US embassy cable - 05LILONGWE416

UNCLAS LILONGWE 000416 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR PRM/AFR MARY LANGE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF, PHUM, EAID, MI, Refugee 
SUBJECT: REFUGEE SERVICES IN MALAWI: AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE 
 
1.  SUMMARY.  The 2004 Ambassador's Fund for Refugees grant 
is currently being implemented in Malawi, despite several 
obstacles and an uncertain future for refugee services in 
the country.  The closure of one of Malawi's two camps and 
even a possible cessation of services for Rwandese refugees 
are looming on the horizon.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  The 2004 Ambassador's Fund for Refugees grantee, Jesuit 
Refugee Services (JRS), has completed several elements of 
their 2004 project.  Two computers have been purchased for a 
Dzaleka camp learning center, and qualified teachers are 
currently providing computer skills training to young women. 
These classes have been extremely popular, and will soon be 
made available to a group of young men as well.  JRS has 
also purchased science equipment and several thousand 
textbooks for a local secondary school utilized by refugees. 
 
3.  While JRS has made good progress in completing their 
project as proposed, they have run into some formidable 
obstacles.  One element of the project is the construction a 
school block at the newly re-opened Luwani camp; however, 
talk of camp closure and a possible cessation of services 
for Rwandese (the largest group of refugees in Malawi) are 
cause for hesitation.  So far, no school construction is 
underway. 
 
4.  UNHCR and GOM officials remain unsure - or at least 
tight-lipped - about which of the two camps will remain 
open.  A camp administrator told PolOff on May 13 that the 
GOM is now complaining about problems of land and water 
usage at Luwani camp, which was re-opened in late 2003. 
(NOTE: At that time, UNHCR insisted that Luwani's opening 
was essential due to the limited space for farming and 
crowded conditions at Dzaleka.  Prior to re-opening Luwani, 
UNHCR said the areas surrounding the camp - which had 
previously housed in excess of 200,000 Mozambican refugees - 
were readily available for refugees' usage. END NOTE) The 
administrator added that new arrivals to Malawi often refuse 
to go to Luwani, citing poor living and agricultural 
conditions there as well as the camp's remote location.  He 
noted that the GOM's preference is to expand Luwani and 
close Dzaleka completely, though he did not think UNHCR 
would agree.  A cessation of services to Rwandese, 
apparently under consideration since the 2003 tripartite 
repatriation agreement, had been scheduled to occur in late 
2005, but now appears to have been postponed until at least 
2006. 
 
5.  COMMENT.  JRS has made reasonable, good faith efforts to 
uphold its grant agreement with the USG.  Unfortunately, 
these efforts have been slowed due to inefficiencies in the 
UNHCR/GOM decision-making process.  Consolidation of the two 
camps appears to be a logical idea, however deciding which 
camp to close may be more difficult than the GOM and UNHCR 
would like.  Malawi's looming food crisis and continued 
severe poverty make refugee services and land usage 
sensitive issues.  A cessation of services for Rwandese, 
while unlikely in the immediate future, does not seem to be 
out of the question. 
GILMOUR