(27 Aug 2020) Nearly 500 Burundian refugees living in Rwanda returned to their home country on Thursday, the first group to return after five years in exile following deadly political violence sent many fleeing.
The United Nations has said hundreds of people were killed in the turmoil following the late President Pierre Nkurunziza's decision in 2015 to seek a third term, which critics called unconstitutional.
Some Burundian refugees told The Associated Press that they are hopeful that they can rebuild their lives now that a new president, Evariste Ndayishimiye, has taken power.
He took office in June after winning the election, his swearing-in was moved up by several weeks after Nkurunziza died of a heart attack according to the government.
The new president has invited all those in exile to return and build a new nation.
Neighboring Rwanda currently hosts close to 72,000 refugees, and 471 of them on Thursday started their journey home.
Rwanda's government said this was the first organized voluntary repatriation process, and the country will collaborate with the UN refugee agency on similar operations as more refugees wish to go home.
Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ]
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]
You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
![](https://s2.save4k.org/pic/98YranDZNvk/mqdefault.jpg)