Changing opportunities: refugees and host communities in western Tanzania

The plight of refugees from Rwanda, Burundi, and Democratic Republic of Congo made
international headlines between 1993 and 1998. Throughout central Africa, roughly 3.4 million
refugees crossed international borders, 2.3 million persons became internally displaced, and
600,000 exiles returned to their countries of origin. In this context, nearly 1.3 million people
sought refuge in western Tanzania. Kagera and Kigoma regions have a total Tanzanian
population of nearly 2.5 million. The refugee influx therefore represented an overall population
increase in these regions of more than 50 percent, while in some areas refugees outnumbered
locals five to one.1 Although some refugees left after a few months, others stayed for several
years. In December 1998, some 344,000 remained.
The drama of such numbers attracted considerable international attention. In response, the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and international non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) established massive relief programs to address the needs of refugees
and, in some cases, local hosts. But less attention was given to the effects of this situation on
the ecology, economy, and politics of those already living in western Tanzania. Together, the
sudden presence of refugees, aid workers, and relief resources significantly altered all aspects
of life for people in this previously-neglected corner of the country. This project, based on
twenty-two months of participatory field research from October 1996 to August 1998, examines
the implications of the presence of refugees and the relief operation for host communities in
western Tanzania. Funding for the research was provided by a Fulbright-Hays Doctoral
Dissertation Abroad Fellowship, a P.E.O. Scholar Award, and a Doctoral Dissertation Research
Fellowship from the Institute for the Study of World Politics. The support of these institutions is
gratefully acknowledged.