Geneva – Paris, FIACAT, ACAT Burundi, CDH/VICAR, and the undersigned organizations express serious concern over the increasing forced returns of Burundian refugees by Tanzanian authorities, in violation of the principle of non-refoulement, as well as the growing use of coercive measures, including violence, intimidation, restrictions on access to humanitarian assistance, and opaque transfers processes aimed at compelling refugees to return to Burundi.
Our organizations documented serious human rights violations, including attacks against refugees in Nduta camp, arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and acts of torture, occurring in a context of cooperation between Tanzanian and Burundian authorities to facilitate the forced return of Burundian refugees. The signatories further underscore the significant risk of persecution upon return to Burundi, particularly in a pre-election environment already marked by an increase in human rights violations.
In light of these concerns, our organizations call on:
- Tanzanian authoritiesto immediately halt all forced returns and to fully comply with their international obligations by ensuring the safety and effective protection of refugees on their territory;
- UNHCR to urgently strengthen its presence and protection mechanisms in the camps, in order to ensure strict compliance with the principle of non-refoulement and prevent any form of coercion in return procedures;
- The international community to take immediate action to condemn the forced return of Burundian refugees, prevent a further deterioration of the human rights situation in Burundi, particularly in the pre-election context, and avert the emergence of a major humanitarian crisis.
