Congolese refugees refuse relocation

Congolese refugees in Burundi are continuing to refuse relocation from a transit camp in the capital, Bujumbura, to a permanent refugee camp in the northern province of Muyinga, in an ongoing dispute with the Burundi authorities. As of Tuesday, only about 40 of Banyamulenge - ethnic Tutsi - refugees had transferred to the new camp in Gasorwe, an official from the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, told IRIN. UNHCR has been facilitating the transfer of the refugees since May. The rest had been informed that they could return to the Democratic Republic of Congo, remain in Bujumbura unassisted by UNHCR, or relocate. But the vast majority are refusing to move from the transit centre - whose closure is imminent - in Ngagara district of the Burundi capital. "We chose to remain here in the camp and be assisted by the UNHCR," one refugee, who asked not to be named, told IRIN. Two weeks ago, the refugees said they were asked to report to the Burundi interior ministry to state which district they wanted to live in, and what would be their source of income. "We restated the same position," they told IRIN. The refugees say they have a number of concerns including the fact that they were not involved, as promised, in choosing the area of relocation, that the camp had been transferred to an area where they were not wanted, and that it bordered Tanzania, which is seen as a refuge for Hutu rebels. The decision to relocate the refugees from the transit camps in Rugombo, Cibitoke province (which has since been closed) and Ngagara to Muyinga was taken by the Burundi government. "It is a government decision to transfer the refugees. It has the right to settle them where it thinks they will be more secure in terms of welfare and well-being. The transit centres could not be maintained any longer," one UNHCR official commented to IRIN. UNHCR is currently trucking water to the refugees, as requested by the Burundi government to prevent health hazards. However, all forms of formal assistance - food, non-food items, sanitation and education - have been stopped. The refugees say they are now dependent on assistance from religious organisations, and insist that they need more. "Sometimes the assistance doesn't come at all. They [religious organisations] also have limited means because the country is at war," one refugee said. The Banyamulenge have also complained that their children no longer have access to schools. But UNHCR says that the school facilities that were available have been transferred to Gasorwe, along with everything else. Secondary education was also available there, UNHCR representative, Stefano Severe told IRIN. The last registration of the Banyamulenge, which took place in April, counted 2,609 refugees.