African Unification Front
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Kayes Region
The cease-fire, as well as the process of disarmament and demobilisation, has been reinforced, and the promulgation of an amnesty law in March 1997 symbolised the close of several years of hostilities.
As a result of these positive developments, Malian refugees of Tuareg and Moor ethnic origin have continued to return to their areas of origin. By the end of June 1999, some 131,780 Malians refugees had repatriated spontaneously or under UNHCR auspices from Algeria, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal.
Mali hosts about 6,000 Mauritanian refugees in the Kayes region, and some 1,924 urban refugees from 17 African and Middle Eastern countries, predominantly from Sierra Leone and Liberia. Out of the initial 16,800 Mauritanian refugees, UNHCR assisted the repatriation of 10,800.
The reintegration programme for Malian returnees, underway since 1996, focuses on the rehabilitation of basic services, in particular the provision of sufficient drinking water. The operation has had to function with limited and delayed financial resources. The final stages of the operation depended upon the balance of UNHCR's 1998 appeal because there was no new appeal for 1999. The repatriation and integration programme ended on 30 June 1999.
The residual Mauritanian population chose to stay in Kayes region. They will undergo individual eligibility procedures within the framework of the National Refugee Commission regulations. Those who do not wish to stay on as refugees will be subject to the Malian immigration and naturalisation procedures.
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