Burundi rejects Rwandans
2006-04-10 18:08
Bujumbura - Burundi has turned down more than 95% of applications from Rwandan asylum seekers who fled their country rather than face local courts trying suspects in the country's 1994 genocide.
Burundi's interior minister Evariste Ndayishimiye said that of the 1 290 people whose applications had been checked by a national commission, only 59 were eligible - that is, 4.6%.
Ndayishimiye said Burundi will organise the repatriation of the Rwandan nationals "dignity and security".
In the last year, thousands of Rwandans have fled to Burundi after grassroots courts - known as "gacaca" - began trying suspects in the country's 1994 genocide.
According to the United Nations refugee agency, 20 000 people suspected of participating in the massacre, many from the majority Hutu tribe, have fled to Burundi.
Ndayishimiye said the rejection of the asylum applications was not political: "This work has been carried out by a joint government and the United Nations high commissioner for refugees technical committee. There was no pressure."
More than 800 000 people died in the 1994 genocide.