From: wsargeant@IGC.APC.ORG (Winslow L. Sargeant)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
Subject: IPS:Burundi, voluntary repatriation of
Date: 30 Jul 92 17:35:05 GMT

/* Written 12:12 am  Jul 30, 1992 by newsdesk in cdp:ips.englibrary */
/* ---------- "BURUNDI: VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION OF " ---------- */
Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Reference: Africa, southern; Population
Title: BURUNDI: VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION OF REFUGEES BEGINS IN 1993


dar es salaam, jul 27 (ips) -- about 150,000 refugees from
burundi who were due to return to their home country from
tanzania in september will be repatriated in 1993, the tanzania
government announced here monday.

''we are still working out modalities to ensure a smooth
repatriation of the displaced people'', tanzania's minister for
home afairs, augustine mrema, said.

tanzania, the u.n. high commissioner for refugees (unhcr) and
burundi in august 1991 signed an accord under which the three
parties committed themselves to facilitate voluntary
repatriation of the refugees, resettled in the east african
country for nearly two decades.

the movement of the refugees from agricultural settlements in
western tanzania was originally planned to start in september.

a tripartite technical group of officials from burundi,
tanzania and the unhcr was formed in 1991, to prepare the
exercise.

''we want to give the refugees ample time to decide if they
prefer to remain in tanzania or to back home'', the minister
told parliament in session here.

''no refugee has been forced to return home since the signing
of the accord'', mrema emphasised.

burundi opposition groups in exile criticised the agreement
which they labelled as a secret deal to drive the refugees back
to the tiny republic in central africa.

''with peace returning to burundi, we think the climate is
conducive for the (exiled) barundi to return home'', the
minister said.

''those who opt to remain in tanzania can do so and those who
want to return home can go'', mrema said, dispelling fears of
forced repatriation. for those who opt to stay in tanzania,
''doors are open for their naturalisation'', he added.

burundi, a former belgian colony, was rocked by spates of
political violence after independence in 1962 which left
thousands dead while others sought asylum in neighbouring
countries.

an official of the unhcr here told ips the signing of the
accord was done in ''good faith'' and repatriation would be done
according to the wish of the refugees themselves. (more/ips)


burundi: voluntary (2)

the hutu people, making up 85 perecent of burundi's
population of seven million, accuse the government of president
pierre buyoya of ethnic bias toward the minority tutsi people.

currently tanzania provides asylum to about 300,000 refugees
from burundi, ethiopia, malawi, mozambique, rwanda and zaire.

meanwhile, the government here has reduced the naturalisation
fee from 170 dollars to 10 dollars.

according to mrema, the move was in line with an appeal by
the organisation of african unity (oau) to its members to allow
naturalisation as a way to solve the refugee problem in
africa.

besides post-independence political and ethnic conflicts,
refugee movements in african countries have also taken place as
a result of famine, drought and desertification.

in densely populated countries, including burundi and rwanda,
population pressure on resources, especially land, along with
economic deprivation connected with adverse government policies,
have also featured as determinants of refugee movements.

according to the unhcr, the world refugee population in the
last decade grew from eight million to almost 20 million. about
half of these are in africa. (end/ips/pc/ar/apc/92)


Newsgroups: soc.culture.african.american