My name is Salvatore Nsengiyumva, and this is my story.
I hail from the Twa people, a First Nation of Indigenous People – recognized as endangered minority of Forest Peoples by the United Nations. We often are called by the derogatory term “Pygmies”. I am a national of Burundi in exile for safety reasons.
Let me explain my background, the persecution my family has suffered, and the reasons why I am unable to return safely to the state of Burundi, my country of origin, as it is today.
I was born in Burundi. In 2013. Both my parents were killed as a result of a series of very grave family- and ethnicity-based conflicts. My sister was married to a man from the Hutu ethnic group, while our family belongs to the Twa community. Her husband’s family strongly opposed this marriage on ethnic grounds and demanded that their son abandon my sister.
When he refused, he had to flee to another country for safety. Following this, members of his family attacked my family and killed my mother and father at night.
After the killing of our parents, I fled Burundi together with my younger siblings and my sister’s children. We sought refuge in Tanzania.
But, despite having escaped from Burundi, the very same family continued to persecute and target us in order to kill us all – so that they could grab our land back home without any hindrance.
At that time, my younger brother, Pascal Nyandwi, was living with us in Nduta Refugee Camp in Tanzania. In 2017, he returned to Burundi voluntarily under UNHCR oversight. Soon after his return, we received the shocking information that he was killed in Burundi by the exact same family of Hutu responsible for the earlier attacks. Until today nobody has been brought to justice for all these murders.
The threats did not end there. Members of hat family followed us into Tanzania. In Kitaga village, they killed my brother-in-law while actively searching for me. They also left written threats, clearly stating their intention to kill me and other members of my family. Fearing for our lives, we fled Tanzania and entered Kenya.
Upon arrival in Kenya in 2021, we were assisted by the Kenya Red Cross, which placed us in a reception center in Migori. After approximately seven days, we were transferred to Kakuma Refugee Camp in Turkana County of the remote and desert-like North-West of Kenya. We were received at the overcrowded Kalobeyei Reception Center, where we were formally registered as refugees and later allocated a shelter to start our residence in Kakuma.
Initially, we believed that Kakuma would provide safety. However, while in Kakuma, we were attacked on several occasions and narrowly survived. All these incidents were reported to the Kenyan police and to the protection officers of UNHCR, but no effective protection or assistance was provided to us.
In 2022, due to continuing insecurity, we fled to Nairobi in search of safety. Unfortunately, the individuals who had persecuted us before followed us there as well.
My sister Sylvie an her two small boys are missing since 3 years. Will we ever see them again alive?
On 21 March 2022, my sister Sylvie, whose husband was murdered in Tanzania, was called for an appointment to the Joint Refugee Service Centre (JRSC) at General Mathenge Road in Nairobi – to be never seen again. She and her two children disappeared from the UNHCR gate and have never been found. The matter was immediately reported, and police investigations – even from higher levels – were conducted, but they were not found, while UNHCR didn’t even respond to official letters from the police. To date, the whereabouts of my sister Sylvie and her two small sons remain unknown. Despite repeated attempts, UNHCR has not provided any assistance or protection to our family and did nothing to help with regards to the disappearance of my sister and her boys.
Currently, I am also the primary caregiver for two children of my other refugee sister, Concilie, who was resettled from Kenya to Australia. When she was resettled by UNHCR, her children, from which she was separated during the escape had not been found, which is why they were united with my family by UNHCR after the International Red Cross (ICRC) had found them. Until today the Australian government are dragging their feet to reunite these two children with their mother. One of her children – a young girl – has a physical disability affecting the arm and leg and she also suffers from epilepsy, requiring permanent care. The only help the girl received were some physiotherapy sessions through the NGO HI (Handicap Intl. / Humanity Inclusion). Even the medicine to keep her without convulsions, I have to buy myself – no help from UNHCR Health Department (the Kenyan clinical officer John Wagacha, who likes to be called Dr. Burton, or their implementing partner for the health sector the National Council of Churches Kenya – NCCK (Dr. Joseph Ndalilah).
In total, my household consists of six family members. Given our history of armed persecution with the intent to kill us, the killing of close family members, ongoing threats, and the lack of effective state protection, I believe that returning to Burundi or relocating within the region would place my life and the lives of my dependents at serious risk. We are trapped.
I submit this statement truthfully and in good faith in support of my request for international protection and humanitarian assistance.
If no help comes, we all will be killed.
With Hope and Love,
Thank you all !
Salvatore Nsengiyumva
M-PESA NUMBER: +254-796-980570 (registered name Benard Wachara)
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