{A large number of Rwandans are crossing the border from Burundi returning to their motherland}. They claim they were expelled from Burundi because they did not have the complete legal documents that allowed them to stay in the country.
According to information provided by the regional ground in the area of Gisagara, which borders Burundi: almost 100 people are confirmed to have crossed the borders this week in Gisagara and others are waiting to cross.
An IGIHE Journalist talked to the leader of Mamba sector, one of the areas neighboring Burundi in the Gisagara district. And the Mamba sector official indeed confirmed that there are many victims of the incident who are being received from neighboring Burundi.
During an interview with IGIHE, Bede John the executive secretary of Mamba said that over 30 people have crossed the border through his territory while 90 are confirmed to have crossed through Gashubi, a neighboring area.
He added that Rwandans in Burundi are being severely expelled to the extent that most families have been displaced as a result of this decision. The numbers of Rwandans expelled from Burundi is increasing on a daily basis.
According to Bede, if a wife is Rwandan and her husband is Burundian or vice versa, one of spouse is forced to leave the country, “we currently have 3 ladies and their 2 children in our premises that were recently deported from Burundi”.
Moreover, Bede said “When we talked to some of the Burundian officials concerning this issue, they confirmed that foreigners living in Burundi without complete legal immigration documents that justify their stay will not be tolerated”. We also talked to the leader of Gisagara district, Karekezi Leandre, who urged Rwandans traveling to Burundi to do so with all the complete legal documents required in order to avoid such expulsion.
The Gisagara district in partnership with other sectors have initiated rescue plans in order to assist our fellow Rwandans who have been expelled from Burundi.
Burundi is the second country, Tanzania being first that used its army as a tactic to deport Rwandan citizens.
Richard Mugarura
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