IOM officials provide assistance to some of the returnees. [Photo courtesy: IOM]
The United Nations migration agency has appealed for $1,000,000 to provide humanitarian assistance to some 200,000 Congolese refugees who have returned from Angola after being expelled from there.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) says the mass expulsion operation begun on October 1, and has affected children and women, some of whom are pregnant or breastfeeding.
“Among those expelled, IOM has assisted unaccompanied minors, pregnant and breastfeeding women crossing back into the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We are particularly concerned about the well-being of these groups,” IOM Operations Officer in the DR Congo, Emery Kianga, said.
Most of the refugees have returned through the border crossing posts of Kamako, Mayanda, Tshimbulu or Kabungu. IOM says its officials saw more than 16,000 people arrive to Kamako border post last Friday (12/10) alone.
According to the agency, addressing the root causes underlying the displacement and expulsion of Congolese citizens from Angola is essential for long-term durable solutions. For the immediate-term solution, it has appealed for the $1,000,000 to urgently address the most pressing needs of these 200,000 people.
IOM says that apart from its assistance which began on October 11, no other support has been provided to the returnees. There is a pressing need for food, water, sanitation and hygiene, emergency shelter, medical assistance and transportation that will allow people to reach safer destinations or their places of origin.