ministry, told this newspaper that by Saturday evening, they had registered over 17,700, while yesterday at least 3,000 new arrivals were reported in Bugesera District but the counting was still underway. “On Saturday, 852 refugees were relocated from Nyanza and Bugesera to Mahama Camp in Kirehe District,” Ntawukuriryayo said. Several top government officials met yesterday to consider how to manage the increasing refugee influx, he said, adding that the meeting was under the auspices of the national disaster management executive committee. The national disaster management executive committee comprises the Ministries of Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs, Local Government, Health, Defence, Agriculture, East African Community (EAC) Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Infrastructure, and Finance, with the military and Police institutions joining in. Refugee status On Friday, government announced a decision granting the Burundian refugees a prima facie refugee status, citing standard procedure in case of massive refugee ‘invasions’ as per the Rwandan law relating to refugees and the 1951 Convention relating to refugees. The 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees is the key legal international document in defining who is a refugee, their rights and the legal obligations of states. The Minister for Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs, Seraphine Mukantabana, said the decision to grant the Burundians prima facie status was taken considering the overwhelming number of Burundians who continue to trek into the country seeking refuge. The government and the UNHCR are reportedly increasing the capacity to evacuate big numbers from the transit centres to the new permanent base of Mahama, in Kirehe. Mahama camp, which is on a 50-hectare surface, can accommodate 50,000 people, according to officials from the ministry. It is located about 160 kilometres from the Rwanda-Burundi border. Mukantabana said given the continuing influx, government asked partners such as UNHCR to be prepared should the numbers close to 50,000 which would be beyond Rwanda’s holding capacity. Martina Pomeroy, UNHCR-Rwanda external relations officer, on Saturday, said that given the nature of the current “emergency situation,” contingency planning is not on the cards anymore. “A contingency plan is really not the issue anymore. Now, it is about taking action,” Pomeroy said. Over 3,000 Burundian refugees have reportedly gone into the DR Congo. Rwanda is already home to more than 73,000 Congolese refugees settled in five camps in various parts of the country. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Number of Burundian refugees soar to 20,000