100th convoy of returnees arrives home

The office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has reported that its 100th convoy of trucks carrying returning Angolan refugees reached the eastern fringes of the country's Moxico province last week. The voluntary repatriation operation began on 20 June 2003. "Over the first four months of the operation, nearly 43,000 Angolans have [been] repatriated from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Zambia and Namibia - averaging approximately 10,000 per month. An additional 24,000 Angolan refugees who returned on their own have been assisted with food by the World Food Programme, blankets, plastic sheeting and other items, as well as transport within Angola when possible," UNHCR said in a statement. The agency expects the number of returnee convoys to drop to about 5,000 in November, when the rainy season slows down repatriation in most areas of the country. "Convoys from Zambia have now been suspended until 2004 due to the deteriorating road conditions. Returns are continuing from the Kimpese and Kisenge areas of DRC, although at a lesser pace than earlier in the year. However, in southern Namibia UNHCR is expecting to continue convoys until at least the end of November. The lack of rains has allowed UNHCR to open up a new corridor of return last week, with the first return to the community of Cuangar on Angola's southern border with Namibia," the agency said. Reception centres in M'banza Congo, Luau, Cazombo, Lumbala N'guimbo and Luena will remain open throughout the rainy season to accommodate refugees returning spontaneously to Angola. "While the centre in Caiundo in Kuando Kubango province will soon be closed, an additional centre in Maquela do Zombo in Uige province is expected to open in early December. Convoys from DRC, Zambia and Namibia are expected to resume at a full pace at the beginning of the dry season in 2004," UNHCR added. The organisation said although donors had pledged US $23 million for the 2003 operation, it was seeking to raise additional funding of more than US $3 million before the end of the year.