Dar Es Salaam, 29 June-(ANA)-The Tanzanian authorities must ensure that thousands of Burundian refugees who have been living in the Mbatila camp are not sent back to their country under coercion, Amnesty International said today.
“We are worried about reports of refugees being pressured to leave the Mbatila camp. Some of their homes have been set on fire, while other refugees have received threats of arson,” said Godfrey Odongo, Amnesty International’s East Africa researcher.
The Mbatila camp is set to close by 30 June 2009 as part of a repatriation programme that will see all refugees returned to Burundi.
The programme is being implemented under a tripartite agreement by the Governments of Tanzania and Burundi and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in April 2002.
In a joint communiqué, signed in December 2008, the programme was described as “voluntary” and justified on the basis of “recent developments galvanizing the peace and reconciliation process in Burundi”.
Amnesty International understands, however, that contrary to international and regional law, there is no procedure in place to assess any individual claims by refugees and asylum-seekers of well-founded fears of persecution.
“Any repatriation must respect the relevant principles of refugee protection”, Odongo said, adding that “voluntary returns must be based on a free and informed decision taken in safety and dignity.” (ANA)
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