Malawi – The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is reiterating its calls for authorities to rescind the decision to relocate refugees to Dzaleka camp.
This comes amidst growing criticism over the government’s decision to forcibly move illegal immigrants dwelling in cities and towns.
In a statement made available to Capital FM, Director of the UNHCR’s Regional Bureau for Southern Africa Valentin Tapsoba warns that the move will result in immense human suffering and create a new dependency on humanitarian assistance. “Any returns to Dzaleka refugee camp should be done in accordance with human rights principles and not result in the detention of children,” he stated.
Since the issuing of the order to relocate in 2021, 505 people have returned to the camp including 377 refugees and asylum-seekers who were forcibly relocated to the camp last week. While some refugees have returned to their previous homes, others are being hosted by families and relatives.
It is estimated that approximately 110 people are currently being accommodated at the camp’s reception centre in congested halls with insufficient water and sanitation facilities. There are fears that the situation could trigger the spread of various diseases.
“We strongly reiterate our call to the authorities to rescind their relocation decision as the existing structures in Dzaleka refugee camp are already stretched to the limit and cannot accommodate more refugees in a dignified manner,” said Tapsoba.
Furthermore, the UN laments that relocating self-sufficient and productive refugees and asylum-seekers to Dzaleka will only exacerbate these problems as their prospects of rebuilding their lives will dwindle. It is also of the view that the relocation will also negatively affect refugee children enrolled in schools across the country should they have to join overcrowded classes in the camp.
Despite being the main organisation responsible for the welfare of refugees and asylum seekers, UNHCR says it is failing to meet the protection, assistance and livelihood needs of the people it serves.
The statement reveals that this year, the organisation only received 9 per cent of the US$ 27.2 million required to adequately support refugees and asylum-seekers in Malawi.
The UNHCR has therefore admitted that it does not have the resources to meet the needs of the returnees, including the upgrade of transit shelters and the provision of household items.
Dzaleka refugee camp which was originally established to accommodate up to 12,000 refugees is now home to more than 50,600 refugees mainly from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi and Rwanda.
Of those, some 8,000 refugees and asylum-seekers are estimated to have been living in Malawi’s rural and urban areas for extended periods of time, some of them since 2003, having arrived in the country as far back as 1994.