Hilary Obaloker Onek, Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees in the Ugandan Cabinet has announced that the country will expel Burundian refugees.
Since Burundi’s 19-months crisis triggered by President Pierre Nkurunziza’s decision to run for a controversial third term began, some 2,000 people are reported to have been killed and thousands arbitrarily imprisoned, as the Burundian government brutally crushed any form of dissent.
33,793 Burundian refugees are currently in Uganda with most of them in Nakivale refugee settlement in Isingiro district after fleeing current crisis that killed thousands.
The Ugandan government, which is struggling to cope with a huge influx of refugees fleeing conflict in east Africa and keep up with the influx of refugees who have recently come from Burundi, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), assured that repatriation will be on a voluntary basis at first with no formal deadline for the return of refugees.
Mr Onek said that Uganda has limited land and that refugees whose countries are peace must return peacefully or be forced back.
“When your country is peaceful, why don’t you go back? Mr Onek revealed while speaking at a joint press conference with the Burundian Minister for Home Affairs, Mr Pascal Barandagiye on Tuesday who is in Uganda to convince Burundian refugees to return home.
“Burundi is in the process of restoring peace and soon negotiations will be concluded and we count on all refugees to return home afterwards.
“Those who want to stay in Uganda, these refugees, we will have to direct them to immigration [services]. They will be given a visa to stay here for three months and if their visa is expired we will ask them nicely to return. Refugees returning home should be a voluntary matter but if your home is at peace, you have to go. Those refuse have to be given a three-month visa and then deported. It becomes an immigration issue,” said a tough talking Hon. Onek.
The Burundian minister said that the country now peaceful and there is no reason for Burundians to live as refugees.
