Angolan refugees begin the trek home

Homesick Angolan refugees are packing up their meagre belongings, throwing caution to the wind, and trekking back to battle-scarred homesteads many of them have not seen in decades. An estimated 9,000 refugees, 4,000 of them from Meheba and Mayukwayukwa camps in northern and western Zambia, and others spontaneously settled along the border, have crossed back into Angola since a ceasefire in April ended the country's long civil war. The UN refugee agency UNHCR projects "that another 5,000 may repatriate spontaneously to Angola before the on-set of the rainy season, bringing the estimate of spontaneous repatriation to about 15,000 this year for Zambia," UNHCR spokesman Kelvin Shomo told IRIN. "In view of the spontaneous repatriation, UNHCR in Zambia is facilitating their return by advising those refugees opting to repatriate on the right procedures to follow and the conditions back home. They are further informed that UNHCR or the government will not prevent those who opt to return from doing so," he added. The UN agency will start the organised repatriation of Angolans from across the sub-region early next year. This was resolved at a meeting between UNHCR assistant high commissioner Morjane Kamel and the agency's southern African representatives a month ago, at which a regional approach to the exercise was agreed upon. "It is envisage organised that repatriation may take place some time in the first quarter of next year after the rainy season and will continue up to 2004. In terms of logistics, this exercise will require enormous resources. Consequently, budgets are being worked out," Shimo said. "In Zambia, UNHCR Representative Ahmed Gubartalla has held a number of consultations/discussions with various stakeholders -donors and NGOs working with refugees - on this matter. The discussions have centred on preparedness, resources and presence in areas of asylum and also return," he added. The repatriation of the Angolans is expected to ease logistical pressure on both the Zambian government and UNHCR, which have had to look after a rapidly expanding refugee population at a time of dwindling resources. A fall in donor support for refugee programmes meant that refugees in Zambia have been on half ration since October 2001. Currently Zambia hosts 300,000 refugees - the majority of them Angolans - one of the highest figures in the world. "It should be noted that the overall food supply for refugees in our camps is now improving. In this regard, World Food programme (WFP) is currently providing a full ration of cereals and oil, whereas in the case of beans and salt, they are planning to provide full ration as of this month. The WFP has assured UNHCR that they have stocks in-hand for a full ration for refugees in Zambia till the end of the year," Shimo said. Meanwhile, around 2.3 million Zambians are expected to face food shortages over the next few months as the effects of poor weather and mismanagement take their toll on the country's food security. President Levy Mwanawasa has described the food shortage, which is expected to start biting this month, as "a national disaster".