Congolese refugees urged to go home
By Pelekelo Liswaniso
ZAMBIA has a long tradition of hosting refugees that flee civil and political strife from their own countries.
The refugees mostly come from Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with a smaller but significant number from Rwanda, Burundi and Somalia.
With peace now returning to some of these war-torn countries, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in, conjunction with the Zambian government, has in the recent past been helping repatriate these refugees to their countries of origin.
It is with this background that we join the call by Ministry of Home Affairs permanent secretary Ndiyoyi Mutiti to Congolese refugees in Zambia to take advantage of next month’s voluntary repatriation programme so that they can contribute to the reconstruction of their country.
Mrs Mutiti said on Thursday last week that conditions in Congo are conducive for refugees to return home.
The Zambian government, she said, would work hard to ensure that it played its role in the implementation of the repatriation programme.
We are aware that some refugees may no longer want to return to their native countries and would want to prolong their stay in Zambia.
With assistance from the UNHCR, some refugees have, for example, set up fish farms, poultry units and even a bakery at Meheba refugee camp and many would be tempted to prolong their stay in the country.
But such refugees, who have made Zambia a home for themselves must be mindful of the fact that the UN refugee agency will close voluntary repatriation programmes in the next two years.
Without help from the UNHCR and other donor organisations, which have rendered commendable support over the years, the refugees who may try to put off their return home may just find themselves stranded and it is best that they seize this opportunity to return home when there is still goodwill.
In the 2006 and 2007 season, 74,000 Angolans and 7,000 Congolese refugees were repatriated to their countries of origin. The UN humanitarian agencies are hoping to assist some 26,000 Congolese and other refugees return home during the 2008 and 2009 season.
The International Organisation for Migration is expected to facilitate transportation while the World Food Programme will provide food to the returnees.
It is clear that the necessary support and logistics are in place for the safe return of the Congolese refugees.
It is gratifying that the Secretary-General of the Congolese Ministry of the Interior and Security Bynza Sanda, who was in the country for a meeting with the Zambian government and the UNHCR, was also satisfied with talks on the repatriation programme and subsequently called on his fellow nationals to return home and take part in the development of their country.
ZAMBIA has a long tradition of hosting refugees that flee civil and political strife from their own countries.
The refugees mostly come from Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with a smaller but significant number from Rwanda, Burundi and Somalia.
With peace now returning to some of these war-torn countries, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in, conjunction with the Zambian government, has in the recent past been helping repatriate these refugees to their countries of origin.
It is with this background that we join the call by Ministry of Home Affairs permanent secretary Ndiyoyi Mutiti to Congolese refugees in Zambia to take advantage of next month’s voluntary repatriation programme so that they can contribute to the reconstruction of their country.
Mrs Mutiti said on Thursday last week that conditions in Congo are conducive for refugees to return home.
The Zambian government, she said, would work hard to ensure that it played its role in the implementation of the repatriation programme.
We are aware that some refugees may no longer want to return to their native countries and would want to prolong their stay in Zambia.
With assistance from the UNHCR, some refugees have, for example, set up fish farms, poultry units and even a bakery at Meheba refugee camp and many would be tempted to prolong their stay in the country.
But such refugees, who have made Zambia a home for themselves must be mindful of the fact that the UN refugee agency will close voluntary repatriation programmes in the next two years.
Without help from the UNHCR and other donor organisations, which have rendered commendable support over the years, the refugees who may try to put off their return home may just find themselves stranded and it is best that they seize this opportunity to return home when there is still goodwill.
In the 2006 and 2007 season, 74,000 Angolans and 7,000 Congolese refugees were repatriated to their countries of origin. The UN humanitarian agencies are hoping to assist some 26,000 Congolese and other refugees return home during the 2008 and 2009 season.
The International Organisation for Migration is expected to facilitate transportation while the World Food Programme will provide food to the returnees.
It is clear that the necessary support and logistics are in place for the safe return of the Congolese refugees.
It is gratifying that the Secretary-General of the Congolese Ministry of the Interior and Security Bynza Sanda, who was in the country for a meeting with the Zambian government and the UNHCR, was also satisfied with talks on the repatriation programme and subsequently called on his fellow nationals to return home and take part in the development of their country.
posted by aydpels @ 7:58 AM
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