ICVA warns against refugee repatriation from Tanzania

The International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA), an advocacy association representing over 70 nongovernmental agencies, has added its voice to those warning against the mass repatriation of Burundi refugees from Tanzania. With the Tanzanian president, Benjamin Mkapa, referring to refugees as "an unbearable burden" in recent statements, and Burundi officials encouraging the refugees to return home, "there is a risk that refugees are being put in a position where return to Burundi may not be entirely voluntary", the ICVA says in an article in its latest newsletter entitled "When going home is not an option". "The reality on the ground in Burundi should point strongly in the direction of not promoting refugee return at this time," the ICVA states. The agency cites to a number of factors which determine this: the hundreds of thousands of Burundis who are displaced within the country, the mono-ethnic composition of the upper echelons of the army (Tutsi), which has been responsible for many of the killings in the country's civil war, impunity for past killings, unresolved land rights issues and continued fighting and insecurity in many parts of the country. The issue of land was a major one that needed to be resolved before any mass repatriation takes place, said ICVA, emphasising that efforts would have to be made to ensure that both internally displaced persons and returning refugees had access to land. As the majority of the Burundi population earned its living from farming, without access to land or alternative sources of livelihood, return would be unsustainable, it said. Any forcible return of the 345,000 Burundi refugees into the current situation in Burundi would be "potentially disastrous". Recent statements and visits to the camps by both the Tanzanian and Burundi governments were putting a "tremendous amount of pressure" on the refugees to return home. "As a result of this pressure it is not clear if those that are registering to return are doing so because they feel the conditions in Burundi are right or if they feel that a decision on return will soon be made for them by the governments," ICVA said. Referring to the recent visits to the camps, ICVA stated: "If the information that is being provided is to encourage people to return home... then there is a question about the impartiality and even accuracy of that information." Refugees must not be put in a position where they felt they must choose to return, even if it was premature, to ensure their protection, it said. The association advocated giving support to both Burundi and Tanzania, which hosts hundreds of thousands of refugees. "Governments have heard, on numerous occasions, Tanzania's calls for more support. Donor fatigue is often heard of, but the consequences of host community fatigue can be much more serious." To access the complete article, go to www.icva.ch (Talk Back Newsletter, Volume 4)