Lusaka, July 18: The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has dispatched a second voluntary repatriation convoy comprising 509 Angolan refugees to their country. "The convoy would proceed into Angola today where a hand-over ceremony would take place at Luhuza," UNHCR regional representative, armed Gubartalla said. The group, comprising 245 male and 264 female refugees, was destined for Cazombo municipality in Moxico province in Angola, he added. This batch, dispatched yesterday, brings the total number of refugees from Maheba refugee camp in north western province repatriated on voluntary basis to 896 following another group of 387 refugees that left on July 11.

Gubartalla explained that his organisation was aiming at repatriating as many refugees as possible before the onset of the 2003/2004 rainy season.

He further disclosed that over 25,000 Angolan refugees from Maheba refugee camp alone have since registered to return under the repatriation programme to be carried out over a period of two years.

Zambia houses about 200,000 Angolan refugees dotted in Mayukwayukwa, Nangweshi, and Ukwimi refugee settlements. Bureau Report