Minister of Homeland Security Richard Chimwendo Banda has insisted that refugees living outside Dzaleka Refugees Camp should relocate to the camp by April 28, saying the process will be done peacefully.
He was speaking today after conducting an assessment around the Camp to appreciate its capacity have to hold an additional number of 1200 of persons.
According to Chimwendo, the move has been initiated to enhance the security of the refugees and of Malawians.
“Government’s decision to move our brothers and sisters to the Camp still stands. We will make sure that they have moved back to the Camp peacefully.
“Malawi is a peaceful country, and government through the visionary leadership of His Excellency the President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, wants this country to be a law-abiding nation. We will only allow the Rule of Law to be at the centre of everything and we will not tolerate violence against our brothers and sisters,” he posted on Facebook following the visit to the camp.
The Minister added that he had an engagement with leaders from Rwanda, DRC and other countries at the camp during which many of the questions which they had were addressed.
Modeste Kouame, Country Representative for UNHCR – the UN Refugee Agency said the decision taken by government is for the betterment of the refugees. He expressed hope that the relocation will be done orderly.
On his part, Congolese Community Leader at Dzaleka Refugee Camp Sango Ulumwene urged refugees living in locations across the country to return to Dzaleka.
The camp currently has 49,386 refugees with an average of 500 new arrivals in a month. The refugees include those from Congo, Rwanda, Somalia, Burundi and Ethiopia.
