More refugees back to Burundi

2005-08-13 14:23

Geneva - Increasing numbers of exiles are returning to Burundi, as confidence seems to be growing that peace has returned to their homeland, said the United Nations refugee agency on Friday.

Spokesperson Jennifer Pagonis said, the UN High commissioner for refugees (UNHCR) helped 4 200 Burundians go home from Tanzania and Rwanda.

The UNHCR said the total returns this month would reach 20 000, a sixfold increase on June and July.

Pagonis said: "The refugees tell us that orderly communal elections at the end of June - nearly the last step in a long transition to peace and democracy - gave them the confidence to return home after up to nine years in exile."

Securing a comprehensive settlement

On August 19, Burundian voters were almost certain to elect former Hutu rebel leader Pierre Nkurunziza as head of state.

That was set to mark the end a transition period and peace process aimed at securing a comprehensive settlement to Burundi's 12-year ethnically driven war.

Some 300 000 lives were lost in the fighting that erupted in 1993 after the assassination of the country's first democratically elected president, a Hutu.

The fight was between the Hutu majority - 85% - and the Tutsi minority - 14% - which dominated the military.

Pagonis said while UNHCR was helping Burundians who volunteered to go home, it had not launched a formal repatriation programme.

There were still security fears, amid clashes between the Burundian army and one rebel group around the capital Bujumbura, despite a nominal ceasefire and peace talks.

- AFP