Zambian parliament members have rejected a proposal for refugees declining to be repatriated to be integrated in local communities of Zambia, The Post reported Wednesday.
The local newspaper quoted Home Affairs Permanent Secretary Peter Mumba as saying here that the MPs are averse on the proposal by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
He said he has sought cabinet guidance on the action that should be taken on the remaining Angolan refugees.
A lawmaker was quoted as saying that most MPs are opposed to the proposal. He said it might bring problems.
Some MPs demanded the refugees whose repatriation period has elapsed should be forced to return to their home counties.
Zambia has been host of many refugees escaping civil strifes in the neighboring Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda.
Since 2003, Zambia, in collaboration with host countries and with supports from the UNHCR, has repatriated over 75,000 refugees to their home countries, of which over 74,000 are Angolan refugees.
The exercise to repatriate Angolan refugees ended early this year but a lot of refugees were not willing to return home.
About 110,000 refugees are still living in Zambia.
Source: Xinhua
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