UNHCR SEEKS $66.9 MILLION FOR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS AMONG REFUGEES, DISPLACED PEOPLE IN GREAT LAKES REGION

Press Release
REF/1157

UNHCR SEEKS $66.9 MILLION FOR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS AMONG REFUGEES, DISPLACED PEOPLE IN GREAT LAKES REGION

GENEVA, 19 November (UNHCR) -- The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has issued an appeal for $66.9 million for its emergency operations for refugees and people displaced in the fighting in eastern Zaire and the immediate integration of more than 500,000 returnees in Rwanda.

The call by the UNHCR for new funds is part of a joint appeal for $259 million issued by United Nations Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali on Monday for urgent activities for three months in the Great Lakes region, in response to an unprecedented crisis in eastern Zaire.

Some 500,000 Rwandan refugees from Zaire's Goma region returned to Rwanda over four days beginning Friday. Although the main bulk of refugees in the Goma region is believed to be back in Rwanda now, a trickle of about 1,000 refugees an hour continued to arrive at the Rwandan border town of Gisenyi this morning.

The Goma region hosted more than 715,000 of the 1.2 million refugees in eastern Zaire before fighting broke out in the region last month. (There are also more than 600,000 Rwandan and Burundi refugees in the United Republic of Tanzania.)

About 50,000 Rwanda and Burundi refugees are scattered in the Uvira and Bukavu regions, and their whereabouts are still unknown. An estimated 250,000 Zairians also have been displaced by the fighting.

Over the past two years, the UNHCR has been preparing for the voluntary repatriation of refugees, but must now put these preparations into high gear. Particular emphasis is placed on the strengthening of UNHCR's protection presence and returnee-monitoring capacity in order to build confidence among refugees.

Increased UNHCR presence at border-crossing points and transit and reception centres, as well as in home communes, will be a key element of UNHCR's comprehensive strategy in Rwanda. The challenge for the UNHCR and the

international community is reintegration of returnees. This will involve community development, initial rehabilitation, the security of returnees and recovery of their property.

The UNHCR has begun to distribute to returnees in the communes a repatriation package consisting of a two-month food ration from the World Food Programme, kitchen sets, blankets, plastic sheets, agricultural seeds and tools. The UNHCR will also greatly expand assistance to women to promote the economic empowerment of the female population. This is aimed at strengthening the country's social structure and prompting reconciliation. At the same time, it will enhance the Government's capacity to receive and reintegrate the returnees.

Adequate housing is the most important need in Rwanda. In addition to shelter packages of corrugated iron sheets, wooden poles, nails and roofing tiles, the UNHCR is distributing tool kits, doors, windows and manual brick- making machines.

In eastern Zaire, the UNHCR, in coordination with other United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations, will attempt to reach the refugees and displaced people and provide them with emergency assistance. The UNHCR will also pursue its primary objective of enabling the safe and humane return of the refugees in their country of origin.

It is essential to assist the refugees and displaced people as rapidly as possible to avoid further movement deeper into Zaire. Such a movement in the interior would make delivery of aid a nightmare and further contribute to instability in the region.

During the fighting in Zaire, the UNHCR and its non-governmental organization partners lost 406 vehicles, 121,815 blankets, 23,247 plastic sheets and 540 metric tons of soap. These items are part of the regional stockpile and must be replaced. Mine-clearance operations must be conducted at the Bukavu airport and access roads to make them safe for humanitarian use.

The appeal of the UNHCR for $66.9 million covers emergency activities in Rwanda and reception and reintegration assistance in Rwanda, United Republic of Tanzania and Uganda. However, the allocation of the funds may require revisions as the situation in the region remains volatile.

The UNHCR issued an appeal for $288.4 million in December 1995 to cover the 1996 needs in the Great Lakes region. Because contributions came late and required changes in programmes, a revised budget for $253 million was announced in October.

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