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

(Gemeente) that an asylum seeker should stay. Those with temporary or permanent
residency permits or naturalized citizens are spread across the country.
Burundians with long-term stay permits, naturalised citizens, and highly skilled
migrants are allowed to move freely in the Netherlands with the majority concentrated in
major cities in the Netherlands. 20 Most Burundians with long-term residency permits and
Dutch citizenship are well established in various cities such as The Hague, Amsterdam,
Rotterdam, Utrecht, Eindhoven, Gouda, Culemborg, Lochem, and Almere. 21 Some are
also found in the south of the Netherlands in a region close to Belgium, a situation
largely influenced by the Belgian historical connection with Burundi and the region’s
proximity to Brussels, which is a major location of Burundians in Europe (Mascini, et al
2009) and the main hub for transnational links and home-bound activities.
There are about 20 Burundian diaspora organizations 22 in the Netherlands
including both formal and informal groups. The majority of these organisations 23 are
registered with the chamber of commerce (KvK) 24 upon meeting legislative requirements.
This process facilitates their transformation into formal organizations that are recognized
by the public, government departments, and development agencies from which they
receive funding for various activities. By acquiring formal status, registered Burundian
diaspora groups are able to undertake activities in the public sphere as well as engage
with other migrant groups nationwide and with EU-level diaspora platforms.
In addition to formal Burundian diaspora organisations, there are other informal
groups organised along the lines of ethnicity, family, friends, and village of origin in
Burundi. Although these informal groups are not officially recognized and in most cases
remain anonymous, these informal associational units also play a significant role in
diaspora mobilization as well as the transfer of remittances to next of kin in Burundi.
Most Burundi diaspora organisations are based in the same regions or cities in
which their members or leadership reside. This is mainly for logistical reasons as well as
to facilitate group activities. The formal Burundian diaspora organisations are well
organized and have clear leadership structures. While the leadership of many
organisations is comprised entirely of officials of Burundian background, some groups
feature mixed leadership comprised of both Burundians and Dutch people. This is a
feature that is common in most diaspora organisations that emphasize the necessity of
20 Interview with Stichting Tabarana, November 25, 2009
21 Interview with Stichting Tabarana, November 26, 2009 and Burundi in Action, October 28, 2009.
22 Interview with BWPD November 26, 2009
23 See appendix 1 for a list of the known Burundi organizations
24 http://www.kvk.nl/english/aboutus/default.asp
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