A Police statement says that yesterday, a joint team of officials from the Ministry of Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs, Ministry of Health, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other stakeholders carried out a physical verification visit to refugee camps housing Burundian refugees in Bugesera, Nyanza and Rusizi districts.
“As refugees gathered for the exercise, their leaders started to incite them to reject any assistance from these institutions,” the statement reads.
“As a result of instigating violence among fellow refugees, 33 ringleaders were identified and arrested. They include 31 at Gashora Transit Centre-Bugesera; one at Nyarushishi Transit Centre-Rusizi; and one at Muyira Transit Centre-Nyanza,” the statement reads.
According to Police, the incitement, an act punishable by the penal code, was endangering the lives of refugees in the camp, as well as that of officials.
Police say that now, the situation in all the camps is calm.
Early this month, over 2500 Burundian refugees entered in the country from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The refugees refused all food assistance processed from industries.
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