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Denial of asylum for Roy Bennett, MDC Treasurer
Zimbabwe Exiles' Forum (ZEF)
May 30, 2006

Zimbabwe Exiles' Forum (ZEF) is completely devastated and outraged that the South African Government has refused to grant Roy Bennet, the former MP for Chimanimani and current treasurer for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), asylum in South Africa. The denial of Mr Bennet's asylum request comes barely two weeks after eight of his workers were denied on the ground that their fear of political persecution were groundless.

ZEF is a south African based NGO which documents, advocates and litigates on cases of human rights abuses occurring in Zimbabwe as well as helping exiles apply for asylum. The organisation notes with grave concern that of late, the South African government has been blanketly refusing asylum to Zimbabwean asylum seekers on the grounds that their fear is 'not well founded'. However what is even more disturbing is that asylum has in most instances been granted to people from as far afield as Nigeria, Pakistan and China.

Commenting on this development, the Executive Director of ZEF, Mr Gabriel Shumba said

'The South African government's stance regarding the self-evident case of Roy Bennet is not only a callous, but also smacks of the hypocrisy that characterizes the government of President Mbeki's approach to the Zimbabwean crisis. To say that the Zimbabwe judiciary has been 'usually' impartial simply because it acquitted Morgan Tsvangirai on fabricated and highly political charges is to hide behind a finger. In Bennet's case, it must not be forgotten that some of those who have been arrested have been tortured in order to implicate him. Secondly, the judiciary in Zimbabwe has become notorious for its subservience to ZANU (PF) interests and for the South African government to tacitly endorse judicial lack of independence in Zimbabwe is not only regrettable, but dangerous for a young democracy such as South Africa.'

ZEF strongly urges the South African government to review its decision, especially because the decision is blind to international, continental and even South African laws regarding the treatment of asylum seekers as well as qualifications for international protection. South Africa should also be reminded that if returned to Zimbabwe Mr Bennet faces certain torture and that if found guilty even on fabricated treason charges, he faces the death penalty, which has been laudably abolished in South Africa.

Gabriel Shumba
Executive Director

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