Ministry of Home Affairs Permanent Secretary Ndiyoi Mutiti has reiterated government’s commitment to facilitate the repatriation of Democratic Republic Congolese (DRC) refugees who are in Zambian refugee camps.
And Ms. Mutiti has appealed to Congolese refugees to take advantage of the facilities that have been put in place by the Zambian government to repatriate them.
She said according to the survey which was carried out in January this year, at least 18,549 refugees are expected to return to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Ms. Mutiti added that refuges should freely return to their country because peace and stability has now returned to DRC.
She was speaking at the official closing of the fifth session of the tripartite commission on voluntary repatriation of Congolese Refugees living in Zambia.
And speaking at the same meeting, DRC Secretary of the Ministry of Interior and Security of Congo, Sanda Byanza said the two day meeting, which was among the Zambian Government, Democratic Republic of Congo and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) was a success.
Mr. Byanza said the meeting was a milestone in the lives of refugees living in Zambia.
He has since called on the refugees to corporate with the Zambian government by returning to their country, adding that their citizenship was needed for the development of that country.
The tripartite commission agreed to resume the organized voluntary repatriation programmes on May 19th, 2009 and this programme is scheduled to end this year.
ZANIS/AC/KSH/ENDS
Give them Zambian citizenship so they can contribute to Zambia’s development.
They will return when they feel comfortable to do so. Give them time.
You kasais,go back home.You are the ones causing shortages.
Leave the refugees alone. Surely, Zambia can accomodate an extra 18,000 souls? What happened to pan-africanism?
I agree with I and 3. No 2 please mind your language. No need for such discrimanatory remarks in this era of globalisation.
LT and most media people please learn to title your topics properly (politely correct), otherwise somebody can misread and take offense. From the heading it sounds like the mister was being Xenophobic.
Why is the minister pleading , you must examin case by case, then send them to there country if there is no reson fort hem to run away from their country,
Zambia has peace which is good; we lack true freedom of expression. Let the refugees stay I saw the news last week, Congo is still crazy! And guess what? The same Tutsis we cried for in 1994 are killing Congolese. What is wrong with Rwanda? Causing confusion in a neighbouring country. Give those refugees citizenship with the UN setting employment and trade solutions for them in Zambia; direct investment with no Government infusion.
Congolese don’t need to be told that they have to go back home,If truly the country has managed to have the facilities for a normal human being .Even people from UN when they are cheating that roads are there;Just from Kasumbalesa to Lubumbashi it is a big problem.
An good example is workers from the congolese railways company have not been paid for three years and nine months .Don’t lie that because of the Global crunch Zambia can’t afford to keep foreigners when Zambia has never spent a centime on the same refugees but has been benefiting from as we do with a lemon fruit after squezing it .