Drums of hope. (Passing By).

Faces of Burundian refugee children drummers lit up as they were asked to line up to be greeted by Nelson Mandela during his recent visit to Lukole refugee camps in Ngara, United Republic of Tanzania.

The 27th of February 2001 is a big day for Ngara-a small area on the border with Burundi, small but not insignificant. It has been home to thousands of Burundian and Rwandan refugees for the past seven years, immediately after the wars in Rwanda and Burundi. And today about 70,000 pairs of curious eyes stared at an old man as he climbed the podium with the help of his assistants. Mr. Mandela has been the primary Facilitator for the Arusha peace talks that are hoped to bring peace to Burundi.

Burundian refugees first spoke about governance, security and equality for all, conditions for repatriation, and education, in hopes that their demands will be heard. While thanking the Tanzanian Government, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), other United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations for their assistance, the refugee leader added: "Refugees are equally human beings, but suffering more than others ... we are like twins, where the one who came first is placed behind a transparent wall and can only watch, whereas the one who came second is breastfed."

The man who spent a good part of his life in a claustrophobic prison cell because he stood up against apartheid, addressed the Burundian refugees: "You must learn to forget the past", for it is that past that has "resulted in a sheer madness of every ethnic group in your country. ... We cannot tolerate actions of so-called freedom fighters whose main target are innocent and defenseless civilians. ... Security for all the people of Burundi, irrespective of ethnic groups. ... Prepare yourself for the return to your homes, which we hope will come soon." The voice of Mr. Mandela echoed in Lukole A refugee camp.

As the speech ended, colourful little dancers were invited to shake the hand of the man who is history himself... hundreds of snapshots took an image of the event ... but the most important image to be taken was the one of the refugees themselves listening to the words of the Facilitator, and barefoot children wondering what this is all about, some of them barely remembering their home called Burundi.

Refugee leaders, shaded by a specially-made pavilion covered by UNHCR plastic sheeting, patiently listened to details of recent peace proposals that would give majority Hutu 60 per cent representation in the Government, and the minority Tutsi 40 per cent. The future of the peace talks was unknown at that very minute-the fighting in Burundi was going on as the Facilitator spoke of peace.

And as the talks continue, a sentence uttered by a refugee leader on a hot Tanzanian day hangs in the air: "It is painful to only see your country in dreams, when you are supposed to reside in it." That same day, the refugees will go back to their mud houses, which are inadequately built to protect their children from malaria and pneumonia. They will go back to a 20-percent cut of already modest food rations. Children will go back to schools barefooted. They will step in cold mud and their bellies will swell up with hunger, and they will keep wondering if the children of Bosnia and Kosovo are smarter or more important since they seem to get more international assistance. But, hopefully, they will remember that there are people who are trying to make peace for them, that there are people who are willing to make their dreams of returning home come true.