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CONTACT: Vanessa Parra, 202-904-0319 vanessa@refugeesinternational.org

Refugees International Condemns Police Raid in Johannesburg

Police arrest of Zimbabweans undermines humanitarian efforts

Washington, D.C. - The United States based advocacy organization, Refugees International, strongly condemns a police raid conducted at the Central Methodist Church in Johannesburg, South Africa on Wednesday, January 30, 2008. The South African Police Service arrested up to 1,500 people, the vast majority being Zimbabwean migrants who sought sanctuary in the Church. Many among those arrested were asylum seekers and refugees residing legally in South Africa. While hundreds have now been released, many detainees are still attempting to produce their documents.

The Central Methodist Church has provided shelter to refugees from all parts of Africa for the past four years, and is recognized as one of the few places where the basic needs of displaced Zimbabweans are addressed. Up to now, church leaders had established a positive relationship with the police and local authorities, who often brought homeless South Africans and migrants in need to the Church.

"Last night's raid is a serious setback to the efforts of South African civil society to create safe humanitarian havens for Zimbabweans and other migrants," said Patrick Duplat of Refugees International, who visited the Church in October 2007 as part of Refugees International's mission to the region to assess the humanitarian needs of Zimbabweans in exile. "The South African police should immediately release all detainees from the Church and move to re-establish a constructive working relationship with Church leaders, including a promise to stop any future raids."

While South Africa has a progressive refugee policy which allows for the local integration of refugees and asylum seekers, the process of applying for asylum is rife with mismanagement and inefficiency. As a result, many Zimbabweans have decided not to apply at all, or are discouraged by the closure of the asylum center in Johannesburg and weeks-long waits at the center in Pretoria.

"The lack of an efficient system for registering and assisting refugees in South Africa means that thousands of people who deserve the protection of the South African government are not receiving it," said Sean Garcia, an Advocate at Refugees International who also participated in the October mission. "South Africa had been making progress towards creating a new legal framework to document Zimbabwean migrants. These raids are a troubling indication that this process may have stalled, or even worse, failed."

Refugees International interviewed scores of Zimbabweans at the Central Methodist Church in October, including vulnerable women and children. The Church, where hundreds slept on the steps of staircases and on the floor, housed a nursery for infants and young mothers. Refugees International is particularly concerned at the reports of brutality on the part of police officials.

All Zimbabweans Refugees International spoke to had fled hardship in Zimbabwe, where food shortages and political repression have forced a large number of citizens to seek refuge in neighboring countries. South Africa hosts between one and three million Zimbabweans, many of whom have inadequate access to food, shelter and healthcare. Refugees International believes that the number of Zimbabweans entering South Africa will continue to grow as long as political and economic conditions further deteriorate in Zimbabwe. Approaching elections in Zimbabwe in March 2008 and the lack of prospects for a political resolution could exacerbate the displacement crisis.

Refugees International is a Washington, DC-based organization that advocates to end refugee crises. The October mission included assessments in South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. For more information, go to http://www.refugeesinternational.org

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