Refugee influx into Uganda ebbs, close to 10,000 return home

An influx of Congolese refugees into western Uganda that was precipitated by fighting in parts of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in January has reduced as close to 10,000 of them are thought to have returned home, an official of the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Thursday. "The refugee influx has reduced considerably and no new arrivals have been reported since 24 January," Roberta Russo, the agency's spokeswoman, said. She told IRIN that there were still 2,000 registered refugees at Nkondo, the southern tip of Lake Albert on the border with the DRC, while another 2,700 had been moved to the settlement of Kyaka in the western district of Kyenjojo. She said there were no longer any refugees at Ishasa, near Lake George, also on the border with the DRC. Refugees fled Congo's eastern province of North Kivu following renewed fighting between former rebels-turned-government soldiers and former Mayi-Mayi militias, also integrated into the Congolese national army. However, Russo said many of the 2,000 refugees at Nkondo were reluctant to move to the Kyaka II refugee reception because of pressure from certain leaders. She said there were still health problems at the Kyaka II, mostly malaria and non-bloody diarrhoea. Medecines Sans Frontieres (MSF-Holland) recently conducted a two-day health clinic, during which some 348 patients were treated and an estimated 1,000 children vaccinated. District health educators were, she said, sensitising the public on safe hygiene practices. She added that the health educators were also monitoring the public for cholera, so an immediate intervention could be mounted should there be an outbreak. "The situation is under control, though we still need to perfect a few things," Russo said. She said mobile clinics have been set up at Kyaka where 2,700 refugees had been moved and that UNHCR had recruited more health workers there.