US embassy cable - 04LILONGWE139

C O N F I D E N T I A L LILONGWE 000139 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR PRM/AFR MARY LANGE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/18/2014 
TAGS: PREF, PHUM, MI, Refugee, Humanitarian 
SUBJECT: RWANDAN REFUGEES IN MALAWI READY TO RETURN HOME 
 
REF: 03 LILONGWE 1241 
 
Classified By: POLOFF KIERA EMMONS FOR REASONS 1.5 B & D 
 
1. (C) Rwandan refugees in Malawi are reportedly eager to 
return home, but inexplicably not yet moving in large 
numbers.  Poloff met with a Dzaleka refugee camp 
administrator on February 19 at the camp, who said that many 
Rwandan refugees have been asking about returning home, and 
frustration with delays is increasing at the camp. He said 
there are currently at least 15 families prepared to return 
immediately to Rwanda, with many more interested in departing 
soon. The administrator stated that new Rwandan refugees are 
being registered, they often demand to know how soon they 
will be able to return home. 
 
2.  (C) The camp administrator estimated the current refugee 
population to be about 9,500 to 10,000 people, mostly of 
Burundian and Rwandan origin. (COMMENT: This is contrary to 
UNHCR resident representative's recent estimate of 13,000 per 
reftel END COMMENT.)  He noted that refugees can be "very 
difficult" in their movements, pointing out that in 2003 a 
large number of refugees left Malawi for Mozambique, where 
refugee conditions were reportedly better, but have since 
returned. 
 
3. (SBU) WFP's deputy country director told poloff on 
February 19 that Rwandan refugees are in fact leaving Malawi, 
but not in a swift and organized manner; one month's estimate 
was 150 departures, and another's was zero. She said that 
refugee departures are still not being documented to WFP's 
satisfaction. 
 
BROWNING