A major refugee camp in northwestern Tanzania has been shut down after thousands of Burundian refugees were sent back to their home country, according to activists and the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR.
The camp, known as Nduta, previously housed thousands of people who had fled conflict and instability in Burundi. Most of them were repatriated following an agreement between Tanzania and Burundi to return around 100,000 refugees.
Rights groups say the process was not fully voluntary. They report that remaining refugees were pressured to leave, with claims of restricted movement, loss of aid, home demolitions, and intimidation inside the camp. Some say people were even taken away by force in recent days.
Authorities and UNHCR say the closures are part of a “voluntary, safe, and dignified” return agreement between the two governments. However, UNHCR has also acknowledged concerns about pressure and says it raised these issues with officials.
The Nduta camp closure follows plans to shut down another camp, Nyarugusu, by June 30, raising questions about where remaining refugees will go and whether conditions for return are truly safe.
For many families who fled years of civil war and poverty, the situation highlights the uncertainty and vulnerability refugees continue to face in the region.
Source: AA
