7 June 2011
Luena — The eastern Moxico province reception commission Monday started to erect tents on the outskirts of the provincial capital city, Luena, to accommodate Angolan refugees returning from the neighbouring Zambia and Democratic Republic of Congo.
The information was released by the provincial director of the Social Welfare Ministry, Ana Filomena Chipoia.
According to the official, the arrival of the first group of more than 5,000 refugees is pending the conclusion of installation of the tents and other logistics.
She said the operation is also taking place in transit centres established in the districts of Luau (50 tents), for refugees coming from the DRC and in Bundas (20 tents) for those arriving from Zambia.
The source said that these numbers of refugees might rise as the process evolves, but could also dwindle as there are people returning on their own.
Ana Chipoia called for the intensification of campaigns to attract Angolans living as refugees abroad to return home, adding there is no reason for them to remain in neighbouring countries as refugees.
But she also appealed to Government and international institutions involved in the repatriation to put in place control mechanisms to avoid infiltrations.
Moxico province borders with the DRC and Zambia. 2,617 refugees are expected from the former, whereas 2,383 will come from the latter.
About 1,000 Angolan refugee families came voluntarily from the two countries from January to May this year, across the border posts of Luau, Alto-Zambeze and Bundas.
AllAfrica – All the Time
Continue Reading:
Moxico Gets Ready to Receive Refugees