More refugees preferring to return home—Ministry
Ministry of Homeland Security has said more refugees, especially those from Rwanda and Burundi, are expressing interest to return to their home countries where the situation has stabilised.
Most refugees came to Malawi after fleeing from civil strife in their home countries.
Speaking when the Ministry of Homeland Security repatriated a group of 52 refugees to Burundi yesterday, the ministry’s Department of Refugees senior administrative and operations manager Hilda Katema Kausiwa said the government encourages the refugees to return home when situation in their countries.
She said: “We all know that the refugees cannot wear the refugee status for life. At least once the danger they fled from is over, they have to go back, but that is on a voluntary basis and we are happy that many are expressing willingness to go back.”
Kausiwa said as of January 2024, there were 53 038 refugees at Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Dowa District.
He said although the number repatriated is on the lower side when compared to the number of refugees in the country, government was optimistic that, more will soon volunteer, when they hear how their colleagues are resettling back home.
Speaking at Kamuzu International Airport before departure, the refugees said they were returning to Burundi with gratitude to the Malawi Government for keeping them, and to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for supporting them.
“We can’t express our great appreciation without mentioning access to social amenities such as food, medical attention and education for our children. We have also learnt a lot of things from Malawians,” said Hakizimana Geremie, a repatriates.
He said he decided to take his family back home after hearing that the country is now peaceful.
Kausiwa said those repatriated by government upon expressing willingness are sponsored by UNHCR while others process documentation and fund themselves.
From June 2023 to date, both the ministry and UNHCR, which looks after the affairs of refugees, registered 277 voluntary repatriates.
