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October 2009
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 9 October 2009
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DRC refugees denied entry at border

09/10/2009

More than 400 Congolese refugees were stopped on Thursday from entering their country by immigration officials of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Congolese refugees

Congolese refugees

The Congolese refugees had boarded 11 trucks provided by the Burundian government, leaving behind another group of some 500 refugees waiting for their turn. The border was closed when they arrived, and the refugees had to be taken back to their former camp in Gihinga.

A temporary shelter was prepared for them in classrooms and at a local health center awaiting the outcome of discussions between the Burundian authorities and the DRC government official who are expected to arrive in Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi on Friday.

The UN Refugee Agency, says Andre Mahecic, is providing assistance to the Congolese refugees with the help of the World Food Programme and a local agency responsible for refugees.

"The refugees who were denied access to their country are those who refused to relocate claiming their security would not be guaranteed at the newly established Bwagizira camp now home to some 1,200 mostly Congolese refugees including 599 who voluntarily transferred from Gihinga."

UNHCR has repeatedly advised the refugees against returning to South Kivu, due to the ongoing military operations in the area, saying that neither the government authorities, nor the UNHCR would be in a position to guarantee their safety on return.

Jocelyne Sambira, United Nations Radio
(duration: 1'25")

Sound bites

Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees cut 1

"The refugees who were denied access to their country are those who refused to relocate claiming their security would not be guaranteed at the newly established Bwagizira camp now home to some 1,200 mostly Congolese refugees including 599 who voluntarily transferred from Gihinga."
Duration: 00:00:18

Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees cut 2

"The refugees had bordered 11 trucks provided by the Burundian government yesterday morning, leaving behind another group of some 500 refugees waiting for their turn to return. When they reached the border, they found it closed, and the Burundi authorities took them back to Gihinga."
Duration: 00:00:17

Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees cut 3

"The refugees are being provisionally sheltered at the former camp, in classrooms and a health center, waiting for the outcome of discussions between the Burundian authorities, the DRC government officials who are expected to arrive in Bujumbura, today, from Kinshasa."
Duration: 00:00:13

Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees cut 4

"UNHCR has repeatedly urged the refugees not to go back to their native South Kivu province in the DRC for the moment, stressing that under the prevailing security conditions, neither the government authorities, nor UNHCR would be in a position to guarantee their safety on return."
Duration: 00:00:14