The Congolese refugee transit site in Rugombo, in Cibitoke province (northwestern Burundi), was abruptly closed on Tuesday, March 25. Faced with their refusal to be relocated to Musenyi, in Rutana province (southeast), the Burundian administration ended their temporary accommodation. Deprived of any humanitarian assistance, hundreds of refugees are forced to return to the DRC, risking their lives.

INFO SOS Médias Burundi

Local sources report a sudden and controversial closure.

The Rugombo soccer field, which served as a transit site for hundreds of Congolese refugees fleeing the fighting in North and South Kivu, is now deserted. On Tuesday, March 25, Burundian authorities ordered the immediate closure of the site, leaving the refugees facing a dilemma : returning to the DRC, where insecurity persists, or accepting relocation to Musenyi, in conditions deemed precarious.

Since February 15, 2025, these refugees, mainly from Kamanyola, Katogota, Luvungi, Bwegera, Luberizi, Rwenena, Mutarule, Sange, Kiliba, and Uvira, had sought refuge in Rugombo after fleeing clashes between the Congolese army, supported by Burundian soldiers and local militias maintained by the Congolese authorities, and the M23 rebels.

A categorical rejection of relocation

The option of transferring these refugees to the Musenyi site, in Giharo district (Rutana province), has met with strong opposition. The refugees denounce the site’s unsanitary conditions, the lack of drinking water, as well as the absence of food and bedding.

Hygiene workers cleaning the stadium that hosted Congolese refugees after their departure (SOS Médias Burundi)

« We would rather die here than be abandoned in Musenyi, where no one cares about us, » confided one refugee.

Despite these complaints, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Burundian authorities have maintained their decision to close Rugombo. The governor of Cibitoke, Carême Bizoza, reiterated that while relocation cannot be forced, « cross-border movements of refugees are not permitted. » A UNHCR official, speaking on condition of anonymity, explained that international protocols require refugees to be moved at least 150 kilometers away from the border for security reasons. The site where these Congolese refugees were gathered is located not far from the Rusizi River, which separates Burundi and the DRC.

A perilous return to the DRC

Faced with no alternative, many refugees have undertaken a risky return to their country of origin. Some have crossed the Rusizi River, the natural border between Burundi and the DRC, exposing themselves to the dangers of the currents and attacks by crocodiles and hippos. Others, from Uvira and Sange, have been taken aboard buses and military vehicles to the Gatumba and Kaburantwa border posts.

Despite international commitments to protect these refugees, this abrupt closure highlights their plight and the authorities’ inability to provide them with dignified and safe care. Meanwhile, fighting continues on the other side of the border, leaving entire families without a viable solution.

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Congolese refugees in desolation after being evicted by Burundian authorities from the Rugombo stadium, March 2025 (SOS Médias Burundi)