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ACT Alert
Democratic
Republic of the Congo - 1/2004
Illegal
Congolese workers in Angola forced to repatriate
Geneva,
14 May, 2004
Tens of thousands of Congolese have been expelled from Angola over
the past weeks. According to the UN Office for the Co-ordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), some 67,000 Congolese have been registered
by local crisis committees after entering the Democratic Republic
of Congo's Bandundu and Western Kasai Provinces, which border Angola.
Official estimates indicate that between 80,000 and 100,000 illegal
migrant diamond workers have been or will be evicted from Angola.
Many of those expelled have found refuge with host families or are
constantly on the move throughout a vast area in Kandundu and Western
Kasai Provinces, making verification and monitoring of the vulnerable
population difficult.
ACT Katanga Co-ordination Structure (ACT KTCS) reports
that a massive influx of people who had been expelled from Angola
crossed the border into four Congolese provinces: Bas Congo, Kasai
Occidental, Bandundu and Katanga. ACT Katanga is focussing on people
from North Lunda province in Angola who have sought refuge in Katanga,
and specifically in Kapanga Territory (1,000 km from Lubumbashi),
and Sandoa Territory (776 km from Lubumbashi). Those expelled fled
Angola, leaving all their possessions behind. ACT Katanga reports
that it appears that some of the people who have been expelled have
suffered physical abuse in one form or another.
ACT Katanga reports that the people who have sought shelter
in Kapanga Territory have formed group at seven separate sites: Kasamayi,
Musevu, Mbuchi and Kakuni, Musumba, Mutombu a Tshibang, Kalamba and
Panda Mwila. All seven sites are within a 200 km range of Kapanga.
1,725 people (183 women, 1,368 men and 174 children) have been identified
as vulnerable and in need of supplementary food, medicines and basic
non-food items.
An ACT appeal may be forthcoming. We would appreciate any indications
of possible funding.
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