Military

DATE=11/14/2000

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=UNHCR / ANGOLA REFUGEES (CQ)

BYLINE=LISA SCHLEIN

DATELINE=GENEVA

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

///Re-running w/correct spelling in third graph,in third line ///

INTRO: The U-N refugee agency, U-N-H-C-R, says several of its staff were recently (November 11-12) able to travel to remote border areas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, D-R-C, to check on the well-being of newly arrived refugees from Angola. Lisa Schlein in Geneva reports the U-N-H-C-R mission went to three villages in southeastern Bundundu province.

TEXT: U-N-H-C-R spokesman Kris Janowski says about one-thousand Angolans have crossed into the D-R-C in the past few weeks to avoid fighting between the Angolan government and UNITA rebels. He says the refugees in Bundundu told the aid workers that as many as 18-thousand more people are massed on the Angolan side of the border. Many of them, according to Mr. Janowski, only cross the border into the D-R-C as a last resort.

/// JANOWSKI ACT ///

One reason why so few, or relatively few, have crossed is that apparently according to the testimony of the ones who have crossed, people stick around on the other (Angolan) side of the border, preferring to wait it out in Angola until things get really rough and they run out of food and supplies and then they cross over as a last resort.

/// END ACT ///

Considering the trying circumstances, Mr. Janowski says the aid workers found the refugees in the camps in Bandundu were in relatively good health, although they obviously were terrified by their ordeal. He says aid workers did not detect any big problems of disease or malnutrition.

The refugee agency has trucks standing by in the capital Kinshasa to bring emergency aid to the refugees, but Mr. Janowski says the camps are in a remote area and it takes up to 10 days to make the trip by road.

/// 2ND JANOWSKI ACT ///

We have the trucks now. But it is extremely difficult to organize even the few hundred liters of diesel fuel needed for these few trucks to go to that area, let alone fuel for aircraft. So, we are facing in addition to a myriad of checkpoints along the road and difficult logistical conditions - wet, muddy roads and so forth, we are also facing a very, very severe fuel shortage and that is really a bottle neck (problem).

/// END ACT ///

Mr. Janowski says the refugee situation could become perilous if the thousands of people now on Angolan side of the border decide to cross into the D-R-C. (Signed)

NEB/LS/KL/KBK