After closing two refugee camps in five days, senior Rwandan and Burundian officials have agreed to halt the forced repatriation of 85,000 Rwandan Hutu refugees, a UN official said.
'We have been told there will be at least a temporary halt of the operation and we hope it will be permanent,' said Paul Stromberg, Rwanda spokesman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Rwanda's Rehabilitation Minister Patrick Mazimhaka said earlier: 'We are not worried by the protest from the UNHCR. We will continue the repatriation exercise. We should empty all the camps by next week.' Rwanda's Rehabilitation Minister Patrick Mazimhaka said earlier: 'We are not worried by the protest from the UNHCR. We will continue the repatriation exercise. We should empty all the camps by next week.' Rwanda's Rehabilitation Minister Patrick Mazimhaka said earlier: 'We are not worried by the protest from the UNHCR.
