Reconciliation of Refugees Returning from Exile.

IPB JANUARY 2022 NARRATIVE REPORT

1. Context

At the international level, the Council of the EU and the European Council repealed its decision taken in 2016, which imposed the suspension of direct financial assistance to the Burundian administration or institutions on Tuesday 8 February 2022.

This decision of lifting restrictions is a result of the peaceful political process that started with the general elections of May 2020 and which has opened a new window of hope for the population of Burundi declared the European Union Ambassador to Burundi Mr.  Bochu

 The European Union joined the United States which had already lifted, last November 2021, all the sanctions that the Obama administration had imposed on Burundi. The Democratic tenant of the White House evoked “the transfer of power following the 2020 elections, the considerable reduction in violence and the pursuit of reforms by President Évariste Ndayishimiye in multiple sectors”, to justify his decision.

The decision of this lift up was given officially to the his excellency the republic president by the European Union Ambassador accompanied by ambassadors of European Union countries accredited to Burundi

1. Activities accomplishment

One HROC Basic workshop

During this January 2022 period, IPB conducted a trauma healing basic workshop with returnee’s students from exile attending Musaga III secondary School.  Twenty participants were present including fourteen women and six men

Following are key success stories

Divine

Two events wounded me mostly: the loss of my father and the time I passed within the refugee’s camp. When my father was still alive, I could not lack anything I wanted but since he passed away, we started living a difficult life. My studies were negatively affected because sometimes we could not get food. I couldn’t start school the right time because lack of uniform or school materials. Thus, I remember my father because such bad experience could not happen to me before his death.

The second event was the life in camp that I’m not able to express today.

Anyways, I appreciate the teachings given that “after experiencing traumatic event, life must continue”. This is very crucial for someone like me. It encourages me to endure what I went through and plan ahead.  From the bottom of my heart, I thank IPB for the teachings spread.

Albin

I lost of my aunt whom I loved so much because she supported my family my mother got injured and was hospitalized for long.

During that period, my aunt taught me housework since I was the oldest child. Before my mother’s recovering, my Aunt got sick and without time within the hospital, she passed away.

. Following what she taught me, I able to cooking, fetching water, feeding cows and went to school. It was not easy as I was not familiar with all such shores

I grieved over her because she loved me. I feel a little bite relieved as I am sharing this painful story for the first time 

Claudia

I was wounded by the fact that my mother was forbidden to hire a house worker saying that he could married my after my father’s death. In this sorrow caused by my paternal uncles, urged us to leave our house equipment in Bujumbura and fled up country. There it was hard for us to sleep on a map as we were accustomed to sleep on a mattress. As the life was so hard, we came back when the tension was still tough and were criticized by our neighbors that made us fearful and ashamed since we founded all those equipment we left there were stolen

I developed some trauma symptoms. I forgive my uncles and neighbors who mistreated us

I’m glad to follow this workshop and have this opportunity to share this and I leant what I should next to continue assisting myself and others who experienced the similar situation

Many thanks to IPB

On the behalf of IPB

Elie Nahimana

Project leader

• Personal healing session. Photo by Elie N. (DOCX)