Mkapa calls for assistance for refugees

Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa on Tuesday called on the international community to jointly take the responsibility of assisting refugees in the country. Tanzanian radio quoted Mkapa as telling foreign diplomats at a banquet in Dar es Salaam that the refugee crisis should not be regarded as a Tanzanian problem. Mkapa was commenting on the trend by the international community to reduce aid to refugees in the country, giving an indication that Tanzania should be left alone to solve the refugee problem.

He said his country’s “sympathy” in assisting refugees should be supported by the international community because it was “its responsibility”. Mkapa said the international community had reduced its support considerably, leading to the reduction of essential services to refugees. The inadequacy of refugee services had resulted in some of them engaging in “unlawful acts” which discouraged the Tanzanian government from continuing to accommodate and support them, he added.