BURUNDI-TANZANIA: Refugees returning to Burundi increase significantly
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? ?IRIN Radio
Burundian refugees in Tanzania, like these, going home in increasing numbers.
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DAR ES SALAAM, 12 Sep 2005 (IRIN) - The number of Burundi refugees returning home from camps in western Tanzania has almost tripled since July, an official of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Tanzania said on Monday.
The official, who asked not to be named, said 13,746 returned to Burundi in August, up from 5,399 in July.
"We are seeing a dramatic increase," the official said.
The official said that 185,333 refugees had so far expressed their willingness to return home under a voluntary UNHCR supported-scheme started in March 2002.
The agency has increased its convoys bound for Burundi from camps in western Tanzania, the official said. Each week three convoys leave from Ngara, another two leave from Kasulu Camp and two more leave from Kibondo Camp.
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