RWANDAN REFUGEES IN MALAWI READY TO RETURN HOME

C O N F I D E N T I A L LILONGWE 000139

SIPDIS

FOR PRM/AFR MARY LANGE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/18/2014
TAGS: PREF PHUM MI
SUBJECT: RWANDAN REFUGEES IN MALAWI READY TO RETURN HOME

REF: 03 LILONGWE 1241

Classified By: POLOFF KIERA EMMONS FOR REASONS 1.5 B & D


1. (C) Rwandan refugees in Malawi are reportedly eager to
return home, but inexplicably not yet moving in large
numbers. Poloff met with a Dzaleka refugee camp
administrator on February 19 at the camp, who said that many
Rwandan refugees have been asking about returning home, and
frustration with delays is increasing at the camp. He said
there are currently at least 15 families prepared to return
immediately to Rwanda, with many more interested in departing
soon. The administrator stated that new Rwandan refugees are
being registered, they often demand to know how soon they
will be able to return home.


2. (C) The camp administrator estimated the current refugee
population to be about 9,500 to 10,000 people, mostly of
Burundian and Rwandan origin. (COMMENT: This is contrary to
UNHCR resident representative's recent estimate of 13,000 per
reftel END COMMENT.) He noted that refugees can be "very
difficult" in their movements, pointing out that in 2003 a
large number of refugees left Malawi for Mozambique, where
refugee conditions were reportedly better, but have since
returned.


3. (SBU) WFP's deputy country director told poloff on
February 19 that Rwandan refugees are in fact leaving Malawi,
but not in a swift and organized manner; one month's estimate
was 150 departures, and another's was zero. She said that
refugee departures are still not being documented to WFP's
satisfaction.

BROWNING