Malawi Government won’t repatriate refugees by force The Malawi - TopicsExpress



          

Malawi Government won’t repatriate refugees by force The Malawi government will not forcefully send back Burundian and Rwandese refugees whose refugee status in the country has ceased due to the expiry of a time frame for international agreement for their repatriation. However, the government instead plans to integrate into the Malawian society scores of nationals from the two former war-torn nations. The international community through the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), signed the Cessation Clause for Rwandan and Burundian refugees years ago with this year as deadline for Rwandese and Burundians who left home after the genocide in 1994 to return home. The move is reported to have caused a lot of unrest within the local Burundian and Rwandese community at Dzaleka in Dowa where some 17 000 refugees reside. Speaking at this year’s World Refugee Day commemoration in Dowa, the Camp’s Administrator Owen Nyasulu said despite the Cessation Clause putting time frame, it also allows governments to maintain refugees who do not want to return for justifiable reasons. “Let me say about the rumour that the government is planning to forcibly repatriate refugees from Burundi and Rwanda. Malawi traditional leaders came to see me to ask on this and refugee camp representatives have come to seek clarification. “The Cessation Clause for Rwandan refugees states that persons who fled Rwanda during the period 1959 to December 1998 are supposed to return home unless there are compelling reasons preventing them from doing so. There is a technical working group which has ably explained the situation,” said Nyasulu. According to Nyasulu, others who were expected to be repatriated are asylum seekers who received a final rejection on their asylum application. “The majority of those affected by this development are Rwandans and Burundians too,” said Nyasulu. UNHCR Resident Coordinator Georgio Kuchio thanked the Malawi government for being among the governments on the continent that have agreed to local integration. “We are thankful to the Government of Malawi for agreeing to consider local integration as a solution to refugee plight as well as extend our appreciation to the people of Malawi for co-existing with refugees,” said Kuchio. However, the UN agency then called upon refugee countries of origin of the 17 000 plus refugees and asylum seekers to create a “climate of peace and tranquility” so that the refugees return home. – By Golden Matonga
Posted on: Mon, 24 Jun 2013 13:08:35 +0000

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