Rwanda government has announced that it will be relocating about 75,000 Burundi refugees reports local newspaper the New Times.
Government spokesperson released a statement early Friday morning stating that “Rwanda will immediately begin working with partners in the international community to plan the orderly and safe relocation of Burundian refugees to third countries”
This comes after accusations from the United Nations and United States that Rwanda is training refugees into militias destabilizing peace in Burundi.
According to Rwanda’s Foreign Minister and government spokesperson Louise Mushikiwabo, Rwanda is ready to shoulder the obligation to protect and care for refugees but the experience so far has shown that long term presence of refugees who are so close their country of origin carries a lot of risks for those involved.
“For Rwanda, the growing risks to our national security from the Burundian impasse and misunderstandings in our foreign relations are unacceptable.” Said the statement
Rwanda has in the past asked international partners and organizations to host the refugees with no success.
“No party has come forward yet, even as the political situation in the refugees’ country of origin shows no improvement,” as per the statement
According to the Foreign Minister Mushikiwabo, the cost of repeating past mistakes of political mismanagement and international politicking at Rwanda’s expense are too high for Rwanda and the region.
