During RI s visit, we heard constant and sustained gunfire in Makamba province in Burundi, only five kilometers away. Refugees and aid workers told RI this had been happening from morning to night for two weeks. We re afraid of the situation in Makamba, but we have no idea what is happening. The violent conditions that prompted the flight of these refugees from their homes in Burundi have not changed. Indeed, the latest round of fighting around Bujumbura this week has displaced additional thousands within Burundi.
Food is a major problem.
Some refugees attempt to supplement their food rations with tiny 10 x 15 plots of land assigned to them upon arrival. The extensive use of kitchen gardens on these small plots has been a major factor in maintaining their overall health. The Burundian refugees need access to more land to increase their food security and self-sufficiency. The Government of Tanzania is reluctant to give them more land, fearing that it will make them want to stay in Tanzania. But repeated interviews conducted by RI revealed that the Burundians very much want to go home.