Secrets

– There are many secrets in Kigoma. an American recently informed me.

I was trying to decipher the meaning, and covered a few things in my head before understanding what she was saying. Was she referring to a high prevalence of witchcraft? The region is known for this, it isn’t really a secret. Then, I recognized how many different people I had spoken to, whom did not mention their background while conversing, yet spoke perfect French. Par hazzare?

– People are hiding their country of origin.

It is no wonder that people would begin to conceal their country of origin if it was the reason that they fled persecution in their own country. Some of these people are perfectly legal residents in Tanzania, albeit still up against intensifying Nationalist sentiment in the country, and more often, longing to abandon an identity that does not serve them in moving forward. Again, like the ‘tribeless’ children in Ms. Sophia’s class – those hailing from Rwanda are at risk of intense questioning if they utter their birthplace. It also calls them to remember a past of conflict so thick that anyone would want to forgo their roots.

But what about the ‘Right to Human membership?’