ANGOLA: WFP concerned over closure of camps

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ANGOLA: WFP concerned over closure of camps

JOHANNESBURG, 25 October (IRIN) - The World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday it was "very concerned" over a decision by the Angolan government to close all reception areas of former UNITA rebels and their families by the end of the year.

"It's a sovereign decision by the government and they don't have to consult us, but we've been advising them that this wouldn't be the most appropriate time for the people to be moving. If there is no assurance of their means of survival when they get to their areas of resettlement," WFP spokesman Marcelo Spina-Hering told IRIN. "We think this needs to be done very carefully because this is not a proper time to move all these people as the planting season is almost over."

"If people arrive in a place and it's too late for planting and [they] move to areas where we don't have access, it would be serious. We're thinking of the best interests of the beneficiaries, whatever happens we hope we can assist, but at this stage we are not sure," Spina-Hering added.

He noted that WFP had only recently completed the logistical infrastructure to reach all 42 reception centres holding 80,000 former UNITA fighters and 350,000 family members, and to build up buffer stocks ahead of the rainy season which would complicate the transportation of food.

In the case of Mavinga, where two reception centres cater for 60,000 people, this had entailed five flights a day and new storage depots for pre-positioned supplies.

"The [government's] plan has not been shown to us, we still don't have the information of when and where these people are going to be moving. We know only that people have begun to be moved in the last few days," the WFP spokesman said.

The Catholic station Radio Ecclesia reported on Thursday that the transfer of UNITA members and their families had begun on Tuesday in the northern province of Kwanza-Sul. According to the station, 28,000 people were being moved from the Catofe camp in the Quibala municipality and another 2,000 would leave Amboiva in the Celes municipality. The local vice-governor said the operation was expected to end on 15 November.

In the southern province of Kuando Kubango, Governor Jorge Biwango reportedly appealed to residents on Tuesday not to be "resentful" towards former rebels and their families who would be moved out of the reception areas of Kapende, Matumbo and Soba Matias in the coming days, the radio said.

In its latest situation report this week, WFP stressed that it shared a number of concerns with the humanitarian community in Angola over the government's decision.

It pointed out that resettlement was taking place at the beginning of the lean season leaving people "extremely vulnerable" in the coming months.

The rainy season would curtail the capacity of all humanitarian actors, including the government, to assist, and there was a serious risk that many people could be in a critical situation by the time humanitarian agencies were able to reach them in the new year.

WFP also said it would be "very difficult for the government to provide, in such a short time, the minimum conditions [required] for resettlement", which included issues of security, demining and proper access.

The government this week presented a report on resettlement to the Joint Commission overseeing the peace process. It was expected to be discussed further at the commission's meeting next week.

On Monday, UN Special Representative Ibrahim Gambari told a press conference: "I agree that it is not a cheap proposition to keep people in reception areas but at the same time, there has to be a programme that makes provisions for orderly return and resettlement, in which all the interested parties, including the United Nations agencies, can work together with the government to make such a movement as painless as possible. And also to be in accordance with the norms, which the government itself has agreed to in terms of the resettlement of people."
[ENDS]

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