WRITTEN QUESTION E-0365/02

by Pere Esteve (ELDR) to the Commission

(14 February 2002)

Subject: Human rights violations in refugee camps

Except during the recent Belgian Presidency, the Great Lakes region has over the last few years barely featured in the EU's foreign policy. Refugees from the Burundi conflict are currently in an alarming situation, especially since the Tanzanian Government made statements calling for the forced repatriation of Burundian refugees who are currently on its territory.

Reports from various international organisations working amongst the refugees indicate that the latter are subject to restrictions on their fundamental rights and freedoms, such as the right to education (primary education is patchy, largely on account of the fact that the Tanzanian Government does not want the refugees to be better educated than its own people), the right to work (refugees are prohibited from working the land and from growing agricultural produce, even for their own consumption), freedom of expression (political debate is banned), freedom of association (the right of assembly is totally suppressed within the camps) and freedom of movement (restricted by means of the four-kilometre law, which prevents any refugee from straying more than that distance from the camp at which he or she is registered).

Pursuant to the Geneva Convention on the Status of Refugees, refugees are required to be treated at least as favourably as the nationals of the country of refuge in terms of the rights they are granted.

Can the violations of, and the restrictions imposed on, the refugees' human rights be justified on the grounds of national security and public order? What view does the Commission take of the matter? Are the Commission's third-country aid bodies active in this area?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(27 March 2002)

The Commission has taken note of the recent statements by the Tanzanian authorities concerning the presence of Burundian refugees on their territory, and of the concerns expressed by certain non-Governmental organisations working in Tanzania. It believes that developments should be followed closely to ensure that no violation or restriction of the refugees' fundamental rights occurs.

However, it is understandable that the Tanzanian authorities should appeal to the international community for assistance in dealing with the growing number of refugees. Furthermore, despite the efforts to help Burundian refugees to return to their country, including the EUR 25 million programme financed by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), they are not doing so.

In the Commission's view it is undeniable that some tension exists between the refugees and the Tanzanian population. At this stage it seems unlikely that this will get out of hand. Tanzania has always shown a willingness to receive refugees since 1993 Burundians, Rwandans and Congolese have taken refuge there. It is said that there are now approximately

1 200 000 refugees in the country, of whom about 500 000 are in the camps. Tanzanian fears relate not only to local security, illegal harvesting or damage to the ecosystem. They are also afraid that their territory may be used as a base for military operations by the Rwandan and Burundian rebels, as the history of the Congo suggests.

International agencies and specialist NGOs are working to help the refugees in Tanzania, and are receiving financing from the Community. In addition to the UNHCR EUR 25 million programme already mentioned for helping refugees return to Burundi, the EC Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) has just allocated EUR 27 million for the current year to assist refugees in Tanzania. But clearly the only thing that will really solve the refugee problem is an end to the armed conflicts going on in the region. The Commission is contributing to efforts to achieve this. It has always provided political and financial support for initiatives likely to further peace, and will continue to do so.