Reconciliation of Refugees Returning from Exile.

IPB MAY 2022 NARRATIVE REPORT

Context

The consequences of the Russian invasion in Ukraine are present in daily life in Burundi. The rise in fuel prices occur after a severe shortage observed throughout the country for more than a month.  For several weeks public urban transport in the commercial city of Bujumbura was disrupted. Several city dwellers were forced to walk to reach their place of work or to return. Others had to pay for a taxi to take them home more than ten times the normal amount.

This has an impact on the effective reintegration returnees coming back to Burundi today

In contributing to this context, IPB conducted on May 2-4 a HROC Basic workshop with 20 repatriated women to deal with trauma endured within the Refugees’ camp and reinforce the social cohesion and economic resilience to promote the community wellbeing.

Participants are also introduced and organized within the Self Help Group approach for effective community reintegration.

Somme Key success stories

Emelyne

My mother passed away when I was still young after a long hospitalization. Due to the tiredness of taking care of my mother alone, I got seriously sick too. I used to lay down beside her. I will never forget the words she told me that she was about to go and I was to grow up by and sustain myself. After saying as such, she immediately passed away. I cried and comforted myself. After her funerals, my brothers pushed me saying that I was done. They mistreated me, beat me and told me to leave their land because I am a girl. The things which saddened my heart are a lot. I cannot speak of all of them now. I thank those who thought about us and taught us these teachings because I am starting to accept myself and my history. Thank you very much!

Languide

I was captured the rebels at our school in Cibitoke Province, Rugombo commune. We were 2 girls and 6 boys. Both teens. They gave heavy stuff to carry for a long distance in bushes until we could no longer walk. Our legs swollen and our throats bent over because we carried a lot. They started beating us so that we continued to walk but in vain, then, they gave us 30 minutes of rest. We finally reached but very tired. They boiled water, mixed it with salt and another medication we did not know and then, gave us massage. Our legs started to deflate. At the camp, they taught us to shoot a gun and throw grenades. We knew everything. When they were going to make an attack, we stayed securing the camp. Everyone had a task. That day, they ordered us to fetch water and as we fetched it far, some were going there while others stayed. When we reached the spot, we met with one person who asked us where we were from. We lied that we were refugees who recently returned. We were just looking for water to drink. Then, he asked to accompany us and we got afraid of being killed because we had lied. He went with us to the camp and we realized we need to tell him the truth. Then, he told us that he is a soldier of the national army and he ordered us to take up all our stuff with us. He took us to the camp of the national army and ordered that we got beaten. We were beaten till we lost consciousness. I passed through many difficulties but God made a way. Later, we went back to our homes. I got marry and started an impossible home. I was a Hutu and got married to a Tutsi. Later, I left my husband and went away pregnant. Up to now, I have not accepted myself yet, I feel fearless in my heart all the time. Thank you very much for the teachings you provided to us and that you come to organize ourselves as a group sharing the same psychosocial situation.

I believe that a new way of living comes to draw itself for me. Thanks a lot!

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