Geneva, 29 September 2000
ACT member, the Lutheran World Federation,
Zambia reports that they are facing a new emergency with a fresh
influx of Angolan refugees to Mwinilunga Refugee Camp. On the morning
of Sunday, 24 September 2000, over 2,000 new refugees arrived and by the
evening the total was over 4,000.
On 17 September 2 battalions of the Angolan army entered north eastern Angola from the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is further reported that Cazombo, a major population center in Moxico Province has fallen to the government forces and there are indications that all towns in the Province have now been taken by the government forces. It is expected that there will be a major influx of 15 - 20,000 refugees in Zambia during the next few days/weeks as both government forces and UNITA have told civilians to leave the area.
LWF Zambia in collaboration with the UNHCR are taking emergency action. Already five LWF/UNHCR trucks have been deployed to take the new arrivals from Mwinilunga to Meheba (which already has a refugee population of 41,000). There are adequate food stocks in Meheba for at least one month but non-food items such as plastic sheeting, utensils, blankets amongst other things are being provided out of LWF stocks in Lusaka. UNHCR has sent Field Officers to Mwinilunga to coordinate the activities and Médecins sans Frontiers (MSF France) has taken the responsibility for health services, sanitation and water supply at Mwinilunga.
A new site is now being prepared in Meheba where demarcation works, clearing, water point installation is already being carried out and MSF (France) is putting up a health post. The site of 100,000 hectares was recently given by the local Chief to accommodate refugees.
Some immediate needs:
Work has begun on shallow wells but funds are urgently needed to step up this activity along with the drilling of bore holes as lack of water is a major problem at the extension site.
Trucks are needed to transport refugees to the camp sites.
Non-food items such as blankets, clothing and plastic sheeting * at present coming from LWF stocks, needs to be replenished soon.
Funds are needed for the Meheba extension site preparation along with water and sanitation
Agricultural and construction tools are urgently needed as stocks have been exhausted.
An ACT appeal will be forthcoming once assessments have been completed by ACT members in the field.
Thank you for your attention.
ACT Web Site address: http://www.act-intl.org