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ZSF
condemns the central methodist church raid
Zimbabwe Solidarity Forum (ZSF)
January
31, 2008
The Zimbabwe Solidarity
Forum (ZSF) strongly condemns the siege
and mass arrest of refugees inside the Central Methodist Church.
Whilst we agree that in general, police have a duty to manifest
the rule of law, it is the unorthodox police tactics operationalised
in the raid that are a major cause for concern. Churches are historically
places of sanctity and refuge for those in need. The way in which
the police violated this, as well as the rights of those involved
in the arrests is an abominable and shameful act of unnecessary
brutality.
The raid has sparked
a sense of deep distrust for our adherence to norms of international
law in the humane treatment and protection of refugees. The refugee
crisis is also said to form part of the agenda of current South
African led mediation efforts.
We are also deeply
concerned of the fate of those detained. Most or all of them were
asylum and work permit applicants whose cases have not received
final status determination by Home Affairs. Their deportation by
the aggressive police inevitably makes them vulnerable to inhumane
and worse off humanitarian conditions. In the case of political
asylum seekers, they are rendered potential victims of hot pursuits
by their government security agencies, without having had an opportunity
to hear the outcome of their applications.
The ZSF celebrated
the opening of the Rafah, Egypt-Gaza frontier, as a symbol of freedom
for the Palestinians and an act of bravery widely supported by many
people across the world. It is our wish that alongside a South Africa
recognition of the Zimbabwean crisis, constructive measures be put
in place which mitigates prolonged suffering of Zimbabweans refugees.
In our view this includes taking a lesson from the Gaza border relief,
coupled with our South African liberation values of the Freedom
Charter which places the respect of humanity as one of the strategic
principles underpinning our freedom.
We support the
demands made by Cosatu on this matter and call for a dual investigation
by the Human Rights Commission and the UN High Commissioner for
Refugees.
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