UN, aid agencies in fresh appeal for Burundi refugees

The United Nations agencies, led by the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), and non-governmental organisations, yesterday, made a joint appeal for more relief for Burundian refugees in Rwanda. The agencies were addressing members of the donor and diplomatic community on the inter-agency appeal, the Burundi Refugee Response Plan for Rwanda (RRP), designed to mobilise assistance for Burundian refugees in the country. The government, which continues to work closely with humanitarian and aid agencies to support thousands of Burundian refugees in the country, commended the joint response plan by development and humanitarian agencies. “The Refugee Response Plan seeks to ensure timely and effective response to the Burundi refugee influx, and I commend the efforts by different humanitarian agencies in supporting government to respond since the beginning of this emergency,” said Antoine Ruvebana, the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs (MIDIMAR). UNDP has previously released $100,000 to support government’s efforts to extending humanitarian relief to the Burundian refugee influx. Last month, the European Commission announced plans to release Euro 1.5 million (about Rwf1 billion) to support Rwanda’s assistance and protection of Burundian refugees, while the UN allocated $7.9 million (about Rwf5.4bn) toward the humanitarian response to the Burundian refugees in the country. More than 30,000 Burundian refugees have crossed into Rwanda since late March, with the majority of them arriving in the immediate aftermath of the April 26 decision by Burundi’s ruling CNDD-FDD party to front President Pierre Nkurunziza as its candidate for the upcoming elections – a move that sparked violent protests that have since claimed at least 30 lives. Opposition and civil society activists say the decision was unconstitutional since Nkurunziza has already served his maximum two five-year terms, while those behind the president’s third term bid say his first term in office should not be considered part of the equation since he was picked by parliament and not through a popular vote. The majority of the Burundian refugees (23,941 as of yesterday) have been transferred to Mahama Refugee Camp in Kirehe District, far from their country’s border with Rwanda. The UN agency also said Burundian refugees continue to arrive in Rwanda, but the scale of the influx has since reduced from “several thousand per day” in April and May to average between 150 and 300 a day in recent days. The smallest number of new arrivals in a day, 62, was recorded on Sunday. UNCHR says Kigali had responded to the refugee crisis with “generosity” and called on the international community to match the host country’s gesture. “The Government of Rwanda has shown tremendous openness in welcoming the refugees and in allocating land for Mahama camp,” said Saber Azam, the UNHCR country representative. “I hope the international community will match this generosity and support us by funding the Refugee Response Plan.” However, The New Times was unable to ascertain how much was needed for the emergency relief operations. According to statistics from MIDMAR, by Sunday, the total number of Burundian refugees in Rwanda was 30,117, with 15,261 of them being children – some unaccompanied. More than 100,000 Burundians have fled to Rwanda, Tanzania and DR Congo. Leaders of the East African Community partner states, in their second crisis meeting on Burundi on May 31, urged Bujumbura to delay the elections by at least one and a half months to allow conducive atmosphere for elections. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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UN, aid agencies in fresh appeal for Burundi refugees