TNAG-1542-FCO40-2106-United-Nations-High-Commissioner-for-Refugees-(UNHCR)-Execut-1986 — Page 173

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6

Legal Protection

i)

ii)

There are occasionally strong pressures on UNHCR but they fight back well and insist on carrying out their mandate. They support refugee appeals to GRZ and most often win.

This is a problem but not an insuperable one. MFA clearance is required for travel outside 40kms. UNHCR demand unfettered access to their own camps but have encountered problems eg with Nyango (SWAPO). In the case of the new Ugandan settlement near Kafue they found access denied as the camp was located in a military facility area and UNHCR have therefore washed their hands of the matter.

7 Physical Security of Refugees

i) The Zambian Government do their best but faced with

possible military action by the SADF there is little that they can do effectively to protect large groups of refugees at the well known camps. If however the question means safety of individuals who may be victimised, the position is less clear cut and we know of victimisation cases eg where a man is judged to be a political dissident by his fellows.

ii)

iii)

iv)

No.

But relations with SWAPO and the ANC are close and it is doubtful if GRZ would take a major decision about the refugees without consulting both organisations.

As for (i). There are quarrels between the Angolans

(MPLA versus UNITA), between Namibian groups and probably between Shona and Ndebele groups from Zimbabwe. At the moment however the threat eg from unauthorised but deniable vigilante groups is small but if the Zambian security forces were to be placed under excessive strain, it would be easy for outsiders to act with impunity against refugees.

Little more can be done without the military firepower to ward off an SADF attack.

8

Nature of Refugee Camps

i) No. On the whole the refugee camps are what they are.

UNHCR are fairly confident about those camps under their own control. The policy of the Zambian Government is to avoid provoking South Africa into retaliation by maintaining the refugee character of the camps and not permit them to be turned into military training organisations.

"Yours suiceroy. R. Li Gulan

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