Given the possible deterioration of the security situation in Burundi in light of the recent development on the upcoming presidential election, with the string of the massive flow of the persons fleeing Burundi to the neighboring countries, including the DRC’s territories of Uvira and Fizi in the South Kivu province, there is much commotion among the Congolese authorities and within the United Nations where the situation in Burundi is closely monitored.

Uvira, 27 April 2015 – The incumbent Burundian President, Pierre Nkurunziza has been designated by his party to run for the third term, which is formally banned by the Constitution and the Arusha Agreements (Tanzania). With the political Opposition’s determination to stand in Mr. Nkurunziza’s way and to defy government’s resolve to quash any popular uprising, hundreds Burundians have decided to flee and find refuge in Rwanda, Kenya and in the DRC’s territories bordering on Uvira and Fizi in the South Kivu province. The Immigration officials we met this morning at the border Post in Kavimvira (Uvira) confided to us “we have noticed massive displacement of the population from Burundi into the DRC for the past few days. Earlier we could daily register between 800 and 120 people crossing the border daily. This Monday morning, surprisingly, there were more than 1800.

As an evidence of the alarming situation, on Monday morning the Uvira Security Council met to develop a contingency plan, in response to the Burundian’s refugees’ influx into the DRC. The different security services (DGM, Police…) were requested to proceed with their registration at the border. Government immigration officials report that it is mostly young people, women and children who are fleeing Burundi with their luggage.

The national refugees commission (CNR-Uvira) registered as of last Friday, more than 2,800 Burundians, say about 800 families. Some of them had migration papers and mainly came from the provinces of Bubanza and Cibitoke, in the Ruzizi Plain; others came from Makamba, Bururi and Nyanza Lakes and crossed Tanganyika Lake by boats into the territory of Fizi. The same source reports that the fleeing Burundians said it is out of fear of the insecurity to stem from the upcoming presidential election, scheduled for next June and “the forceful conscription of the militia by the ruling party.”

Above information are corroborated by a joint UN mission in DRC (DDR-RR, UN Civ Pol, Civil Affairs and Joint United Nations Human Rights Office team) that travelled on Wednesday 22 April to Uvira, Ruzizi plain. They met with 40 Burundian refugees who told them 100 Burundians arrived a week ago; there were mainly children and women from the Hutu ethnic group. They also said those of Tutsi origin, on the contrary, rather took refuge in Rwanda, alleging they were victims of threats from unidentified armed persons, whom, they said are youth of the ruling Party (the Mbonerakure).

Come what may, the United Nations and MONUSCO in particular are closely monitoring the situation. The South-Kivu Brigade is working out scenarios to cope with the deterioration of the situation. However, everyone in Uvira and the South-Kivu hope calm will swiftly return.

Jean-Tobie Okala

Photos: Monusco/Fiston Ngoma-Jean-Tobie Okala