UNHCR Calls on South Africa to Stop Deportation of Zimbabwean Refugees

The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) on Friday called on South Africa to stop deporting Zimbabwean refugees, noting that an increasing number of them are arriving as a result of political violence in their homeland.

According to UNHCR, while there were a significant number of refugees crossing the border into South Africa seeking asylum in the wake of the violence that beset Zimbabwe following the March elections, that figure has increased since the 27 June presidential run-off.

UNHCR spokesperson Ms. Jennifer Pagonis told reporters at the UN headquarters in New York Friday that the agency is seeing “an increasing number of families arriving as a result of political violence, with several people showing signs of beatings or torture.” Many new arrivals are entering the country through unauthorized border points, making it difficult to know the numbers involved.

“The High Commissioner is reiterating his appeal to South Africa to halt all deportations of Zimbabweans and ensure that those seeking asylum should have access to the national asylum procedures,” Ms. Pagonis said.

“We continue to urge South Africa to exceptionally grant Zimbabweans a temporary legal status allowing them to stay in the country, an option which is foreseen in national legislation,” she added.

Sources indicate that, in the last 40 days alone, some 17,000 Zimbabweans have been deported from South Africa through the Beit Bridge border post, despite earlier calls from UNHCR to suspend all deportations.

“In our view, the large scale deportations, coupled with the difficulties that Zimbabweans face braving the crowds to access the national asylum procedure, create a real risk that refoulement – or forcible return to their country of origin where they could face danger – could occur,” said Ms. Pagonis.

Source African Press Agency

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