ReliefWeb

On Tuesday June 04, 2013, twenty-six Rwandan refugees from Burundi returned home. They were received by the officials from the Ministry of Disaster Management and Refugees affairs and the UNHCR in Rwanda.

Those returnees included two among those who were part of the delegation that visited Rwanda earlier last April through “Come and See, Go and tell” program. After realizing that the country is safe and they had been told lies, they returned in the camp in Burundi with conviction to sensitize their fellow refugees to return home.

Donatha UWIMANA participated in “Come and see, go and tell “visits. During that visit, she met her relatives in Nyaruteja sector in Gisagara District and explored the progress registered by local residents. She returned in Burundi and testified to other refugees the truth she saw. On June 04, 2013, she returned with her family including her mother Vestine UWIHOREUYE.

“When my daughter came from Rwanda, she told me that people are safe and they have attained tremendous development, she narrated that all our former neighbours have cows, their children are studying for free and they no longer live in grass thatched houses. I got excited and i decided to return to my home land at any occasion” testified UWIHOREYE.

The returnees were given vehicles for each family, food package composed of maize, beans and oil, hygienic items, bed covers and kitchen utensils, 100$ per each adult person and 50$ per each child in order to facilitate their reintegration into the community.

Since the “Come and See, Go and tell” visit conducted from April 23-28, 2013, 36 refugees from Burundi have voluntarily returned.

The UNCHR delegates who accompanied returnees admitted that about 220 Rwandan refugees remain in Butare camp, the only Rwandan refugees’ settlement in Burundi. They furthermore revealed that more are committed to return before the coming into effect of the Cessation Clause on June 30, 2013.