World Refugee Day: Solidarity with refugees in Rwanda

Much has changed since the last World Refugee Day, and unfortunately not for the better. In a matter of only ten weeks, over 35,000 refugees have streamed into Rwanda from neighbouring Burundi – and every day, more appear at UNHCR registration centres. This sadly matches the global trend, which has seen a sharp increase in the number of refugees and displaced persons each year for the last three years, reaching nearly 60 million worldwide at the end of 2014. Also matching the global trends, over half of refugees in Rwanda are children—many of whom were born as refugees, in a camp. Before the outbreak of tensions in Burundi, Rwanda was already hosting over 74,000 refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as over two thousand refugees from other countries living in Kigali and other urban areas. This brings the total number of refugees in Rwanda to over 111,000. As the second-smallest country in Africa — which is also the continent’s most densely populated — it bears paying tribute today to Rwanda and its people, for their tradition of offering asylum to those fleeing conflict and persecution. While it is easy to believe that saying thank you is sufficient, the international community should continue to match Rwanda’s generosity. Only two weeks after the first arrivals from Burundi, the Government had allocated land for Mahama Camp, which today is a temporary “home” to over 27,000 refugees and is growing by the day. The Ministry for Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs (MIDIMAR) is leading the refugee response jointly with UNHCR, and many actors including One UN agencies and non-governmental organizations have also been supporting the efforts. Thanks to the engagement of donors, we were able to deliver a very rapid and effective response. Refugees are transported from the border to the reception centers, and then on to Mahama Camp, where the Government, UNHCR and partners ensure that they are protected and that their basic needs are met by providing shelter, food and water, as well as firewood and items like mosquito nets, jerry cans and cooking pots. Today we begin working to move refugee families out of tents, which have a life-span of only a few months, and into more durable structures. The Honorable Minister of MIDIMAR and myself, with our Government, UN and NGO colleagues, today will join an early “umuganda” activity in Mahama Camp, helping refugees to clean the camp and build their new homes. Though donor contributions have enabled UNHCR and partners to respond to the initial phase of the emergency, we cannot lose focus when refugees’ stay in Rwanda becomes prolonged. Half of the Congolese refugees in this country have been here for two decades – an entire generation. Although the population continues to grow with the birth of refugees every day, the funding available for agencies like UNHCR to address protracted refugee situations, like that of the Congolese, steadily decreases. While meeting its responsibility to addressone emergency refugee situation after another—Syria, Central African Republic, South Sudan, and now Burundi—the international community also should commit to assist those who after years, or even decades, have not been able to return home, including the Congolese refugees living in five camps across the country. On this World Refugee Day, from Mahama Camp, I urge us all to stand in solidarity with refugees in Rwanda—whether they have been here for a day or a decade. The writer is the UNHCR Country Representative in Rwanda

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World Refugee Day: Solidarity with refugees in Rwanda