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Caprivi refugees return

[Swaziland] Swazi children live in poverty due to AIDS and drought. [Date picture taken: 05/20/2003] Mercedes Sayagues/PlusNews
No school for Swazi children
UNHCR is deploying additional staff to cope with the growing number of Caprivi secessionists in Botswana requesting voluntary repatriation back to Namibia, officials told IRIN on Friday. Some 100 Caprivi refugees returned to Namibia between May and 10 June. A further 523 are expected to go home in two batches by the end of this month out of the around 2,500 Caprivians that originally fled Namibia for Botswana last year fearing persecution, UNHCR said. “The fact that more and more persons are opting for voluntary return is encouraging. It is the durable solution and we welcome it.” a UNHCR official told IRIN.

This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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