Angolan refugees start going home

Some 150 Angolan refugees in Namibia are expected to return home next week in the first phase of a voluntary repatriation programme, the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said on Friday. "This is just a pilot movement which will be followed by the major launch of the voluntary repatriation," UNHCR protection officer Magda Medina told IRIN. There are an estimated 24,500 Angolan refugees in Namibia. On Monday the refugees will be transported from the Osire camp, about 230 km north of the Namibian capital, Windhoek, to the Kassava Transit Centre in Namibia, where they will remain until 1 July. On the following day they will be taken to Katwitwi border post, where they will be assisted by UNHCR and Angolan authorities to cross into Angola. Most of the refugees in the first wave are expected to return to the southern Kuando Cubango province. However, some have expressed interest in returning to the central Bie province, and Uige province in the north. Medina said concerns over landmines and food insecurity in Angola had been adequately addressed by UNHCR and other humanitarian groups. "Aid agencies have embarked on assistance programmes to ensure the safe passage of returnees. The International Red Cross has conducted mine awareness among refugees. Also, the Angolan authorities have worked hard to rehabilitate basic physical infrastructure in some areas of return. There are already administrative structures in place throughout the country to deal with returnees," Medina confirmed. The World Food Programme will provide returnees with a supply of food rations and various non-food items such as blankets, kitchen items and plastic sheeting. Later in the year they will receive seeds and farming tools to support them in achieving self-sufficiency. Last week 500 Angolan refugees living in the Democratic Republic of Congo returned to M'Banza Congo in northwestern Angola and Luau in the eastern reaches of the country. Some 400,000 Angolan refugees are estimated to be in DRC, Zambia and Namibia.