At least 25 children were arrested on August 1st 2018 in Rumonge commune. 15 of them are hosted by FVS AMADE, an association that protects orphans and vulnerable children, while ten others are still kept by the police until this august 02.
Street children in Bujumbura capital
Those children are aged between 8 and 16 and slept in gutters or construction sites in Rumonge city. Some of them spend their day helping fishermen who, in return, give them some fish to eat. Others earn their living by begging in the streets of Rumonge.
They come from different communes of Rumonge province and the nearest provinces namely Mwaro and Bujumbura. Among them, there are some who were helped to return to their communities some times ago, but who have gone back to the streets again.
Ferdinand Simbaruhije, Secretary General of the national federation of the associations defending children’s rights- FENADEB says the measure recently taken by Burundi government to remove all children from the streets was not successful. “Removing children from the streets does not only mean to give them the return ticket. It includes preparing the host communities. This measure was not well elaborated as all the concerned partners were not consulted. This is the reason why, street children are still seen in different cities”.
He says everybody’s involvement is needed in the process. “Parents, associations fighting for the children’s rights and the administration have to collaborate so as to make this government’s initiative a success”.
Simbaruhije says his association will enquire about the children arrested in Rumonge who are still kept by the police and make sure they are safe.
Contacted, Martin Nivyabandi, Minister of Human Rights and Solidarity, says he cannot react to this case right now but promises to communicate in the future.
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