Burundian gorvenment employs stringent measures on its borders to Congolese from M23 held areas

The Burundi National Police Inspectorate, through the General Migration Commission based at Bujumbura Airport (Airport Commission), has refused entry to seven Congolese nationals from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Machumu Mushayuma , Mambo Inakazirwa Tyty, Ntumba Kateta Sylvain, Bwemere Mungwete Josué, Rhubane Buhinda Jean-Bosco, Kulimushi Buhandja Guillain, Kulondwa Byenda Jean-Claude, and Bruppacher Mambo Marcw were refused entry to Burundi on the grounds that their travel documents bore exit stamps issued by illegitimate Congolese authorities. The Burundian authorities based this decision on the provisions of Article 5 of Decree-Law No. 1/25 of November 25, 2021, regulating migration in Burundi. Shortly before, such a measure had already been taken against Burundian nationals, most of them traders and heavy truck drivers, who came from eastern DRC and admitted to having crossed into areas controlled by the AFC/M23 rebel coalition. Some, after having their passports stolen, were detained by immigration authorities, and others were turned back.

Several analysts have described these measures as violating international law regarding the freedom of movement of people and their goods. "What does the population have to do with what happened to them while under rebel occupation? Did they want it for such measures to be imposed on them?" asks Mr. Maxime Kaboyi.

On the other hand, a resident of the city of Bukavu denounces the treatment meted out at border posts by Congolese and Burundian migration services to Congolese nationals leaving areas under the control of the AFC/M23 rebels.

"Whether we're traveling to Kinshasa or Kalemie from Goma or Bukavu, we're treated as if we're not Congolese. In such cases, we're forced to leave Goma or Bukavu for Kigali, and from there, take a flight either to Kinshasa on Ethiopian Airlines or to Bujumbura. But once we arrive at our destination, we're subjected to very stressful treatment, as if we were no longer Congolese citizens with the right to travel." Who should then be looking at our travel documents when we have been abandoned by our government, which has so far been unable to free us from the hands of the occupiers?' exclaimed Mr. Espoir Balezi Muhemeri, who recounted his journey to Kinshasa to RNA-NEWS.

The Burundian government, which has engaged in military cooperation with the DRC since 2023, considers the AFC/M23 coalition an enemy group. After pushing back Burundian and Congolese forces from several areas of North and South Kivu, notably Goma and Bukavu in January and February 2025, the latter has expanded its control over immigration services, now exercised in several border towns under its authority.