Rwanda-Tanzania : refugees’ discontent hit by the Trump administration’s decision

Several Burundian and Congolese refugees scheduled to travel to the United States have been disrupted by the Trump administration’s decision. They express their discontent.

INFO SOS Médias Burundi

The refugees, who had been authorized to travel to the United States, find themselves in a situation of total disarray. Their travel plans were canceled following a decision by the Trump administration, sending shockwaves through several refugee camps in the Great Lakes region of Africa, particularly in Rwanda and Tanzania.

Mahama camp in Rwanda : a forced return to despair

At Mahama camp, located in eastern Rwanda, many Burundian and Congolese refugees, who were about to board a plane, do not hide their despair. A Burundian father, who was awaiting his imminent departure, recounts : “Here in the camp, it’s desolation. Dozens of Burundian and Congolese refugees, sheltered by the IOM in Kigali before their departure, have been sent back to their villages in the camp. It’s a real blow.”

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) handles the medical and travel procedures for refugees from this region who are moving to a third host country.

“I was supposed to take the final medical test, but when I arrived at the IOM, I found people in tears, as if they had lost loved ones. I realized then that all trips had been canceled. We were sent back home,” he adds, visibly dejected.

The situation at Nyarugusu Camp in Tanzania

The same climate of frustration prevails at Nyarugusu camp in Tanzania, where a large proportion of the refugees are Congolese. A local leader testifies : “Three transit centers were overcrowded. Refugees, mainly Congolese and some Burundians, who were about to leave for the United States, were diverted. The IOM is struggling to control their emotions after the announcement of the cancellation of the trips.”

Economic and psychological consequences

The consequences for these refugees are numerous and varied. Many of them had already borrowed money from friends or banks, hoping for a fresh start.

“Some took on debts with high interest rates, others sold everything. Today, they are returning to the camp with nothing. This has a profound psychological impact. We fear for their future,” explains a community leader in Mahama.

An uncertain future

In both camps, the situation seems hopeless. The refugees had already handed over their homes to others and now find themselves homeless. “They will surely run out of housing,” some of their compatriots believe.

According to a source at IOM-Rwanda, in 2018, more than 400 Congolese and Burundian refugees scheduled to depart for the United States had their applications canceled or redirected to other countries. These numbers appear to have increased significantly since then.

The Trump administration has suspended refugees’ arrivals to the United States until further notice, leaving these refugees with significant uncertainty about their future. Primary host countries such as Rwanda and Tanzania, which are home to more than 370,000 refugees, primarily Congolese and Burundian, are now facing major challenges in meeting the needs of these vulnerable populations.

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Congolese refugees in a demonstration at Mahama camp to denounce atrocities and abuses perpetrated against their peers in eastern Congo