/ 13 January 2000

THOUSANDS OF ANGOLAN REFUGEES IN ZAMBIA

MORE than 7500 people have fled fighting in Angola and crossed the border into Zambia since January 1, the UN refugee agency UNHCR said on Tuesday. The refugees who arrived in Sijembela, just across the border from Angola, had come from the areas of Luiana and Jamba, UNHCR spokesman Kris Janowski said, adding that they were on foot and in poor health. UNHCR is opening a transit centre in Sijembela for the transfer of the refugees to Mayukwayukwa camp, which already hosts more than 6000 refugees mainly from Angola.