Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The U.N. refugee agency is expressing concern over Angolan authorities' expulsion of some 200,000 Congolese in the past two weeks, saying it could create a humanitarian crisis.
The U.N. agency says the order to leave targeted Congolese migrants working in the informal mining sector. It is not clear what prompted the order.
The statement on Tuesday says mass expulsions are contrary to African Charter obligations and urges the Angolan and Congolese governments to work together to ensure safe "population movement."
The U.N. notes some reports of violence in Angola as security agents enforced the order that set a deadline of Oct. 15 to leave. It worries that the Congolese are in a "desperate situation" as they return to the fragile, conflict-weary Kasai region.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.