[DEBATE] : AIDS, Human Rights Groups Condemn SA Raid on Zim Refugees

[MFleshman at aol.com]

AIDS and Human Rights Groups Condemn the Treatment of Zimbabwean
Refugees in Southern Africa


5 February 2008             Contact: Michaela Clayton, +264-61-300381 
(Windhoek)
For immediate release                Gregg Gonsalves, +27-78-456-3848 (Cape 
Town)

Windhoek, Namibia/Johannesburg, South Africa, 5 February 2008 –Last
Wednesday, 30 January 2008, the South African Police Service (SAPS)
conducted a brutal midnight raid on a church in Johannesburg, beating
and arresting approximately 300 Zimbabwean refugees.  Most of the
Zimbabweans who had taken refuge in the Central Methodist Church were
not involved in any criminal activity, and are actually living in
South Africa with the requisite documentation.

In the immediate aftermath of the raid, the magistrate in Johannesburg
postponed the bail application until Monday 4 February, forcing the
approximately 300 refugees to remain in custody over the weekend.  The
magistrate also made legal representation difficult by insisting that
translators be hired for each of the hundreds in detention, though
most could speak English fluently.  Finally, health care workers
seeking access to the refugees reported difficulty in gaining access
to them, some of whom required urgent medical attention.
Due to quick intervention by AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern
Africa (ARASA) partner organisation the AIDS Law Project, the Legal
Resources Centre and others in South Africa, the vast majority of the
refugees have been released from jail and will not be prosecuted by
the South African government.  However, as of yesterday, Monday, 4
February, 15 people were still in custody and awaiting hearing for
bail.

ARASA and its partners condemn the unwarranted and unreasonable raid
by the SAPS and the use of excessive force against people who sought
refuge at a church.   Furthermore, we condemn all delays in access to
legal representation and medical attention over the past few days for
those in custody.  Finally, in the aftermath of its failure to secure
a political solution through mediation in Zimbabwe under the aegis of
SADC, we condemn the South African government for targeting Zimbabwean
refugees as "the problem," when those fleeing Zimbabwe are doing so in
the context of a disastrous political, humanitarian and economic
crisis in the country.  We consider all these acts--the raid, the
arrests, the treatment in detention and the political decision by the
South African government to target vulnerable refugees--as human
rights violations.

The plight of Zimbabwean refugees across SADC is precarious. Most flee
their country with nothing but the clothes on their backs and are
often greeted with suspicion, if not hostility, in the countries in
which they take refuge.  SADC has failed to deal with the crisis in
Zimbabwe and leaders in Southern Africa have condoned the human rights
violations within the country by their continued support of President
Robert Mugabe.  Attacks on or poor treatment of Zimbabwean refugees
across the region are inexcusable.  Our leaders must condemn all human
rights violations against Zimbabweans-both those still in Zimbabwe and
those living in other SADC countries.

We call for an independent investigation into the South African
government's decision to target Zimbabwean refugees.  We also call
upon the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and
SADC to address the refugee situation in Southern Africa as a
political, humanitarian and economic crisis and take clear actions to
protect the political, social and economic rights of Zimbabweans
refugees in the region.

[END]


-- 
Gregg Gonsalves
AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa
c/o AIDS Law Project
Westminster House, 4th Floor
122 Longmarket Street
Cape Town, 8001
South Africa
Mobile: +27-78-456-3848
Landline: +27-21-422-1490 x1
Email: gregg.gonsalves at gmail.com
Skype: gregggonsalves

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