Opening Statement by Hon. Omar R. Mapuri, Minister for Home Affairs at the 8^th Tripartite Commission Meeting between The Government of Burundi, The Government of Tanzania and UNHCR

Bujumbura, 23^rd June, 2004

Honourable Françoise NGENDAHAYO

Minister In-charge of Reintegration and Resettlement of

Displaced Persons and Repatriates, Head of the Burundian Delegation, and Chairperson of this Meeting

Mr. Kaba – Guichard NEYAGA,

The UNHCR Representative in Burundi & Head of the UNHCR Delegation,

Distinguished Members of the Tripartite Commission

Invited Observers

Members of the Media

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Allow me on behalf of the Tanzanian Delegation to express our sincere appreciation for the warm welcome and hospitality accorded to us since our arrival. We are glad to be amongst our brothers and sisters in Burundi, which is in a way a profound expression of our mutual co-operation existing between the people of our two Countries. We believe this Tripartite Commission Meeting which is a follow up of the Arusha Meeting of 21^st January, 2004 will address some of the issues of prime importance as a step towards enhancing the ongoing voluntary repatriation, that has shown a significant positive and encouraging trend.

Distinguished Members of the Tripartite Commission,

Since our last Meeting in Arusha, a number of important positive developments have taken place, notably the operationalization of the last entry points that shoud finally put the continuing repatriation operation on a firm course. This shoud be good news to all parties and I believe as we meet today, we shall have only other issues to examine and revisit that still stand on the way of the process. The political will and determination of the Government of Burundi, enhanced by the support and co-operation of our partners, the UNCHR, is self - evident and its positive results are showing up. Testimony to this was the so moving occasion of the official openin of the Manyovu/Mugina entry/exit route we successfully performed yesterday.

I wish at this juncture, to express on behalf of my delegation our sincere appreciation to the UNHCR for the excellent arrangement for receiving returnees we saw yesterday at Mabanda. Everyone of us here should be convinced that the conditions in Buurndi for repatriation are adequately conducive.

With all the four routes fully operational, we are now beginning to see a multiple of possibilities in the facilitation of the voluntary repatriation operation. Indeed, the chances are now high for the repatriation of the entire Burundian new refugee caseload in Tanzania within a short or time than earlier envisaged.

Since the official opening of the Mabamba-Gisuru route by a trial convoy on 28^th January, 2004, more than 31,000 refugees have returned to Burundi through it. Likewise, the Manyovu-Mugina route that became operational on 1^st June, 2004 has witnessed more than 1100 refugees crossing into Burundi. Our statistics also indicate an increasing trend of repatriation on the Kabanga- Kobelo route. The dynamics of change manifested in the social, economic and political transformation sweeping across Burundi, enhanced by the goodwill of the Burundian people will continue to form the basis of our hope for the achievement of this reality.

Distinguished Members of the Tripartite Commission,

That atmosphere of optimism notwithstanding, I cannot hold express my fear and anxiety over the current wave of Congolese refugees that Burundi has all of a sudden and out of the blues been called upon to face up with. I sympathise with the Government of Burundi for having to cater for refugees at the middle of the daunting task of receiving and resettling own citizens returning from asylum abroad and within. It is only my hope that this unforseen development shall not be allowed to affect the repatriation process.

It is in this vein that I appeal to the international community through the UNHCR to adequately and timely address this new challenge before it prejudices the repatration operation.

Distinguished Members of the Tripartite Commission,

The Tripartite Commission on the Voluntary Repatriation of Burundian Refugees from Tanzania, in its more than two years of operation has been successful in repatriating more than 160,000 refugees. As already observed, the improving security situation in Burundi, as a result of the working peace process, has resulted in a more active involvement and participation by the UN and its sister agencies together with other humanitarian organizations. It is imperative to point out at this juncture, that the Burundian refugee repatriation/ reintegration operation has reached its very crucial stage in the sense that it now, more than at any other time, requires the highest commitment and earnest intervention by the donor community. The repatriation operation in Tanzania as well as the reintegration process in Burundi now call for adequate donor funds and support from the International Community in order to make the whole operation decisively sustainable. It is in this context that the Government of Tanzania, while reaffirming its continued commitment in finding a lasting solution to the Burundian refugee problem, calls upon the International Community also to play its part in the global burden sharing responsibility by honouring their pledged contributions.

At the operational level, we need to work out an optimal rate of repatriation that is, a rate that would not be too fast to cope with here at the receiving end, but that would neither be too slow to bear with on the part of the refugees who are in high spirit and are very keen to come back home in time for participation in the peace process of which they are significant stake-holders.

The quest for coming back home among the Burundian refugees in Tanzania is so high that if the repatriation process is not speeded up, we may find ourselves forced to deal with spontaneous returnees who are rather difficult to handle and take care of. Such a situation may have implications on human rights in that such poor human beings will have been subjected to mental and physical torture on having to walk those long distances in search of their places to call home. Let’s all strive to avoid such a complex situation.

Distinguished Members of the Tripartite Commission,

I will feel highly indebted if I were to end my presentation without a word on the old refugee caseload issue. There is a suggestion to the effect that there should be no overlapping of the repatriation of this caseload of refugees over that of the new caseload that is ongoing now. I am very much aware of the need to avoid overlapping of operational programmes in so far as the new and old caseload programmes are concerned. I however, also recognised the right to our attention and consideration of those few who express their desire to repatriate voluntarily earlier on. After all, we cannot completely evade overlaps. Experience shows that most repatriation operations are bogged by what is known as the ‘residual caseload’ phenomenon towards the end. Refugees of the residual caseload tend to be somewhat reluctant to return home. Surely we cannot afford to wait until the last of such refugee decides to return home before we facilitate willing old caseload refugees.

I believe in the interest of all the parties concerned. Hence, the modalities to streamline these programmes in order to accommodate the needs of the willing repatriants from the 1972 caseload, should be established in order to address this equally important challenge. This same treatment should be accorded to refugees who reside outside the established refugee camps but who also have expressed their desire to return home.

Distinguished Members of the Tripartite Commission,

Finally, allow me to use this opportunity to commend the efforts the Government of Burundi is currently undertaking in its new endeavours to create a stable and peaceful country where all citizens co-exist in peace and harmony as a prerequisite for national development. In particular, I commend our host, the Minister of the 4 Rs for her tireless efforts and commitment to the course of the returnees and addressing their problems. On our part, we pledge our full co-operation and support for the voluntary repatriation operation and will strive in our endeavours in bringing to an end the human suffering encountered by refugees. To the UNHCR, we air our sincere appreciation for their continued commitment and support. Let us all join our hands in finally bringing to an end the protracted refugee problem in our region. I thank you all.

---------------