The UN has praised Tanzania for granting citizenship to some 162,000 refugees who fled Burundi 38 years ago.
"It's the most generous naturalisation of refugees anywhere," said UN refugee agency spokeswoman Melissa Fleming.
UNHCR head Antonio Guterres described it as a "historic moment" and urged other countries with long-term refugees to follow Tanzania's example.
Until 2000, Tanzania had one of Africa's largest refugee populations, 680,000, from Burundi and DR Congo.
Some 350,000 Burundians have returned home in recent years, says the UNHCR.
A UN spokeswoman said most of those granted Tanzanian nationality were Hutus.
They had mostly fled conflict with the Tutsi-dominated army.
The spokeswoman said they were already integrated into Tanzanian society and were not living in refugee camps, reports the Reuters news agency.
"It's the most generous naturalisation of refugees anywhere," said UN refugee agency spokeswoman Melissa Fleming.
UNHCR head Antonio Guterres described it as a "historic moment" and urged other countries with long-term refugees to follow Tanzania's example.
Until 2000, Tanzania had one of Africa's largest refugee populations, 680,000, from Burundi and DR Congo.
Some 350,000 Burundians have returned home in recent years, says the UNHCR.
A UN spokeswoman said most of those granted Tanzanian nationality were Hutus.
They had mostly fled conflict with the Tutsi-dominated army.
The spokeswoman said they were already integrated into Tanzanian society and were not living in refugee camps, reports the Reuters news agency.
After 38 years? they should have been naturalised 30 years ago
ReplyDeletesasa ukitaja kujua wa bon go roho mbaya,ona hapo,watu wanje kupewa uraia wako kimya,lakini watanzania wenye uraia wa nje wakitaka wa nchi mbili kelele,wanaona ni mara laki wapewe wa nje kuliko mtanzania wa nje kuwa na passport ya tz.
ReplyDeleteWee hapo juu umeona hao warundi wana passiport mbili? Mimi babu mzaa mama kanufaika na hii. Na ni kama karatasi tu kwavile alishakaa tanzania miaka alfu ulela. Na hajawahi kuwa na passiport ya burundi au kwa kiswahili kingine aliondoka huko akiwa mdogo na wala hakujui huko......
ReplyDeleteDual citizen itawanufaisha wahindi, wachina, wasomali na waethiopia. Unazania ni wabongo waasilia walioko nje ya nchi ni wangapi kweli wana uraia wa nchi nyingine.
unaona wahaiti wanavyosuffer kwa ajili wao wanahii kitu na niwachche sana wenye kufaidika na hii kitu the rest ni watu wa nje wanakuja wanachukua uraia wa haiti na kuanza kuhamisha mihela yao kutoka haiti kwenda nchi zao.... We need to take a pause before we do this thing and we when we are ready we need to do it in a right way.
Nakumbuka nilimpeleka mama yangu kubadili passiport yake kipindi kile Tz wanabadili passiport...Nilipofika pale honesty niliona watanzania wenye asili ya kwetu au wazawa walikua kama 10 tu on that day wengi wao walikua wahindi, wasomali, waarabu na watu wengine hata sikujua ni wawapi wako huku nchi za nje wanatumia passiport za Tanzania...Think about that....Wananufaika nini na kuwa na pasi zetu? Na kama wanaipenda nchi yetu mbona wanaishi huku kwa kutumia pass zeu. Unaweza kusema walizaliwa bongo lakini hao wachache tu nilioongea nao wote jhawajazaliwa bongo ila waliishi na wakapata uraia....Then wakaondoka...wanatumia tu nchi yetu kamadaraja ....sasa hawa waburundi wao wanaishi hapo hapo....
WW anon wa Sat Apr 17, 05:55:00 PM kama si mjinga bali ni idiot.....hayo mambo hayafanani.
ReplyDeleteHuwezi kuona huruma watu wameishi Tanzania miaka 38 na hawana uraia...fikiria 38yrs mtu hawezi kupata haki ya uraia...wewe unautu kweli.
Nadhani mtu mwenye busara angeanza kushangaa wisdom ya nchi kama yetu kufuga binadamu kwenye cage/kambi kwa miaka 38...inatisha.
Miaka 38 ukiwa mkimbizi my God i can't imagine how heartless you are kulinganisha hizi habari. Nivitu viwili tofauti uraia wa nchi mbili na kuwapa uraia hawa ndugu zetu waliohangaika miaka 38 bila hata kuwa na mbunge wa kuwawakilisha. think think think..Hawa nadhani hata Nyerere hakuwajua na kama aliwajua sijui kwanini aliwapuuza kiasi hiki.
Tanzania, Tanzania nakupenda kwa moyo wote....nchi nzuri Tanzania jina lako ni tamu sana....
karibuni! the smiles show you really are happy to be Tanzanians! Karibuni sana tujenge nchi, sisi ni wamoja, ni mkoloni alitugawa, msikonde.
ReplyDelete