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DRC Refugees Refuse to Leave Kilwa

The Times of Zambia (Ndola)
NEWS
October 19, 2004
Posted to the web October 19, 2004

REFUGEES from neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), who fled to
Kilwa Island in Luapula Province are resisting being taken to refugee camps,
provincial Minister, Kennedy Sakeni has said.
Mr Sakeni said yesterday from Mansa that more than 3,000 refugees, who had fled
Kilwa Island on the shores of Lake Mweru in the DR Congo were refusing
transfers to refugee camps in Zambia in the hope of the situation returning to
normal in their area.
And Mr Sakeni said the situation at Kilwa had normalised after DR Congo
government troops recaptured the place from suspected insurgents at the
weekend.
Mr Sakeni said the latest news coming from there was that government troops
were in control of the island which they recaptured.
He said the Kilwa Island had about 20,000 inhabitants.
Mr Sakeni said the fleeing Congolese were in dire need of food and that
requests for such had been made to the disaster management unit.
He said the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other
bodies were preparing to render assistance to the displaced group.
Unknown armed men were at the weekend reported to have invaded the island.

   

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