WESTERN PROVINCE

KARONGI — Refugees at Kiziba refugee camp have been reported to have   encroached into other areas not designated for their settlement.

The complaints were raised during a district security meeting held last week.Residents of Rwankuba Sector where the camp is located have always complained about such encroachments.

Deforestation within the area , according to officials at the camp, has been one of the effects of the refugee camps as the firewood provided by United Nations High Commission for refugees (UNHCR) is not adequate for the camp inmates.

They reported that only 670 bundles of fire wood are provided every month in a camp of more than eighteen thousand refugees.

As a result residents complained   about the depletion of the local forest cover and have thus appealed to the district authorities to intervene.

In response the district mayor, Bernard Kayumba ordered for an immediate meeting with all development partners operating in the camp under the helm of UNHCR with an intent of finding a solution to the issue.

He assured residents that the meeting slated to take place on Tuesday at the camp will come up with a constructive resolution. Kayumba suggested that the UNHCR should increase the quantity of firewood they provide in direct proportion to the population in the camp.

Ends