Nyarugusu (Tanzania): closing of the last small market in the camp

The only small and last market remaining in the Burundian refugee area was temporarily closed, which is seen by refugees as yet another way of pushing them into forced repatriation. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

The only small market that remained was in zone 9. “It is not even a market as such because there are no shops or stands, the items, especially clothes and food, were stored, timidly, on the ground. », underscore refugees.

Last Wednesday, July 10, the police and administrative authorities ordered the closure of this “so-called trading center”.

“What really surprised us was that some of the food that was there was thrown on the ground. Small shops that were beginning to be built were burned. So, the order is given that no one is any longer authorized to go there,” regret Burundian refugees, adding that the civilian guards of the camp are currently watching there day and night.

Surprising for them, not far, a few meters from this place, is the Congolese refugees zone.

“There you go, the Congolese are taking it easy and they can do what they want, business or even build houses or shops in adobe bricks. But, this is the extreme mistreatment inflicted on us Burundians. And so, this is another reason to push us towards forced repatriation,” say Burundians who say that “our lives would be in danger if we returned to Burundi.”

They say that the closer December 2024 approaches, the more misfortunes multiply.

“[…] Burning these small shops is a strong signal that even our houses will be burned with the closure of the camp announced for next December”, fear fathers.

They ask the UNHCR to stop helplessly witnessing what they describe as “serious violations of our rights contained in the 1951 Geneva Convention which this UN Agency is supposed to honor and scrupulously respect”.

The Nyarugusu camp has more than 110,000 refugees, including more than 50,000 Burundians.