Nyarugusu, Tanzania : more than 2,300 Burundian refugees threatened with repatriation, allegations of violations denounced

SOS Médias Burundi

Nyarugusu, May 25, 2026 — Tensions have escalated in the Nyarugusu refugee camp in northwestern Tanzania, where more than 2,300 Burundian refugees say they are facing what they consider a forced repatriation process. They denounce the cancellation of their refugee cards, the cuts in food aid, and pressure to register for return to Burundi.

According to information gathered on the ground, more than 2,300 refugee cards have been canceled since Monday, with those affected required to report on Tuesday for registration in preparation for repatriation scheduled for this week.

Specifically, approximately 960 refugees in Zone 8 have reportedly been removed from food assistance lists, and their cards canceled. In Zone 9, nearly 980 people are also said to be affected by a suspension of rations and an obligation to return. In Zone 19, approximately 300 additional cards have reportedly been canceled, according to the same sources.

Several refugees report that their homes have been destroyed, forcing them to live in a transit center described as overcrowded and characterized by extremely poor living conditions.

A statement posted by the camp management office, and supported by the UNHCR according to refugees, invites those affected to register for a “voluntary repatriation already scheduled before the end of the week.” Refugee groups dispute this wording, alleging pressure and a lack of genuine consent.

In a statement circulated on social media, a group of refugee leaders denounces “human rights violations,” intimidation, and a deterioration of humanitarian conditions. They are alerting, in particular, the UNHCR, human rights NGOs, diplomatic missions, and international actors.

“This letter is a sincere humanitarian appeal regarding the rapidly deteriorating protection situation, the grave human rights concerns, and the worsening living conditions,” they write, stating that the situation has reached an “alarming and heartbreaking” level.

The refugees describe the destruction of shelters, threats, harassment, and psychological pressure aimed at forcing them to return. They say they are particularly worried about women, children, the elderly, and survivors of past violence.

They also state that essential humanitarian services have been reduced or suspended, including access to healthcare, education, and certain forms of assistance, as well as movement restrictions affecting their livelihoods.

According to these accounts, these conditions have created a climate of fear and despair among already vulnerable families who had fled Burundi in search of protection.

The refugees are calling for urgent intervention to ensure that any return is voluntary, safe, and in accordance with international protection standards, invoking in particular the principle of non-refoulement.

They are also demanding the restoration of basic humanitarian services and an end to intimidation and the destruction of shelters.

The Nyarugusu camp is currently the last remaining site hosting Burundian refugees in Tanzania, following the closure of the Nduta camp at the end of April. It is estimated to still host approximately 22,000 Burundian refugees.

According to the agreement between the Burundian and Tanzanian governments, as well as the UNHCR, the section of the Nyarugusu camp hosting Burundian refugees is scheduled for permanent closure in July. This closure was initially planned for June before being postponed.

This camp also hosts Congolese refugees who have fled hostilities in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

In this context, many refugees fear a gradual closure of the camp in the coming months, with some already reporting attempts to move to neighboring countries, sometimes interrupted and followed by forced returns to Burundi, according to their accounts.