UNHCR blast Zambia over deportations

  1. Posted on Wednesday 14 April 2010 - 10:13
    Sanday
    Image of Sanday
    Sanday Chongo Kabange, AfricaNews reporter in Lusaka, Zambia
    The UNHCR has put up a protest against Zambia's move to deport dozens of refugees from the DRC after they took part in a demonstration. Spokesperson Melissa Fleming, "A note verbally sent to Zambian authorities expressed alarm at the developments, which have affected some 36 individuals from the Meheba refugee settlement in the country's northwest."
    Zambia shuts down oil plant for 6 days
    The first six people that included a pregnant woman were forcibly returned to DRC in February.

    The remaining 30 were sent back over April 3 and 4, some of whom were separated from their spouses and children in the process, said Fleming.

    Zambian authorities had expelled the refugees after they demonstrated over the removal of a Zambian registration official who was found to be corrupt, said Fleming, adding that she had no further details.

    "The refugees ... were given no explanation regarding the reasons for their deportation or the possibility of challenging the decision under Zambian law," she said.

    The UNHCR noted that even though refugees are required to abide by the law of their host countries, they should not be expelled if they failed to do so.

    Rather, they should be prosecuted under national laws, stressed Fleming.

    "The UNHCR urges the government of Zambia to halt the expulsion of refugees and asylum-seekers and to uphold its refugee protection responsibilities under international law," she added.

    Zambia is host to 57 000 refugees including those who had fled war and civil unrest in Angola, Rwanda, DRC and other countries.

Latest News

  1. OPINION: Welcome to African Green Revolution24/05For the past century and a half, Africa has tried various agricultural approaches without much success.
  2. Egyptians vote in historic election23/05Egyptians began voting freely on Wednesday for the first time to pick their president in a wide open election that pits Islamists against men who serv…
  3. Africa Day 2012 - a moment for reflection and…22/0525th May is Africa Day. For many years it has been a celebration of African unity. It dates back to 1963 when the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) …
  4. South Africa's African agenda21/05The Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa, Kgalema Mothlanthe paid a rare visit to Ghana in April at the invitation of John Dramani Mahama …
  5. Women struggle to rinse hunger, poverty stains21/05Just looking at her one clearly appreciates that she is old and frail therefore in need of support for food, clothing and shelter to live comfortably …
  6. Climate Climate change affects migratory birds…21/05Changes in the climate globally have affected the movement of both migratory and resident species of birds, Nature Uganda has said.
  7. Ghana: Foreign retailers cited for currency…18/05The Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) is attributing the sharp depreciation of the Ghana cedi against major currencies to the illegal activiti…
  8. Kenya: Community radio brings succour to…18/05Korogocho, a slum in northeastern Nairobi with 100,000 inhabitants, had many of the ingredients for a political explosion similar to those that rocked…
  9. Veld fires 'flame' Zimbabwe's…16/05Over the years, Zimbabwe has experienced the scourge of veld fires destroying property worth thousands of dollars.
  10. Liberia commends ECOWAS for support14/05The induction training of pioneer Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Volunteers for Liberia kicked off in Monrovia, with the Deputy Mi…
  11. Vanishing Lake Chad puts 30m lives at risk14/05As you approach the Lake Chad basin from Maiduguri, in north-eastern Nigeria, the evidence of despair is telling.
  12. Heavy rains cause havoc in Kenya14/05Heavy Rainfall continued to wreak havoc across the country leading to the suspension of relief food in some parts of the country as most roads in Turk…
  13. Zimbabwe: Growth points lie dormant14/05The Zimbabwean government mooted the concept of growth points in the 1980s as a means of decongesting cities and towns.
  14. Sierra Leone improves in infant mortality11/05Sierra Leone has improved in infant mortality cases according to Save the Children- World Motherhood index 2012 report. The West Africa country descri…
  15. Zimbabwe: Resettled farmers fail to utilize…10/05Resettled farmers in Zimbabwe are failing to utilize land due to inadequate farming inputs and lack of resources.
News archive