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Rwanda Emergency Update on Burundian Influx 23 – 26 April 2015

Situation Report
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HIGHLIGHTS

  • At least one person has been shot dead in violent clashes in Burundi, a day after President Pierre Nkurunziza controversially launched his bid for a third term in office. Hundreds defied a ban on demonstrations to take to the streets of the capital Bujumbura.
    Police shot live ammunition in the air to disperse them. Angry protesters on Sunday threw rocks and lit tyres. Police responded with tear gas, water cannon and live ammunition, blocking access to the centre of the capital. (BBC News)

  • UNHCR, the Government of Rwanda and partners are working to relocate a total of 16,000 refugees to the new Mahama refugee camp by Friday 1 May.
    The number of refugees being relocated on a daily basis to the new camp is increasing due to the sharply increasing rate of new arrivals (almost 3,000 individuals arriving daily) flooding the two reception centers, Bugesera and Nyanza.
    Since the opening of Mahama Camp on Wednesday 22 April, 300-400 people were being relocated per day, but given the high rate of arrivals UNHCR and MIDIMAR decided to scale up relocation to 800 per day on 25 April, 852 for 26 April, 1,500 for 27 April and 2,000 daily starting 28 April.
    In order to accelerate the relocation process, UNHCR and MIDIMAR have decided to move the registration process in the new camp as of 28 April.

  • The UNHCR Representative, Mr. Saber Azam, visited the new Mahama refugee camp on 24 April to oversee ongoing construction of the camp.
    Accompanied by UNHCRs site planner and WASH expert, as well as the MIDIMAR camp manager and partners, the Representative toured the facilities and services already in place and spoke to refugees directly regarding their living conditions in Mahama.
    Refugees are provided with health services, essential non­food items, food and communal cooking stations, WASH facilities and temporary but resilient shelters.
    Protection is being ensured including access to SGBV response services.
    The representative commended partners and staff on the ground for their hard work and the rapid progress made to erect core services in the camp on only a few days notice.Refugees expressed their gratitude for being able to finally live in family shelters and cook for themselves.

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