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20,000 Burundians flee to Rwanda amid fears of election violence

Xinhua, April 29, 2015 Adjust font size:

More than 20,000 Burundian refugees have flocked into Rwanda over the past month fearing violence linked to their upcoming presidential elections, the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) said in a statement issued on Tuesday in Kigali.

In a related development, Rwanda's Ministry of Refugees and Disaster Management said it was working together with different humanitarian agencies including the UNHCR to distribute emergency relief such as food, shelter, medication and water to the refugees.

The ministry is also relocating all Burundian refugees in southern Rwanda to newly established camp of Mahama in eastern Rwanda, a few kilometers from its border with Tanzania, with women and children in the first group to be transferred to the new camp.

Tensions in Burundi have escalated since President Pierre Nkurunziza announced his bid for a third term in office on Saturday, with violent clashes between police and protesters against Nkurunziza's move taking place.

Many Burundians, especially those from rural area, said they had fled their homes fearing attacks from elements of pro- government youths, locally known as Imbonerakure.

Burundi will hold its parliamentary elections in May and presidential election in June.

The opposition says Nkurunziza's decision has violated Burundi's constitution and a peace agreement that ended the country's civil war, which only allow the president to be elected twice.

However, the president's supporters say his first term doesn't count as he was appointed by parliament, not elected by the people. Endi