ZAMBIA: Refugees arrive from DRC to escape fighting

JOHANNESBURG, 18 Oct 2004 (IRIN) - The arrival of an estimated 3,000 Congolese refugees in Zambia at the weekend is expected to further strain on the country's limited resources, a senior official has warned.

Zambian Home Affairs Permanent Secretary Peter Mumba told IRIN on Monday the refugees crossed into Zambia to flee a rebel insurgency in Kilwa, a mining town on the Congolese shore of Lake Mweru, which straddles the border with Zambia.

"It is still unclear to which group these rebels belong but we are making sure that all those who came across the border are screened. After we know for sure that there aren't any combatants amongst the group we will assign them refugee status. But it is becoming quite difficult for the government to continue hosting refugees," Mumba told IRIN.

He pointed out that the authorities had already worked with humanitarian agencies to hasten the repatriation of some 40,000 Angolan refugees in Zambia, scheduled for this year.

"The problem is that the World Food Programme already lacks funds for food aid. We have seen how this has had a negative impact on their ability to support Angolan returnees," he added. WFP has been forced to reduce its food parcels for repatriating refugees.

Another concern was that although Zambia had produced a bumper maize harvest this year, the government lacked sufficient funds to purchase the cereal from farmers.

"A bumper crop doesn't necessarily translate into ample food for everyone. We don't have the money to buy the maize so that it can be rerouted to the refugees. But we need to sit down and devise a plan to ease the situation," Mumba said.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said the agency could not confirm the number of refugees that had crossed the northern border and had not as yet been approached for assistance.

Spokesman Kelvin Shimo said the agency was ready to assist but "for now, every effort will be made to continue monitoring the situation".

In March this year hundreds of Congolese crossed into Zambia as a result of fighting in the southeastern DRC. The refugees reportedly fled renewed clashes between Mayi-Mayi rebels and government troops in Dikulushi in mineral-rich Katanga Province.

[ENDS]