'I don't know where to go': Burundian Refugees in Tanzania under Pressure to Leave

Once settlements and camps are closed, refugees who have not received naturalisation will officially have nowhere to go and will, instead, be forced to become so-called "irregulars". This raises serious concerns regarding their future protection.

In particular, there has been growing concern that the "repatriation" process is resulting in forced expulsion. The fact that few are being offered an alternative to repatriation – and are showing extreme reluctance to return – raises not only serious questions with respect to the legality of the current effort, but also the durability and effectiveness of this solution. In light of these developments, the Centre for the Study of Forced Migration (CSFM) and the International Refugee Rights Initiative (IRRI) undertook an emergency mission aimed at clarifying this situation – looking at the particular problems associated with the planned closure of Mtabila camp and at the prospects for durable solutions for Burundians in Tanzania more broadly.