Tanzania imposes return of Burundians despite risks and the Geneva Convention

SOS Médias Burundi

Kigoma, December 12, 2025 – The 26th meeting of the Tripartite Commission on the repatriation of Burundian refugees in Tanzania, held on November 28, 2025, set the pace for the so-called “voluntary” returns : 3,000 people per week, including 2,000 from the Nduta camp and 1,000 from Nyarugusu. This decision was adopted by the Tanzanian authorities, Burundi, and the UNHCR, represented by Country Representative Barbara Bentum Williams Dotse.

Pressure and intimidation in the camps

Refugees denounce a climate of coercion :

Demolition of homes for even the slightest infraction and placement on repatriation lists

Closure of markets, schools, churches, and health centers

Ban on commercial and agricultural activities, as well as vehicles, within the camps

Arbitrary arrests and targeted abductions

“A Burundian refugee seen outside the camp is treated like a criminal, imprisoned and sometimes tortured, then sent back to Burundi, in violation of the Refugee Convention,”

— a leader from the Nyarugusu camp.

In Nyarugusu, these measures only affect Burundians, while Congolese refugees live in the same camp without comparable restrictions.

Controversial interviews and forced returns

In October 2025, UNHCR, the Burundian consulate, and Tanzanian authorities conducted interviews to assess the refugees’ willingness to retain their status.

“More than 97% of Burundian refugees have no legitimate reason to remain in exile and must therefore return, willingly or by force,”

— Barbara Bentum Williams Dotse, UNHCR Country Representative.

These interviews have sparked concern and accusations of coercion among the refugees.

Critical living conditions

In Gatumba, near the border with the DRC, an emergency reception center has been set up in a police camp, but conditions remain extremely precarious :

Lack of food

Inadequate medical care

Basic accommodation, with men sleeping outdoors

High health risks

Despite these difficulties, many refugees thank Burundi for the welcome and protection it has provided.

Appeal to the international community

More than 110,000 Burundian refugees still in Tanzania, who mostly fled the 2015 crisis, are sounding the alarm and calling on the UNHCR and the UN to ensure respect for the 1951 Geneva Convention on the Status of Refugees and to guarantee a safe and genuinely voluntary return.