Angolans urged to go home
2004-08-02 22:01
Johannesburg - The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) is reaching out to about 13 000 Angolans living in South Africa, many of whom are highly educated, to offer help for them to return home, a spokesperson said on Monday.
Contrary to other countries in the region where hundreds of thousands of Angolans took refuge during the 27-year civil war, South Africa does not have refugee camps for the Angolans, most of whom live in Cape Town, said Melita Sinjic, spokesperson for the UNHCR.
One-third of Angolan refugees in South Africa have a university education and could make a key contribution to rebuilding their country following the 2002 peace accord.
"They are an extremely well-educated group. They speak English. For all the international companies doing trade in oil and diamonds and other resources, they will need these people," Sinjic said.
An information sheet on refugee repatriation was issued by the UNHCR and advertisements are to be placed in a Portuguese language newspaper to reach the Angolans in South Africa.
The Angolan government estimates that about 220 000 refugees have returned home in the past year either with UN assistance or on their own.
The UNHCR this year launched the second phase of repatriation after heavy rains and flooding cut off access to many regions, forcing the agency to suspend the returns.