Namibian Group Calls on UNHCR to Release Repatriation Funds. A Namibian organization advocating for former refugees is pressing the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to provide financial support for the return of over 43,387 refugees.
The Former Refugees Repatriation Association Namibia argues that these individuals should receive the same level of assistance that was previously granted to the Caprivi secessionists who were repatriated from Botswana.
According to Mathues Nangolo, the association’s president, Namibian refugees at Dukwe Refugee Camp in Botswana were given various forms of aid and resettlement support when they returned home under UNHCR programs. He insists that the same treatment should be extended to all Namibian returnees.
Nangolo made these remarks during a discussion with UN resident coordinator Hopolang Phororo in Windhoek on Wednesday.
Association spokesperson Mathues Stefanus criticized the UNHCR for allegedly failing to implement planned resettlement and rehabilitation efforts in Namibia. He referenced United Nations Resolution 435 of 1978, which outlined steps for Namibia’s transition to independence, including the withdrawal of South African forces and the establishment of a UN-supervised transition process.
Stefanus questioned the whereabouts of funds meant for these initiatives, asking why they have not been used as intended. He stressed that many refugees repatriated from Angola, Zambia, and several other countries have been struggling with poverty since their return in 1989, highlighting the need for urgent intervention.
The group is calling for transparency and action from the UNHCR and its implementing partners to ensure that all Namibian refugees receive the support they were promised.