NIGER / MALI REPATRIATION

UNHCR and most aid agencies agree that the situation in Mali is not sufficiently peaceful and stable to promote a large-scale repatriation process or to advise refugees that time has come to go home. Nevertheless, many refugees believe that it is safe to go back and have asked UNHCR for assistance. UNHCR

 

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:42
• Production Date: 27 December 2013
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES - UNHCR
• Subject Topical: REFUGEES; DISPLACED PERSONS; HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
• Geographic Subject: MALI; MALI; NIGER
• MAMS Id: U131227c

Description

STORY: NIGER / MALI REPATRIATION
TRT: 2.42
SOURCE: UNHCR
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: FRENCH / TAMASHEK / NATS

DATELINE: 20-21 NOVEMBER 2013, MANGAIZE REFUGEE CAMP, TILLABERY REGION, NIGER

Shotlist

1. Wide shot, refugees and their belongings next to a truck
2. Med shot, Hamadou tying his belongings together
3. Various shots, refugees loading belongings onto truck
4. SOUNDBITE (French) Hamadou Abdourahamane, Malian Refugee:
“We want to go back because there is peace at home. There has been a year and a half of insecurity but now there is security so that’s it we want to go back.”
5. Med shot, Hamadou loading belongings onto truck
6. Wide shot, Hamadou writing on the ground
7. SOUNDBITE (French) Hamadou Abdourahamane, Malian Refugee:
“The first thing that I will do is meet my mother and then my uncles and my relatives that I left behind and then go to my house.”
8. Wide shot, Malian Refugees sitting under tent
9. Med shot, UNHCR Representative in Niger Karl Steinacker greeting refugees
10. Med shot, Malian refugees sitting under tent
11. Wide shot, refugee document meeting
12. Med shot, refugees being registered and having finger print taken
13. Med shot, refugee speaking to UNHCR assistant
14. Close up, finger print taking
15. SOUNDBITE (French) Karl Steinacker, UNHCR Representative in Niger:
“The head of the family, who decides, based on information we give him and information received from his family, he can decide either to stay or to go back. If he decides to go back we will give them the means to move their tents, goods and their families back to their homes.”
16. Med shot, Hamadou receiving his documents from Steinacker
17. Various shots, refugees loading belongings onto truck
18. SOUNDBITE (Tamashek) Bintou Hama, Hamadou’s Wife:
“I fled war and came to Niger, but now peace has returned to our homeland and I want to see my family again.”
19. SOUNDBITE (Tamashek) Tata, Hamadou’s Daughter:
”I really want to back to Mali, to find my family, my friends and go back to school.”
20. Med shot, refugees loading belongings onto truck
21. Wide shot, Hamadou talking to other refugees
22. Med shot, Bintou watching her clothes being loaded onto truck
23. Wide shot, child being loaded onto truck
24. Med shot, refugees waving goodbye
25. Med shot, Tata waving goodbye from the truck
26. Wide shot, Hamadou on truck as it drives off

Storyline

The security situation in certain areas of Mali has improved considerably in recent months. However, UNHCR and most aid agencies agree that the situation is not sufficiently peaceful and stable to promote a large-scale repatriation process or to advise refugees that time has come to go home.

Nevertheless, many refugees believe that it is safe to go back and have asked UNHCR for assistance. Those who have decided to go back are provided with travel documents and a modest cash grant helps the refugees pay for their transport back.

Slowly the transport truck is being loaded with personally belongings.

Hamadou and his family are packing to go home. For a year and half they were refugees in Niger. The 2012 crisis in Mali sent thousands into the neighbouring countries.

SOUNDBITE (French) Hamadou Abdourahamane, Malian Refugee:
“We want to go back because there is peace at home. There has been a year and a half of insecurity but now there is security so that’s it we want to go back.”

Now thanks to a voluntary repatriation programme funded by UNHCR and its partners they are being helped to return to Mali.

SOUNDBITE (French) Hamadou Abdourahamane, Malian Refugee:
“The first thing that I will do is meet my mother and then my uncles and my relatives that I left behind and then go to my house.”

There are a thousand families, nearly 5,000 people who have approached UNHCR about going back to Mali.

Before leaving the returnees exchange their refugee papers for voluntary repatriation documents, which allow then to cross into Mail. But the decision to go back is up to the refugees.

Karl Steinacker, UNHCR Representative in Niger:
“The head of the family, who decides, based on information we give him and information received from his family, he can decide either to stay or to go back. If he decides to go back we will give them the means to move their tents, goods and their families back to their homes.”

Hamadou‘s decision is made. He exchanges his papers. The whole family is pleased at the prospect of returning to Menaka.

SOUNDBITE (Tamashek) Bintou Hama, Hamadou’s Wife:
“I fled war and came to Niger, but now peace has returned to our homeland and I want to see my family again.”

SOUNDBITE (Tamashek) Tata, Hamadou’s Daughter:
”I really want to back to Mali, to find my family, my friends and go back to school.”

Peace and security have not been re-established throughout the north of Mali.
So UNHCR leaves the choice of returning to the refugees themselves.
The moment has arrived. Final goodbyes are said and Hamadou and his family set off for home.