VZCZCXRO9561
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHDR #0525 2231244
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 111244Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8753
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHJB/AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA 2937
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 3468
RUEHLGB/AMEMBASSY KIGALI 1394
RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA 0325
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 1334
RUEHDS/USMISSION USAU ADDIS ABABA
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0500

UNCLAS DAR ES SALAAM 000525 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E JTREADWELL, INR FEHRENREICH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PINR PHUM PREF TZ
SUBJECT: REFUGEE UPDATE: TANZANIA BEGINS NATURALIZING 1972 BURUNDI 
POPULATION 
 
REF: A: DAR ES SALAAM 299, B: DAR ES SALAAM 413 
 
¶1. (U) Minister of Home Affairs Laurence Masha signed an order 
August 4 granting Tanzanian citizenship to 3,568 Burundian refugees. 
 These are the first of some 160,000 refugees from the 1972 
population who have applied for naturalization (ref a).  UNHCR 
expects thousands more naturalizations in the coming weeks and hopes 
that that the process will be completed by the end of 2009. 
 
¶2. (U) UNHCR Country Representative Yacoub El Hillo told Poloff 
August 10 that the first group of new Tanzanian citizens came from 
the Ulyankulu settlement in Tabora district, where an intentions 
survey showed the population was readiest to integrate into other 
communities.  El Hillo commented that a successful start to 
integration would encourage the GOT in its naturalization efforts 
and that the two processes must continue concurrently.  He added 
that the integration process would require UNCHR and donor 
engagement through 2011, to reassure the GOT and to ensure that the 
new Tanzanian citizens would continue receiving support through 
ongoing UN programs.  For those refugees who had specific plans to 
move elsewhere in Tanzania, El Hillo said UNCHR would work to ensure 
a quiet transition into the receiving communities. 
 
¶3. (SBU) El Hillo said UNHCR had begun to engage the GOT about 
refugees who wanted to remain in the settlements or who had no fixed 
plans about moving elsewhere in Tanzania.  Although the GOT has been 
clear and consistent that all the settlements must be vacated, UNHCR 
has proposed that the new citizens be allowed to remain near the 
settlements or at least in the same regions.  El Hillo noted that 
Tabora and Rukwa regions have plenty of unused arable land.  UNHCR 
advised the GOT that allowinC04(gjozxx[tT63H1;?DQS2m3Qy two of the 3,570 individuals 
in the first batch were rejected for citizenship.  He said the 
Minister of Home Affairs overruled many "non-recommendations" by 
district officials, instead following the letter of Tanzanian 
citizenship law by rejecting individuals who had committed serious 
criminal offenses in Tanzania.  El Hillo expressed optimism that 
this approach, if sustained, would result in the naturalization of 
all but one to two percent of the applicants.  With such small 
numbers, UNCHR would be able to deal with the rejected applicants as 
individuals, although their criminal records would make their cases 
difficult to resolve. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Minister Masha reiterated to CDA August 10 the GOT's intent 
to fulfill its campaign promise that Tanzania would be free of 
refugees by 2010.  He said the GOT would use the "full range of 
acceptable means," working with UNHCR and other partners, to achieve 
that goal.  Masha again discussed the refugees with CDA on August 
11, stating that he had an understanding with UNHCR to take measures 
jointly to reduce the 1993 Burundi population as far as possible, 
using every legitimate tool available.  Masha also made the point 
that the 1993 Burundi refugees must return home to make way 
politically within the host region for "the expected flow of more 
Congolese refugees." 
 
¶6. (SBU) COMMENT: Completion of the naturalization process by 
year-end is ambitious but achievable, especially if the first 
beneficiaries begin to relocate (voluntarily) around the country. 
Finding a durable solution for the 1993 Burundis remains more 
difficult, given the GOT's declared intention to close the Mtabila 
camp with its 35,000 refugees by the end of September.  Reducing 
with a view toward ending the 1993 Burundi refugee presence in 
Tanzania is seen by the GoT as a required element for the 1972 
Burundi naturalization effort. 
 
ANDRE