Tutsi group threatens to attack refugee in camps in Tanzania

A UNHCR official in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday confirmed to IRIN that the agency was aware of a letter from a little-known Tutsi group - the Anti-Hutu Revolution Burundi Group (AHRBG) - threatening to bomb refugee camps in northwestern Tanzania. “UNHCR is concerned about the threat letter since any threat against the security of refugees, staff and Tanzanian nationals cannot be taken for granted,” the official said. “UNHCR staff charged with the responsibility of monitoring the security situation in western Tanzania are closely following the threat announced by the group,” the official added. Observing that the primary responsibility of maintaining security was vested on the government, the official said that the agency had been funding issues related to the maintenance of security in refugee-settled areas. AHRBG, in a letter dated 1 August, addressed to the Ngara District (northwestern Tanzania) police commander, D.G. Ludamila, said it had already laid land mines close to camps currently sheltering about 450,000 refugees. According to the Tanzanian independent daily, ‘The Guardian’, as monitored by the BBC, apart from land mines, the group said it possessed hand grenades for the attacks, set to start on 15th October. The letter, signed by a Jaa Masen Ngwanilingoma, said that the attacks were necessary because of “the failure of Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa to repatriate all Burundian refugees back home as soon as possible”. The AHRBG also declared its opposition to the Burundian accord signed in Arusha last month. A senior Tanzanian government official told IRIN that “some Tutsi extremist groups opposed to the peace process are not happy with the role played by Tanzania in the negotiations and its hosting of thousands of refugees”.