Central African refugees seek voluntary repatriation

Central African Republic refugees living in the Republic of Congo have asked to be repatriated. In a statement made available to IRIN on Thursday in the Congolese capital, Brazzaville, the 257 refugees recalled how they arrived in the country following a failed coup of 28 May 2001 led by former President Andre Kolingba. Members of Kolingba's Yakoma ethnic group, as well as of his political party, Rassemblement democratique centrafricain, were widely persecuted in the wake of the putsch that was eventually crushed by forces loyal to the president at the time, Ange-Felix Patasse. The refugees said that following the 15 March coup they decided that conditions were ripe for their return. "Today seems like an ideal time to launch an urgent appeal to the international community, the new authorities of our country, and the government of our host country to facilitate our repatriation so that we may return to help the reconstruction of our nation," the refugees' declaration concluded. The refugees added that the Congolese government and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) were instrumental in providing them with asylum and protection. According to UNHCR, Congo was host to 1,724 Central African refugees as at 30 March 2003, notably in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, Impfondo and Betou.