DATE=2/7/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-N-H-C-R / BURUNDI REFUGEES (L-O)
NUMBER=2-258901
BYLINE=LISA SCHLEIN
DATELINE=GENEVA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The United Nations says refugees from Burundi
continue to flee to neighboring Tanzania to escape
fighting between government and rebel forces. Lisa
Schlein in Geneva reports an estimated 24-thousand
Burundians have sought asylum in Tanzania since the
beginning of the year.
TEXT: U-N refugee agency spokesman Ron Redmond says
refugees interviewed at the border report frequent
battles between the Burundi army and rebels. He says
many of the refugees say their houses had been burned.
/// REDMOND ACT ONE ///
The majority of those coming across are women
and children. They say their men are reportedly
arrested or disappear when they go to
participate in some sort of compulsory night
neighborhood patrols that have been organized by
the military. Many of the newly arrived
children are malnourished and suffering from
malaria. They say the food situation and
conditions of hygiene in Burundi are precarious.
/// END ACT ///
About 450-thousand refugees are in Tanzania. Most of
them - 330-thousand - are from Burundi. Other
refugees in Tanzania include 100-thousand Congolese
and 20-thousand Rwandans.
The U-N refugee agency says old, established refugee
camps are full, and newly built camps are filling
quickly. It says the Karago camp in the Kibondo
district of Tanzania, which was built in late
December, has practically reached its limit. After
only one-month, more than 26-thousand people are in
the camp.
U-N-H-C-R Spokesman Redmond, calls the situation in
Burundi untenable. But, he says there are some
reasons to hope the situation might get better.
Mr. Redmond says peace efforts led by former South
African President, Nelson Mandela are raising
expectations for a resolution to the war. He also
says plans by Burundi's government to close some of
its so-called regroupment camps might help to ease the
refugee situation.
/// REDMOND ACT TWO ///
One of the reasons people are coming across is
because of the establishment of these
regroupment camps. People who do not wish to go
to these camps are actually leaving the country
altogether. So, we would hope with the closure
of the camps inside Burundi that these people
would be allowed to go back to their homes and
they would be able to take care of themselves so
that they do not have to flee.
/// END ACT ///
The Tutsi-dominated Burundi government has moved about
300-thousand, mainly Hutu peasants, into 50
regroupement camps. The government claims the camps
are meant to protect the people against rebel attacks.
Under intense international pressure, the government
has decided to close 11 of the 50 camps. (SIGNED)
NEB/LS/JWH/RAE
07-Feb-2000 08:23 AM EDT (07-Feb-2000 1323 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
