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Refugee
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
REFUGEE DEVELOPMENTS IN AFRICA
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RECEIVED RESY NO. 51
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7 14 May,.. 199
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The High Commissioner, Mr. Poul Hartling, led the UNHCR Delegation to the Pan-African Conference on Refugees in Arusha, Tanzania. The Conference, which is being sponsored jointly by the Organization of African Unity, UNHCR, and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, opened on 7. May and will continue until 17 May. Its objective is a full-scale review of the various aspects of protection and assistance activities involving refugees and displaced persons in Africa..
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UNHCR continues to review the situation with the Government of Uganda and to provide immediate assistance to refugees affected by events in Uganda. Furthermore, the office is in close touch with neighbouring governments in regard to refugees and displaced. persons from Uganda. In cooperation with other agencies, UNHCR is providing some 5,000 Ugandans who entered Western Kenya with food, shelter, medical equipment and other facilities. Following a request from the Zairian authorities, UNHCR is evaluating the needs of about 3,000 Ugandan refugees who have arrived in Zaire. Latest reports from the Sudan indicate an influx of up to 20,000. asylum seekers from Uganda on whose behalf the Sudanese Government has appealed to the international community for help. UNHCR is at present establishing a programme of emergency assistance with the cooperation of the Government and is in contact with other participating agencies.
Following consultations between UNHCR and Médecins sans Frontières, the latter organization is sending two medical teams, comprising two doctors and four nurses, to the Hiran region in Somalia.
INDO-CHINESE REFUGEES AND DISPLACED PERSONS
During the month of April 22, 643 'boat people' arrived from Vietnam in South East Asian countries, which was more than double the figure for the preceding month (10,309). Over 3,100 other refugees arrived in Thailand overland. During the same period, 6,850 persons left South East Asian countries of first asylum to be permanently re-settled else- where. All 2,449 refugees aboard the ship Hai Hong have now left Malaysia for the SA, Canada, the Federal Republic of Germany, France and other countries, thus ending an episode which began in October 1978.
REPATRIATION FROM BANGLADESH TO BURMA
In the continuing repatriation movement from Bangladesh to Burma, 138,782 persons had returned to their homes in the State of Arakan as of 7 May. It is expected that the remainder will have left Bangladesh by the end of June. UNHCR is ensuring that those returning to Burma are appropriately assisted in their journey.
UNHCR Public Information/Centre William Rappard/154, rue de Lausanne/CH 1202 Geneva Switzerland/Phone: (022) 310261/Telex 28 144