ZAMBIA: Congolese refugees return home

JOHANNESBURG, 26 Oct 2004 (IRIN) - Zambia's home affairs office has confirmed that around 3,000 Congolese who fled insecurity in the southeastern Katanga province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) last week have returned home.

The DRC refugees who arrived on Kilwa Island in northern Zambia refused to relocate to refugee camps, hoping the situation would return to normal.

On Tuesday Zambian Home Affairs Permanent Secretary Peter Mumba told IRIN that of the 3,500 refugees on the island, 3,000 had already crossed back into the DRC after assurances their home areas were now calm.

"There's just a handful left and we expect that they will also make their way back on their own steam," Mumba said.

Zambian authorities had been concerned that the influx of refugees would put a further strain on the country's resources.

In March this year hundreds of Congolese fled into Zambia to escape reported clashes between Mayi-Mayi rebels and government troops in Dikulushi in the mineral-rich province of Katanga in southeastern DRC.

[ENDS]