November 05, 2018

Forcible expulsion of Congolese from Angola is a recipe for anarchy

located:	Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo
editor:	Bob Koigi

In just one month, more than 330,000 Congolese nationals, including 80,000 children, have been forcefully deported from Angola in what is shaping out to be a humanitarian crisis of epidemic proportions. This comes as Angola brings to force an exit order against migrants, a majority of whom come from The Democratic Republic of Congo.

The brutal and forceful expulsions have already seen dozens killed, according to official data from the United Nations, while hundreds of thousands continue to be robbed off of their right to a dignified existence by being concentrated in refugee camps at border towns. Mineral-rich Angola is justifying the evictions as its attempt at taming diamond smuggling and irregular immigrants, and it is well within its ambit and constitutional provisions to institute crackdowns that protect its borders. But the approach to these evictions has all the hallmarks of a military state.

Angola has blatantly disregarded an agreement it has with DR Congo on freedom of movement while violating international law and the African Charter of Human and Peoples’ Rights. The region is now teetering on a dangerous precipice; an influx of refugees in DR Congo only serves to exacerbate an already dire humanitarian situation while threatening a resurgence of the 2016 inter-communities conflict that claimed hundreds of lives. The price of numerous staple foods has already more than tripled at the border as Angola merchants who supply the region take a break for fear of potential conflicts. The economy of Congolese border communities is now at a near halt.

The Angolan government should be reminded that it has an obligation to protect every life under provisions of international law and border agreements. The forceful evictions and torture are setting a bad precedent in an already volatile region and Angola should not be allowed to fan this.

Photo © UNHCR photo