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Burundi: Return of Refugees Presents Challenges
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Burundi Réalités (Bujumbura)
27 June 2007
Posted to the web 27 June 2007
Bujumbura
Tanzania will close all refugee camps sheltering approximately 150000 Burundi refugees by the end of the year 2007. "We are telling all those sheltered in refugee camps that now that peace has come to Burundi, why don't you all return home?", said Mr. Kikwete during his three day visit to Burundi.
Security in general is not the only thing that worries most of these refugees, there is also the land issue which has become a major problem between returnees and their former neighbors.
A former refugee who spoke to Burundi Réalités Agence Presse on condition of anonymity reveiled that since he returned to Burundi from a Tanzania refugee camp, he has been living on streets and has been relying on friends. "I returned in November 2005 and my neighbour had occupied my land, when I asked him to leave, he threatened to kill me even though the court had ruled in my favour", he said. The above seems to be a concern addressed by many of the refugees sheltered in Tanzania camps. Most of them are reluctant to return fearing that their former neighbours who might have killed their relatives and taken over their land are still there and could kill them as well should they return home.
In an effort avoid a land crisis that could potentially submerge Burundi back into civil war, the government has set up a "Grounds and Other goods Commission" to deal with land and property issues resulting from more than a decade of turmoil. The commission works with the occupiers and the refugees in order to find a path towards mediation and dialogue.
Although the "Grounds and Other Goods Commission" was given a three year period to find a solution to land issues, already existing cases and those that might arise with the return of more refugees could make the Burundi land and property issue an ongoing endless dilemma.
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The return of refugee will present a huge challenge for Burundi, a country where the population barely has access to its basic needs like food, health care, decent housing and where some parts of the country are still threatened by famine. Burundi is not prepared for such challenge. As matter of fact, the Burundi interior minister, Evariste Ndayishimiye has appealed to Mr. Kikwete, the Tanzanian president to allow more time for Burundi to prepare for the return of these refugees.
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