LONDON - Most of us at the Vigil have relatives or friends who have taken refuge in South Africa. This is hardly surprising given that an estimated one in four Zimbabweans have fled the Mugabe meltdown.
We know of the hardships refugees in South Africa have suffered but we were shocked to hear that the Zuma government has now announced measures which could see many of them sent back to Zimbabwe at the end of the year (http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/article638337.ece/End-of-the-line-for-illegal-Zim-nationals).
Explaining the decision, government spokesman Themba Maseko said We believe that some form of stability has returned to Zimbabwe. The Vigil believes that people sent home to poverty, starvation and abuse will not thank the schizophrenic MDC which has been telling two contradictory stories: complaining at home of victimisation while proclaiming to the outside world that things are getting better.
Take the case of Tsvangirais beautician Theresa Makone, promoted from make-up and hair-styling to the dizzying depths of co-minister of Home Affairs. Now she is trying to make the police look beautiful. The police, she told the Zimbabwe Independent, were now executing their duties in a professional manner. Continuing her cosmetic wizardry, she went on I can assure you that everything has been looked at and there is no more hiding behind a finger of someone powerful. As I speak right now everything is being effected all court orders are being implemented, work is being done as the country moves forward. We are doing our job . . . The Zimbabwe Republic Police is doing what it was mandated to do (see: http://www.theindependent.co.zw/local/
27867-police-have-turned-over-new-leaf–makone-.html).
We are told that now the World Cup is over there is hardly a day in South Africa that passes without negative comments about Zimbabweans. So it is not surprising that the government there grasps at MDC fantasies and tries to get rid of unwanted refugees despite the manifest failure of the interim government to end human rights abuses and revive the comatose economy.
We in the UK are also fearful of being dispatched to the mercies of this dysfunctional government and we urge South Africa to think again before sending Zimbabweans back to Mugabe. Our view is that Pretorias persistent failure to stand by its proclaimed democratic principles has betrayed Zimbabweans. We warn them that if they do not deal honestly with us South Africans will face the same fate as Zimbabweans. Can they seriously think that things are going alright in Zimbabwe when the regime has resumed jamming of outside broadcasts?
For latest Vigil pictures check: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/. For the latest ZimVigil TV programme check the link at the top of the home page of our website. For earlier ZimVigil TV programmes check: http://www.zbnnews.com/home/firingline.
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EVENTS AND NOTICES:
Ministering to the Diaspora: a case study of Zimbabweans in Britain. Wednesday 15th September from 9.30 am to 5.30 pm. Venue: Oxford Centre for Mission Studies, SS Philip & James Church, Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 6HR. A conference to help identify unique needs, the services Christian organizations are offering and can offer (but are not), identifying what more needs to be done and how this might be achieved, and drawing up a co-ordinated action plan. For more information, contact: Clayton Peel, capeel@ocms.ac.uk or phone 01865 882 421.
Vigil protest to mark the second anniversary of the signing of the Zimbabwean Global Political Agreement. Saturday 18th September from 2 6 pm outside the Zimbabwe Embassy, London.
IOM Live Video Conference with Returnees in Zimbabwe. Wednesday 22nd September from 9.30 am to 1.30 pm. Venue: International Organisation for Migration, 21 Westminster Palace Gardens, Artillery Row, London SW1P 1RR. Attendance is free, but registration is required. To confirm your attendance or for more information about the event, please call 020 7808 1083 or email infouk@iom.int. Lunch will be provided.
Zimbabwe Vigils 8th Anniversary. Saturday 9th October from 2 6 pm.
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