Transfer of Mozambican refugees in Malawi to begin on Friday – UNHCR

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Transfer of Mozambican refugees in Malawi to begin on Friday – UNHCR

12:29 CAT | 29 Mar 2016

VOA (File photo)

The representative of the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in Malawi, Monique Ekoko, told Lusa on Sunday that the transfer of Mozambican refugees from the reception centre in Kapise to another refugee camp would only start in earnest on the 1st of April, Friday.

The official said that some Mozambicans who had been transferred from Kapise so far “were very pleased” with the change.

“They come with everything they own, even kitchen utensils, the few things that they managed to save from their destroyed houses. The government forces consider them Renamo supporters, or at least that is what they have told us,” Ekoko told Lusa earlier this month.

The official in charge of the reception centre indicated that the local authorities have provided land for housing at this stage, as that there is a commitment from Lilongwe for providing better conditions to the refugees.

The UNHCR head’s statements come after a series of stories revealing increased tension between the ruling party and the opposition, particularly in the inland areas of central Mozambique. The last few weeks in Mozambique have been marked by mutual accusations of armed attacks, kidnappings and political assassinations, and by ambushes on civilian vehicles attributed to Renamo.

At the start of March, the governor of Tete, Paulo Auade, denied the existence of Mozambican refugees in Malawi, arguing that most people who are in Kapise Malawians are citizens who, because of the drought, “make themselves displaced”.

Auade was eventually contradicted by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Oldemiro Baloi, who two days later in parliament confirmed the existence of Mozambicans in need of assistance in Malawi, and said that the government’s priority was to provide humanitarian assistance, without conceding that that they were refugees.

“Refugee status is not automatic. The awarding of refugee status is subject to certain requirements, including application for asylum, but humanitarian concerns override this,” Baloi said.

Dr Jean Kalilani , Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security in Malawi (Malawi News, file photo)

More recently, Rádio Moçambique reported (March 21) that the Malawian authorities had “suspended the transfer of displaced Mozambicans from Kapise to the old Luwani refugee camp following ‘strong protests’ by the Mozambican government, which opposes the measure.”

According to Radio Mozambique, any transfer must have the consent of the Mozambican government. Mozambique.

The Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security in Malawi, Jean Kalilani, would have confirmed the suspension of the move. “We suspended the relocation as a result of discussions with the government of Mozambique,” he said, cited by Rádio Moçambique.

Source: Lusa /Rádio Moçambique