Kirundo: more than fifty Burundian nationals returned from Rwanda

At least 52 Burundians were returned from Rwanda this Thursday. They had illegally entered the country, according to Rwandan authorities, describing them as undocumented immigrants. Most of them are former refugees who had been repatriated from the Mahama camp located further east, in Rwanda. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

Administrative sources in Kirundo (northern Burundi) say those concerned come from the communes of Busoni (46), Bugabira (2), Giteranyi (3) of the Muyinga province (north-east) and one who claims to be from Cibitoke province (northwest), adding he does not know precisely his native commune.

“He indicates he left Burundi in 1982 with his parents when he was still a child,” say our sources, who specify that the man in question claims that his mother was of Rwandan nationality, his father being Burundian.

The communal administration of Busoni which ensured the reception of these returnees reports that all have already been taken to their hill of origin except the one from Cibitoke, “because he no longer remembers his place of birth”.

The Busoni municipal authority speaks of good collaboration with Rwanda in the exchange of people who do not have permission to settle on all sides.

Causes of illegal presence in Rwanda

Most of those returned say they went to Rwanda in search of work.

“There, we earn a lot compared to Burundi. For example, a rural employee earns two thousand Rwandan francs per day. This is more than twice the value in Burundian currency,” they explain.

They are calling for the establishment of a one-stop service on the border to facilitate movements between Burundi and Rwanda, as is the case in the Ngozi and Muyinga provinces.

Most of those returned are former refugees from the Mahama camp in Rwanda who had repatriated.