Botswana sets up Zim Refuge Camp

Local
Saturday, 03 May 2008 18:12
Botswana has set up a temporary refugee centre to receive Zimbabweans fleeing politically-motivated violence which began after the disputed 29 March election results.



In a statement released on Friday, the Minister of Defence, Justice and Security, Dikgakgamatso Seretse, said there had been an influx of Zimbabweans seeking refuge and international protection in the aftermath of the polls.

"For some time we have been receiving illegal immigrants from Zimbabwe seeking economic opportunities who have been crossing at un-gazetted entry points into Botswana," he said.

Few of these people sought asylum, Seretse said.

"But, since the elections, we have received a number of people actively seeking political asylum and international protection and alleging they feared for their lives," he said, adding there was a probability the numbers would grow.

The government’s decision to set up the temporary facility comes amid growing fears in the international community that the situation in Zimbabwe was edging towards a full-blown humanitarian crisis.

Last week, Western countries, including Britain and the United States, urged by the MDC, successfully put Zimbabwe on the United Nations Security Council agenda.

They tried to steer the council to adopt a common strategy on the situation in the country where the delayed announcement of the results of the presidential election have sparked a political crisis.

But the government’s allies such as China and Russia blocked the move, saying the election impasse in Zimbabwe was an internal issue not warranting UN intervention.

Both countries sponsored the liberation struggle against white rule, with arms, ammunition and training.

The MDC says 10 of its supporters have been killed and thousands more displaced by marauding Zanu PF militia and war veterans protesting President Robert Mugabe’s defeat at the polls.

A spokesman for presidential candidate Simba Makoni’s Mavambo/Kusile project, Joshua Muhambi said a number of their supporters from Plumtree were last weekend forced to cross the border into Botswana by war veterans terrorising villagers.

Earlier in the week media reports in Botswana cited officials as saying hundreds of Zimbabweans were entering Botswana through undesignated entry points, forcing the authorities there to set up a temporary camp inside the Centre for Illegal Immigrants in Francistown.

Under normal circumstances, Botswana accommodates hundreds of refugees and asylum seekers at the Dukwi Camp near its border with Namibia but authorities said due to the sudden influx, the temporary centre would now be used to screen new arrivals.

The independent Mmegi newspaper quoted Francistown district commissioner, Richard Oaitse, as saying refugees, including children, were being accommodated at the temporary shelter and more were expected last week.

"A tent has been erected within the Centre for Illegal Immigrants so that they don’t mix with other nationalities that are currently at the centre for various reasons," he said.

In the mining town of Selebi Phikwe, which is close to the Zimbabwean border, the district officer, Khumo Keeng, told the paper the refugees were being relayed to Francistown for screening.

Since 2000 about 100 refugees from Zimbabwe have been staying at Dukwi and the centre’s administrator, Ephraim Sekeinya said during the past two years they had not received anyone escaping political persecution.

The camp also housed Zimbabwean refugees during the liberation war.

MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai who beat Mugabe to the presidency has sought temporary refuge in Botswana, saying his personal security was at risk.

This forced Botswana’s new President Seretse Ian Khama to plead with Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa to call an urgent Sadc summit to discuss the political impasse.

Botswana MPs introduced a motion calling on Mugabe to respect the election outcome.

By Kholwani Nyathi

URGENT APPEAL

TO: THE US STATE DEPARTMENT



My name is Charles Mutama and I am Zimbabwean national living in the United States who is concerned with the ongoing state- sponsored violence in my home country. Recently, this brutality claimed the life of one brave woman activist who attempted to rescue her colleagues from a ZANU PF torture chamber. She belonged to the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) which just won a majority in the Zimbabwean Parliament. This courageous heroin lived in Gunda Village, Makoni West in Zimbabwe and was laid to rest there.

The perpetrator of this violence is unfortunately believed to be posted at the Zimbabwean Embassy in the United States of America. He has been identified as Daniel Romeo Mutsunguma who was allegedly responsible for the shooting of a defenseless and unarmed civilian identified as Tabitha Marume.

As a survivor of torture and organized violence in Zimbabwe, I am urging you to immediately institute an investigation into the presence of Daniel Romeo Mutsunguma, a perpetrator of organized violence and torture, at the Zimbabwean Embassy in Washington DC and institute legal proceedings towards his arrest or deportation from the United States.

It is my hope that this individual will face justice for the alleged commission of this crime against humanity.

Vanhu Vogara Vakaratidzira paMuzinda weZimbabwe muAmerica Na Carole Gombakomba

02/05/2008

Hurukuro naVa Charles Mutama - Download (MP3)
Hurukuro naVa Charles Mutama - Teererai (MP3)


Vana veZimbabwe vari kugara muAmerica, pamwe neshamwari dzavo dziri munyika iyi dziri kurwadzikana nezviri kuitika muZimbabwe, varatidzira neChishanu pamuzinda weZimbabwe muAmerica, uyo uri muWashington DC. Vanhu ava vanoti vari kushungurudzika zvikuru nekuurayiwa kuri kuitwa vanhu muZimbabwe.

Mumwe wevataura pachiitiko ichi, ndimuzvinafundo wepa American University, Professor George Ayittey, avo vanorwira kodzero dzevanhu, pamwe nekuongorora zvematongerwo enyika. Va Ayittey vatsoropodza zvikuru zviri kuitwa nehurumende yaVaMugabe, vachiti zviri kuitwa naVaMugabe, zvinhu zvinonyadzisa vanhu vose venyika dzose dzemu Africa.

Vatiwo kupondwa kuri kuitwa vanhu, pamwe nekuramba kwanga kuchiita ZEC kubiditsa zvakabuda musarudzo yemutungamiri wenyika, kunoratidza pachena kuti Va Mugabe vazvitadza, naizvozvo vanofanirwa kusiya chigaro chemutungamiri wenyika.

Mumwe wevaratidzira ndiVaCharles Mutama, nhengo yeMDC Washington Branch. VaMutama mumwe wevanhu vakabuda munyika mushure mekunge vatocherwa nyaya dzezve matongerwo enyika.

Svondo rapera, mutungamiri weWOZA, Amai Jenni Williams, vakaratidzira pamuzinda uyu nevamwe vavo vatatu, apo vaishanya muWashington. Mwedzi wapera zvakare, VaMutama, vakaratidzira pamuzinda uyu vari vega, vachikurudzira kuti mumiriri weZimbabwe muAmerica, Ambassador Machivenyika Mapuranga vasvitse shoko kuna VaMugabe rekuti vaburitse zvakabuda musarudzo yemutungamiri wenyika, uye kumisa kupondwa pamwe nekushungurudzwa kuri kuitwa nhengo dzeMDC.

Mutori wenhau dzeStudio7, Carole Gombakomba, aita hurukuro naVaMutama, avo vanoti kuratidzira kwavo inzira yekuudza mumiriri weZimbabwe muAmerica, Ambassador Machiwenyika Mapuranga, kuti vaudze VaMugabe kuti zvizvarwa zveZimbabwe zviri muAmerica, hazvisi kufara nezviri kuitika munyika.