Migration in Burundi: History, Current Trends and Future - MGSoG ...

largely dependent upon the figures provided by relevant agencies in the host countries. It
would moreover be imperative to differentiate between those who are internally
displaced, those who crossed the borders as refugees (estimated in 2009 at 281,592 by
UNHCR), and those who have sought asylum in Europe and North America. The three
categories make up the Burundi diaspora even though some may be closer to the home
country. These categories are also embedded in the broader description of the migration
patterns in Burundi, which include internal versus international, permanent versus
circular, regular versus irregular, and voluntary versus forced migration (See IOM, 2008).
The complexity inherent to the differentiation and categorization of Burundians
living outside their country has implications for the overall use of the term diaspora to
refer to Burundians abroad. For the purpose of this paper, Burundian diaspora is used to
refer to all Burundians living outside the country as refugees, temporary residents,
permanent residents, or naturalised citizens of other countries. This broad definition is
informed by the fact that Burundian diaspora has evolved over time and moved from
one state of being abroad to another, especially as refugees who later become permanent
residents or naturalised citizens of their adopted countries. Some of these migration
processes began with internal displacement within Burundi, followed by movement into
neighbouring countries and later to Europe and North America (IOM, 2005). In addition
to its own internally-displaced population (estimated at 100,000 people), Burundi is also
host to large numbers of refugees from other countries within the Great Lakes region,
notably 9,849 from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) 10 The mass
dislocations in Burundi are due to inter-ethnic conflict and armed conflict between
government and rebel forces in the north and western parts of the country 11 (also see
IDMC, 2009).
10 UNHCR, http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/page?page=49e45c056
11 Interview, 26/11/2009. According to Bennett (1999, p27), displacements in Burundi are characterized by
“forced relocation or re-groupment of entire communities, usually by a government, to permanent or semipermanent
sites often directly or indirectly under the control of military units”
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