In the Musenyi refugee camp, located in Giharo Commune, Rutana Province in southeastern Burundi, Congolese refugees are denouncing abuses they say are being committed by Burundian security forces.
According to multiple reports, police officers routinely extort money from refugees whenever they leave the camp, especially when heading to Muzye’s commercial center, even though it’s only a few kilometers away.
At the center of these accusations is a police checkpoint between Rubaho and Muzye. Refugees claim that despite showing their official refugee identification cards, which legally allow them to move within the hosting commune, the police still demand a so-called “exit permit”—or force them to pay a fine.
They denounce the fact that these fines are paid without receipts, as reported by SOS Médias Burundi.
A refugee named Simeon explained:
“I was going to Muzye to buy food. At the checkpoint, they asked for an exit permit. I showed my refugee ID card, but they said it wasn’t enough. I had to pay 10,000 Burundian Francs to be allowed through.”
Another refugee added:
“Our living conditions are very difficult. But when we try to find ways to survive in Muzye or Rubaho, we get arrested and forced to pay baseless fines.”
The Musenyi camp shelters around 20,000 refugees who fled war in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, particularly from North and South Kivu provinces.
For many, these police measures are a clear violation of their basic rights, as protected by Burundian law and international refugee agreements.
