BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom
; 20-Apr-2000 12:00:00 am
Text of report in English by pro-Ethiopian government Walta Information Centre web site
on 20th April
Ten thousand Somali refuges living in three shelters in eastern Ethiopia were
voluntarily repatriated to their homeland since last March the Eastern Ethiopia Refugees
and Returnees Affairs Coordination Office announced here yesterday. The office said the
refugees, who had been residing in Rubaso, Daroro and Kamaboker shelters were repatriated
to their native land.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is providing the refugees with a
nine-month ration and household utensils each, branch office head, Tsegaye Mihretu said.
The refugees were also given transport allowances to reach their places of origin
following their arrival in Somalia, he said.
According to the office head, 90,000 of the 163,000 Somali refugees living in eastern
Ethiopia have so far been voluntarily repatriated to their homeland.
Source: Walta Information Centre web site, Addis Ababa, in English 20 Apr 00