Refugee Day: Call for end to absurdity of human life

As forced displacement of people reach alarming proportions globally, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has called on the international community to take steps to end human suffering. “There are now more than 60 million refugees and internally displaced people – the highest in recent times,” UNHCR Country Representative Saber Azam said Saturday at an event to mark the World Refugee Day at Mahama Refugee Camp. Based in Kirehe District, the camp is home to more than 27,000 of the 35,000 Burundian refugees who have fled to Rwanda over the past few months following growing violence related to the forthcoming elections in the country. The event, that was characterised by speeches of hope from various leaders, was attended by UN agencies, members of the diplomatic corps and government officials. Burundian-born musicians also joined in to cheer up their compatriots, attracting throngs on to the dance floor dancing to a popular song, ‘Tuzotaha,’ which literally translates to ‘We shall return to motherland.’ The World Refugee Day was established by the UN General Assembly to bring attention to the plight of the world’s forcibly displaced persons and to honour their resilience. The Day is marked annually on June 20. This year, it was marked under the theme, “Refugees Are Ordinary People in Extraordinary Circumstances.” “Figures give only a hint of this massive human catastrophe. Every day, conflict tears apart lives of thousands of families. They may be forced to leave loved ones behind or become separated in the chaos of war,” Azam said. He advised the Burundian refugees to respect the laws of the host country, adding that there was need for total respect of children and women’s rights in the camp. “I appeal to the international community to help in restoring sanity in Burundi, so that you can go back to your country. Meanwhile, there shouldn’t be criminal activities of any kind within the camp.Children and women’s rights must be observed. Avoid any conflicts or violence within your families,” he said. “We are going to start up orientation classes for all children in this camp, paving way for their full reintegration in Rwanda education system next academic year. We shall try to make your life here less burdening as much as we can.” Rwanda hosts more than 110,000 refugees from DR Congo and Burundi. The Minister for Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs, Seraphine Mukantabana, who presided over the function, said the crisis in Burundi exacerbated the refugee crisis for Rwanda, which was already home to over 73,000 refugees, mainly from DR Congo, adding that the number of refugees was of historical proportions. Mukantabana said the choice to celebrate the Day in Mahama was meant to appraise the efforts invested by UNHCR and several partners in supporting the Government of Rwanda to manage the emergency. ‘UNHCR has been doing great in support of refugees from various countries, the Government of Rwanda will always do the necessary to improve the welfare of the refugees. Areas of education, nutrition, health and gender-based violence prevention will be emphasised,” she said. Meanwhile, UNHCR global chief Antonio Guterres has lamented that as the refugees tragedy unfolds, some of the countries most able to help are instead closing out asylum seekers. In a statement, Guterres said the avenues of escape were fading away, lamenting that humanitarian agencies like UNHCR run on shoestring budgets, unable to meet the spiraling needs of such massive population of victims. “We have reached moment of truth. World stability is falling apart leaving wake of displacement on an unprecedented scale. Global powers have become either passive observers or distant players in the conflict driving so many civilians from their homes. “The world must either shoulder collectively the burden of helping victims of war, or risk standing by as less wealthy countries and communities which host 86 per cent of the world’s refugees, become overwhelmed an unstable,” read the statement in part. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Refugee Day: Call for end to absurdity of human life