Musenyi : Congolese refugees in distress amid a wave of nighttime robberies

Musenyi, September 1, 2025 – In southern Burundi, at the Musenyi refugee site, insecurity is worsening. Congolese refugees, having fled the violence in eastern DRC, are now facing a series of nighttime robberies that are plunging the camp into anxiety and incomprehension. According to several reports, the perpetrators are both young people from the camp and accomplices from the surrounding villages.

The thieves operate at night, targeting families’ tents. They pierce the canvas to sneak in, taking everything they find : clothing, utensils, food. For many families already suffering from exile, these repeated attacks are a new wound.

“We no longer sleep peacefully. Every night, we fear that our tent will be the next target,” confides Faradja, a Congolese refugee living on the site.
“They take everything : clothes, food, pots and pans… Even our meager supplies.”

Internal suspicions and a lax justice system

Several residents of the site claim that some of the thieves are themselves young refugees, often with links to Burundians from the neighboring villages. Despite regular intervention by the police and the site’s security guards, the arrests seem to be little deterrent.

“It’s sad to see that it’s our own children, our neighbors, who steal from us,” says another refugee, who wishes to remain anonymous.
“But they’re not alone. They work with young people from outside. And often, when the police catch them, they are released the next day.” We must take strict measures : punish them seriously or transfer them to a central prison.”

A humanitarian situation under pressure

The Musenyi site, managed with the support of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), is facing severe overcrowding. Originally intended to accommodate approximately 10,000 people, it now hosts more than 19,000, which exacerbates tensions and makes security management more difficult.

Despite efforts to ensure security and coexistence, fear is taking hold among residents. Many are calling for urgent measures : increased nighttime security, tougher sanctions against offenders, and, above all, structural responses to prevent distress from driving some to steal from their loved ones.