1 600 Burundians refugees return back home

On Sunday Burundian refugees who recently entered Rwanda from DRC started returning home after controversially refusing to undergo bio-metric checks-ups from the Rwandan authorities. 1600 of 2523 refugees packed their bags and started returning home with the help of Rwandan and UNHCR authorities.

Rwandan authorities have since their arrival urged them to undergo medical and legal procedures as to immunize them and legally register them.

For their so-called religious unshakable beliefs, the Burundian refugees have refused to undergo such procedures.

Authorities operating in the area of their arrival warned them to undergo the required procedures in accordance to Rwandan legal framework or return to their country in case of refusal.

On their own agreement and inner motivation over 16000 refugees chose to return back home instead of violating their religious beliefs.

On Sunday they took buses and headed to the boarder of Rwanda and Burundi in Nemba, Bugesera District.

They were received by Burundian authorities at the boarder of Nemba.

2523 Burundian refugees entered Rwanda from the Democratic Republic of Congo, in Kamanyola claiming they were facing potential insecurity.

After being sheltered in Nyarushishi refugee transit camp, they refused undergoing biometric check ups.

In addition to this, they refused to be given industrial processed foods, no sugar, and no salt.

They said that undergoing such biometric checkups and taking such foods were in contradiction with their religious beliefs.

Those refugees denied being treated by medical staff with whom they don’t share the same religious beliefs.

Their children are not subject to immunization.

UM– USEKE.RW