Involuntary Repatriation of Rwandan Refugees

Statement by Sean McCormack, Spokesman
U.S. Department of State
Washington, DC
June 14, 2005


The United States deplores the involuntary return of 10,000 Rwandan asylum
seekers from Burundi, which is in violation of both the 1951 UN Refugee
Convention and the 1969 Organization of African Union (OAU) Convention on
Refugees to which Rwanda and Burundi are parties.

We call on the Governments of Rwanda and Burundi to halt immediately their
efforts to forcibly return asylum seekers and to uphold their commitments under
international law regarding the basic right to seek asylum and protection in
neighboring states. Rwandan asylum seekers still in Burundi should be moved
from the border to secure locations within Burundi where the Office of the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), together with the
Burundian government, can conduct individual status determinations. No asylum
seeker in either country who can demonstrate a well-founded fear of persecution
should be returned against his or her will. We also call on the Governments of
Rwanda and Burundi to provide UNHCR and its partner organizations with access
to refugees and returnees in both countries so that protection and assistance
may be provided to those in need.

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