Botswana, UNHCR help Namibia refugees return

PATRICIA MAGANU
Staff Writer | Friday June 11, 2010 00:00

Hishongwa says that though there will not be special treatment for them once they settle, at the beginning the government of Namibia will help them settle in at home.

'The doors, gates and borders are open in Namibia for the Namibians to come back home, they are welcome. When they get there we will make sure they get national identity cards, employment and all that is required though there will be no special treatment once they settle back into the communities,' he said.

He said that if there are doubts Botswana and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) can come to Namibia and see how those who have already gone home are living.

'They are integrated back into the community. They are councillors and community leaders in their own right,' he said. He said that Namibians should not hesitate to return to Namibia because it is their rightful home. 'They should have no fears at all about coming back to Namibia,' he said. Since 1999 the government of Botswana, together with the government of Namibia and the UNHCR, has facilitated  the voluntary repatriation of about 2,000 Namibians.  At the moment 941 Namibians remain in Botswana.

In his welcome remarks, Secretary for Defence, Justice and Security, Augustine Makgonatsotlhe, said that the two governments have cooperated with UNHCR in seeking durable solutions for the Namibian refugee problem.

'Our efforts can be traced back to signing of the tripartite agreement and the achievements made in voluntarily repatriating over 2,000 refugees to Namibia since 1999,' he said. He said that during the same period, the UNHCR has managed to repatriate high profile refugees to other countries.

He further said that the tripartite should redouble their efforts in ensuring that refugees are facilitated to voluntarily repatriate back home to their rightful place in society and make a meaningful contribution to the development of Namibia.

UNHCR chief of mission in Botswana, Shana Kaninda, said that UNHCR was mandated to assist in the protection of refugees and seeking durable solutions to that problem.  'As UNHCR we say whenever the situation is conducive repatriation is the best solution. Refugees cannot stay forever. Their stay has to be temporary and one day they should go home,' he said. He said that it was important to continue to work towards the objective of repatriating willing Namibians to go home.