Refugees Returning From Burundi to Homes in Congo

 

By Lisa Schlein

The U.N. Refugee¹ Agency says large numbers of Congolese refugees² have left Burundi and returned to the Democratic Republic of Congo in the past few days. The UNHCR says it is not encouraging these returns.

Because of security concerns, the U.N. Refugee Agency says its staff does not have access to the border area to monitor the returns. It says it is unable to establish the exact number of Congolese refugees who are leaving Burundi.

The agency says it knows of at least 500 people who have recently returned, but believes that number may be much higher.

U.N. Refugee Spokeswoman, Marie-Helene Verney, says many refugees are going back home because they believe conditions in the Democratic Republic of Congo have improved. She says the UNHCR does not agree with this assessment³.

"We consider that conditions in their area of origin, mostly around Bukavu, are not at this moment appropriate for safe return and even more importantly perhaps, long-term re-integration. So, at this moment, we would not actually consider organizing returns."

About 20,000 Congolese refugees fled to Burundi in July, following an outbreak of fighting in the south Kivu region of eastern Congo. On August 13 the Gatumba transit⁴ center near Burundi's border with Congo was attacked. At least 152 Congolese refugees died and another 100 were injured.

Ms. Verney says the center in Gatumba has been closed. She says the Burundian government plans to close all transit centers in the border area for security reasons and wants to move the refugees further inland where they will be safer. But, she says many of the refugees are reluctant to go.

"People are still traumatized. There are still people who are wounded. Seven of them were airlifted to Nairobi yesterday for treatment in Kenya. Some of the refugees are still very reluctant to move, because they feel however unsafe that area is, they want to stay close to that border because they want to be able to go back to the other side in case things get worse for them in Burundi."

Ms. Verney says the UNHCR has begun a campaign to inform the refugees of the advantages of relocating to two new camps being built away from the border. Besides being safer, she says the UNHCR will provide the refugees with all their needs, including water, food, schools, and sanitation⁵.

Lisa Schlein for VOA news, Geneva.

注释：
U.N. Refugee Agency 简称UNHCR，联合国难民署
Congolese 刚果的，刚果人
Burundi 布隆迪
assessment 估计
Bukavu 布卡武，扎伊尔东部城市
integration 综合，结合
outbreak 爆发
transit center 长途车总站，运输中心
traumatize 身体上、精神上受到创伤
airlift 空运
relocate 重新部署
sanitation 卫生设施

1 refugee   

n.难民，流亡者

参考例句：

• The refugee was condemned to a life of wandering.这个难民注定要过流浪的生活。
• The refugee is suffering for want of food and medical supplies.难民苦于缺少食物和医药用品。

2 refugees   

n.避难者，难民( refugee的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The UN has begun making airdrops of food to refugees. 联合国已开始向难民空投食物。
• They claimed they were political refugees and not economic migrants. 他们宣称自己是政治难民，不是经济移民。

3 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

4 transit   

n.经过，运输；vt.穿越，旋转；vi.越过

参考例句：

• His luggage was lost in transit.他的行李在运送中丢失。
• The canal can transit a total of 50 ships daily.这条运河每天能通过50条船。

5 sanitation   

n.公共卫生，环境卫生，卫生设备

参考例句：

• The location is exceptionally poor,viewed from the sanitation point.从卫生角度来看，这个地段非常糟糕。
• Many illnesses are the result,f inadequate sanitation.许多疾病都来源于不健全的卫生设施。