Refugees relocation identifies 2000
Ministry of Homeland Security says the mapping exercise for refugees living outside the designated Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Dowa District has identified 2 000 asylum seekers.
The number falls short of the 8 000 that the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) earlier indicated as the population living outside the camp.
Speaking when the ministry appeared before Parliamentary Committee on Defence, Ministry of Homeland Security Principal Secretary Oliver Kumbambe said as of Tuesday, there were 1 972 refugees relocated to the camp.
“Some of the refugees suspected to be living outside the camp started leaving the country for Zambia, Mozambique and some went as far as South Africa,” he said.
Kumbambe said the mapping exercise is still in progress and government will move those found living outside the designated camp to Dzaleka.
He also warned that refugees returning to Malawian communities after being moved to Dzaleka risk being prosecuted and losing their refugee status as they will be breaking the law.
Deputy Inspector General of Police (Administration) Happy Mkandawire called on Malawians to help police and other security agencies with information on refugees living outside the camp.
He also told the committee that the police managed to trace 125 cargo containers used as storage and business places, but their owners allegedly fled.
Committee chairperson Ralph Jooma expressed concern that the difference between the UNHCR estimate and the identified refugees was too wide.
He said: “We look at the disparity as being huge. Maybe the estimation of UNHCR was wrong but it could also be that the mapping was also not properly done.”
Malawi Government embarked on an exercise of relocating refugees to Dzaleka Camp. The exercise rolled out after the expiry of an April 15 2023 deadline for voluntary relocation.
