by Mike Farrell

Ntarma

introduction

1/21

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2/1

coda

what now?

human rights

This morning we're to meet with the UNHCR Representative for Tanzania, a Mr. Kolude Doheny. After a bit of confusion regarding schedules, we're ushered into his office by his Deputy, Lloyd Dakin. Mr. Doheny is a tall, powerfully built, extremely handsome Nigerian man with a rich, deep voice who emanates a sense of comfort and capability.

He says that in the beginning the strategy in terms of dealing with the refugees was to use what they themselves presented as a natural order. That being the case, "within four days we could feed them." The issue of the atrocities and the responsibility for them came later.

The Benaco refugees came in earlier than did those in Goma and were either not, or perhaps were less obviously, members of the military. Initially, at any rate, there were fewer members of the military and militias. The fact that it was such a huge group (200,000 in one day) was alleviated to some degree by their level of organization.

As to the question of how to deal with the atrocities - first of all we must define what an atrocity is. Next we have to decide if we have the right to withhold assistance from hungry and needy people even if we know they are guilty of such behavior.

Then, how do we maintain security for our own staff if we are part of the process of passing judgment against them?

The issue is one of time. The dilemma is what to do and how to facilitate it.

Once moves are made against the leaders, architects and murderers, the relief effort must cease.

There is also the question of the effectiveness of the International Tribunal.

An example of the difficulty faced is that of the identified criminal who was turned over to and arrested by the Tanzanian authorities, only to be released by them because he had not committed a crime in Tanzania. When he returned UNHCR told him he had to leave, but within two hours he had organized a mob that threatened the lives of all the expatriate staff (this is obviously the story Maureen told us, but with a prologue I hadn't heard).

It will take time. Things must be sorted out by the international community. Now, in the camps (some of the smaller ones), people are selecting their own leadership and perhaps new, untainted leaders are emerging.

The process involves the refugee population getting better and more beneficially organized and getting to know the relief organizations better.

What are our choices? We can take away their food. We can eliminate their leaders by introducing troops for security. It will have to be done gradually and it will take time.

And there are political problems. The RPF is in control in Rwanda, but the majority of the people support the MRND (the old government).

Even if food support stopped, the refugee population would probably stay in the Benaco/Ngara area. Goma may, however, be a different story.

The reality is that we will probably have refugees in Tanzania for 2 to 3 years. The government here hopes they will be gone within 6 months (this is an election year - the first multi-party election).

Tanzania has seen refugees from Mozambique and Burundi in the past, many of whom have stayed here and become self-sufficient. That is not an option now because of the new political reality faced by this government: "the desperate circumstances of the population as compared to the desperate circumstances of the refugee."

For Tanzania, the question is, why not establish safe areas in Rwanda for people to return to? The problem is that the host country doesn't want them and the people fear going home.

200,000 Tutsis are returning to Rwanda from Uganda who have never lived there. "How do they live?" There are so many empty houses, so many empty tracts of land, that those from the early years of the diaspora say "we are claiming what is ours." This, then, is the problem faced by the Hutu who want to return.

Tanzania, on the other hand, has itself gone through a virtual revolution since Nyerere's time. His attitude was, "The refugee is not a foreigner, but a guest in need." "He was very strong on humanitarian issues, but not so good on economics."

Citizenship was made available to refugees through a naturalization process. Land was given. It was a society based on humanitarian principles. Now, the economic impact on the average Tanzanian may be changing the dynamic to the point that this will no longer be possible.

Q. - What is the message we should take to the US?

A. - Refugees are 70% women and children. Refugees want to go back home. Politics and economics create complications. Time is essential to find a solution, to find a way to sort out and deal with the minority within. That problem is the job of the international community.

"Not caring is not an option."

"Repatriation will take place when everything else is settled."

Q. - What about when a refugee population includes elements whose tactics continue to destabilize the politics of the country of origin?

A. - That becomes a problem for the host country to resolve.

We take our leave of Mr. Doheny and head out. Having had such good luck with the Indian food last night, we decide to try another Indian restaurant that is owned by the same people. It's a bit more up-scale and the food is just as good as the other. Not better.

Back to the hotel, we're left with some time on our hands before heading to the airport tonight for the flight out. Is it possible that we're going home? That the life we've known is waiting at the other end of the magic carpet ride? Hard to take in, after all this.

Everyone has last minute things to take care of. Roaming the city for a while, hoping I'll be able to find something to take home to Shelley and other loved ones, I turn up nothing but an oppressive sense of dirt, haste and crumbling facade.

It's with an enormous feeling of relief - and the uncomfortable sense of dislocation and guilt associated with the ability to simply be able to pick up and go home - that we go to the airport. After checking in, paying our exit tax and going through security, we're offered the luxury of the first class lounge, where cool, fresh bottled water and other drinks are made available. There's something insane about a world where the experiences of the past week are so conveniently juxtaposed.

The next day and a half are a blur -