WFP said the voluntary repatriation of Burundians from the camp had been suspended, following the recent influx from Burundi. The refugees are said to be fleeing insecurity in Burundi's Ruyigi province which has been wracked by increased rebel attacks of late. UNHCR told IRIN that hundreds of Burundians had been returning home every week.
Bujumbura accuses Tanzania of harbouring Burundian rebels in the camps, a charge denied by UNHCR. The Burundian authorities - who reject the mediation of Julius Nyerere in the external peace process, accusing him of bias - are suspicious of a recent visit by the ex-Tanzanian president to the refugee camps. A UNHCR spokesman told IRIN the visit came within the framework of the peace process and was intended to rally the refugees.
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
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