Cibitoke : Congolese refugees from Rugombo reject their transfer to Giharo

For several days, tensions have persisted at the Congolese refugee site in Rugombo, in Cibitoke province, northwest Burundi. Around 40,000 refugees are refusing to be transferred to the Musenyi site, located in the district of Giharo, in Rutana province in the southeast. Reasons are unacceptable living conditions and a lack of food at the site proposed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Burundian authorities.

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The refugees, the vast majority from the provinces of North and South Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo, fled the fighting between the Congolese army and the M23 rebels. Having arrived in Burundi several weeks ago, they found refuge in Rugombo, where they are already living in difficult conditions. However, they believe their situation would be even worse in Musenyi.

“We fled the war, but we don’t want to be sent to a place where our living conditions will be even more difficult,” confided a refugee on condition of anonymity.

According to several reports, the Musenyi site lacks sanitation facilities and sufficient supplies of food and drinking water. Refugees claim that families transferred there have been forced to sleep on the ground in makeshift shelters.

Burundian authorities and the UNHCR face a dilemma

The UNHCR, however, insists on the necessity of this transfer. “It is essential to guarantee the security of these refugees within a structured framework,” explains Félix Ndama, UNHCR representative in Cibitoke. The UN agency states that the Musenyi camp was developed in consultation with the Burundian government and humanitarian actors to better manage the growing influx of Congolese refugees.

Congolese refugees refuse to board buses prepared by the UNHCR to take them to the Musenyi site in southeastern Burundi (SOS Médias Burundi)

However, faced with the massive refusal of refugees, the situation is becoming increasingly tense. The governor of Cibitoke province, Carême Bizoza, has adopted a firm stance, declaring that “those who refuse to leave will be returned to the Democratic Republic of Congo.” This statement is causing concern among refugees, already traumatized by the violence in their home country.

A worrying humanitarian situation

In addition to the issue of relocation, the refugees in Rugombo are facing a severe food shortage. Many of them, having rented houses around the site, are struggling to pay their rent and fear eviction. Since Friday, March 21, all activities in the camp have been suspended, with the exception of a mobile clinic that only handles emergencies.

Local and international NGOs are warning of the risk of a humanitarian crisis. “The situation is critical. If nothing is done quickly, children and vulnerable people risk dying from malnutrition and disease,” warned a humanitarian worker on the site.

A call for international aid

This crisis highlights challenges Burundi faces in hosting refugees. With a massive influx of people fleeing eastern DRC, shelter and humanitarian assistance capacities are stretched.

The UNHCR and other humanitarian partners have appealed to international donors to increase aid to the refugees. However, funds are lacking, and the needs on the ground are immense.

Meanwhile, refugees in Rugombo remain in limbo.

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Police officers forcing Congolese refugees onto buses intended to take them back to the Musenyi site in southeastern Burundi (SOS Médias Burundi)