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Talks to seek alternative ways to resettle non-repatriated refugees
2007-12-17 09:06:06
By Judica Tarimo
Talks between the government and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) are going on to look into alternative and durable solution for refugees who will not be repatriated back home because of security and other reasons.
Partners to the tripartite agreement—governments of Burundi, Tanzania and the UN refugee agency had already agreed to facilitate voluntary repatriation of all Burundian refugees by the end of the fiscal year 2007.
But UNHCR Associate External Relations Officer, Eveline Wolfcarius told The Guardian recently that: ``Although repatriation of all refugees is the main agenda, there is a possibility that some refugees may opt to remain in Tanzania because of protection, security and other concerns.``
She said the agency had realised that repatriation was not option to some of the refugees because of the above concerns.
``That is why we are discussing and working with the government on the best and durable solutions to support refugees who cannot move back home due to these factors,`` said the UN official.
Partners in the repatriation mission, she said, have embarked on local integration as alternative option for refugees wishing to remain in the host country.
``However, an extensive scrutiny must be done on the forces and other factors that make particular refugees apply for local integration. We don`t allow refugees to opt for local integration on `wholesale basis` we have to scrutinise their applications,`` said Wolfcarius.
A study conducted in June 2007, revealed that about 80 per cent of the 218,250 Burundian refugees who lived in Tabora and Rukwa regions, opted for local integration.
The same study also found that, a total of Somali Bantus were already granted Tanzanian citizenship and allowed to settle permanently in Tanga Region in 2007.
``It is expected that several more refugees will receive their certificates by the end of this year,`` according to Wolfcarius.
Despite local integration, the agency is also implementing resettlement plan, under which refugees are transferred to the US and other countries.
``It`s US alone that accommodates these refugees, but there are several countries that had accepted to accommodate the refugees,`` noted the UN official. Reports show that in 2007, the agency and partners facilitated the resettlement of 5,816 refugees from Tanzania out of whom 4,721 Burundian refugees left for the US, and the rest to other recipient countries—Canada, Norway, the Netherlands, Finland and Australia.
The agency had realised that repatriation is the main first option for the great majority of refugees from Burundi and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
``However, we have to think of durable solutions for those who cannot move. It’s unfair to leave them like that,`` said UNHCR official.
She said repatriation is widely promoted for Burundian refugees, since the political conditions in their country has been stabilised.
``But the agency does not promote repatriation for DRC refugees, because of on-going political crisis there. However, the agency provides assistance to DRC refugees who want to repatriate back home,`` she said.
Currently, the UN agency is leading a UN joint programme dubbed ``Managing Transition from Humanitarian Assistance to Sustainable Development in North-Western Tanzania``.
Building on priorities identified by regional, district and local authorities, the programme seeks to address local development needs and negative consequences that could result from the withdrawal of humanitarian actors in the refugees hosting areas.
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