Angolans (in DRC, Zambia)
Nearly 40 years of violent conflict had led to large-scale displacement within Angola, and to refugee movements to other countries. Most Angolan refugees are staying in Zambia, the DRC, Namibia, the Republic of Congo and South Africa. Since the end of the Angolan conflict in 2002, more than 400,000 refugees have returned home. Nevertheless, there remain some 135,000 Angolan refugees in exile for whom no durable solution was found thus far.
Conflicts in Angola started in 1961 with the independence war. After independence was achieved in 1975, various factions of the independence movement began fighting each other. The MPLA (supported by the Mbundu ethnic group), the Frente Nacional de Libertao de Angola (FNLA, supported by the BaKongo), and UNITA (supported by the Ovimbundu) fought a violent struggle with the involvement of the USSR and the USA. When the Cold War ended, a peace agreement was reached in 1990, and a significantly underfunded UN mission was sent to Angola to oversee demilitarisation and demobilisation. Its failure became apparent when violent conflict broke out again after an election in 1992 - the UNITA refused to accept their defeat and started to fight the new MPLA government with a largely intact army. During that third stage of the conflict, civilians were attacked indiscriminately, and hundreds of thousands fled their homes. A new peace accord was signed in 1994, but war broke out again by 1998. After the UNITA's leader was killed in 2002, a ceasefire was signed.
Many refugees have returned home since the end of the conflict. In 2005, Human Rights Watch warned that returnees faced difficulties in obtaining identity documents, which stopped them from exercising their right to work, to vote and to an education.
Online Resources
- Bakewell, O. (1996) 'Repatriation for Angolan refugees in Zambia: going home or leaving it?' Paper presented at African Studies Association of the UK Biennial Conference, Sept. 1996, Bristol.
- Eyber, C. (2005) 'FMO research guide: Angola'.
- FMO Resource Summary: Angola.
- Hansen, A. (1990) 'Refugee self-settlement versus settlement on government schemes: the long-term consequences for security, integration and economic development of Angolan refugees (1966-1989) in Zambia', UNRISD Discussion Paper 17, Geneva: United Nations.
- Human Rights Watch (2005) 'Coming home: Return and reintegration in Angola'
- Human Rights Watch (2002) 'The War is Over: The Crisis of Angola's Internally Displaced Continues'.
- Mijere, N. (1990) 'The long term impact and consequences of two refugee settlement options: the case of Angolan refugees in Zambia'. Paper presented at the International Refugee Conference, 30 July - 4 August 1990, Arusha.
- Porto, J.G. Alden, C. Parsons, I. (2003) 'Sustaining the peace in Angola: an overview of current demobilisation, disarmament and reintegration', Bonn International Centre for Conversion, Institute for Security Studies.
- Powles, J. (1993) 'Tales of fish ... A field report: Angolan refugees in Zambia September 1992 to July 1993'.
- The Stanley Foundation, Strategic Humanitarian Action and Research (SHARE) and Refugees International (2003) 'Strengthening the UN-Angolan partnership to help Angola's displaced and war-affected'.
- Wilson, K.B. (1986), 'The integration of Angolan refugees in western and north-western Zambia. Provisional draft.
