Govt washes hands of 41 refugees

GOVERNMENT has washed its hands of the 41 refugees from DRC that fled Namibia three weeks ago, and has said it will ‘never’ allow them back in the country.

The group of 41, including 23 children, had been living at the Osire Refugee Camp 220 km northeast of Windhoek and are now stranded in ‘no man’s land’ at the Mamuno Border Post between Namibia and Botswana.They fled Namibia last Wednesday, citing insecurity due to what they say – and what the National Society of Human Rights (NSHR) asserts – amounted to ‘death threats’ from the Namibian Government after they complained of ‘unacceptable conditions at Osire’. The government of Botswana has refused entry to the refugees, saying it considers the group to have found safety in Namibia.But in a strongly worded statement to the press on Friday, the Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Joel Kaapanda, said: ‘Since the 41 refugees left the country under the pretext of alleged threat and intimidation by the Government of the Republic of Namibia, the Government as the host lost all trust and confidence and will never allow them to return back to Namibia.’Kaapanda said that by fleeing the country, the refugees had violated a section of the Refugee Recognition and Control Act 2 of 1999, as well as the Departure from Namibia Amendment Act 4 of 1993.’In other words, these refugees have violated both their refugee status and immigration law of our country,’ the Minister stated.Refuting claims by the NSHR that the ‘illegal departure’ of the refugees was in fear of their lives, Kaapanda also described their ‘escape as having ill intention’.’This was an unfortunate and ill-conceived strategy used by the refugees and asylum seekers in the hope that they will be resettled better elsewhere in Europe or America,’ he said. ‘In turn, this perfectly fit in with the sinister plans of Mr Phil ya Nangoloh (Executive Director of the NSHR) to discredit the image of the Government of the Republic of Namibia and the country at large,’ he said.Asked what would become of the refugees given their rejection by both the Government of Namibia and that of Botswana, Kaapanda simply said: ‘Ask Phil ya Nangoloh!’He also noted that the Government had decided that it would not render any form of humanitarian assistance ‘to such refugees and asylum seekers who are residing outside our borders’.The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has been providing the group with food and other assistance, but has also stated that neither is it aware of any death threats or threats of persecution mounted against the group, as they allege; nor does it have any ‘information which would validate the fears of this group’.The UNHCR had attempted previously to get the refugees to return to Namibia, but Minister of Home Affairs and Immigration, Rosalia Nghidinwa, on Friday told the media that this advice was not done in consultation with her Ministry. Contacted for comment on the Government’s decided position, UNHCR Representative Joyce Mends-Cole said her office was still awaiting the final version of the Ministry’s press release. She stated, however, that: ‘We have been seized with this situation for the past three weeks and continue to hope that a humanitarian solution can be found.’’ABSURD’NSHR spokesperson Dorkas Phillemon described Government’s stance as ‘typical’ of Government’s behaviour and ‘not surprising’, stating that its action is in line with allegations of mistreatment made by the refugees.She also said the NSHR would continue to assist the refugees in whatever way possible, adding that the Society’s next action would ‘depend on what the refugees want us to do’.Ya Nangoloh added that the NSHR ‘will give them moral support, whether they are outside or inside Namibia, because human rights are boundless’.He said ‘the claims made by Kaapanda that they will not give humanitarian assistance to the refugees are totally absurd. The refugees don’t want to have anything to do with them in the first place. Why didn’t they give them assistance in the first place when they were inside the country?’ He added that the Government’s insinuations that he had taken the refugees from Osire were ‘absurd’, noting that the NSHR transported them from Windhoek at the refugees’ request, after no response was forthcoming from the Ministry of Home Affairs on their concerns.Asked what the next step for the refugees would be, ya Nangoloh told The Namibian that ‘by international law, the Botswana government has no other option than to take them in because the refugees are fleeing from a situation where their lives are threatened.’He said that by not taking them in for asylum or providing passage to another country that could give them protection, the Botswana government would be committing the crime of ‘refoulement’. Refoulement is the forced return of people to a country from which they are fleeing, and under international law, refugees have the right against refoulement.’NO THREAT’Meanwhile, Nghidinwa also absolved Government of any blame with regard to the death threats alleged by the refugees.’According to our observations, there has been no threat to refugees so far,’ she stated.She added that statements reportedly made by former President Sam Nujoma – and cited by the NSHR as confirmation for the refugees to fear for their lives – were not aimed at the refugees.’That statement was made at Helao Nafidi. The refugees were at Osire. You can’t take the information made at Helao Nafidi and apply it to Osire. The Founding Father did not address the refugees, he addressed the community of Helao Nafidi,’ she said.At that platform, Nujoma reportedly said that ‘we will only work together and co-operate with those foreigners who are respecting us, and those who do not can pack up and go or they will face bullets in their heads.’Kaapanda also came to the defence of Nujoma, claiming that the use of the quote, ‘if at all it was made’, was being used as a ‘smokescreen’ by Ya Nangoloh.’Ya Nangoloh had already made up his mind to stage a dramatic escape for the refugees. Such a statement could not be construed as having a bearing on the lives of the refugees if at all it was made,’ the Minister said.He added that if it was made, the refugees ‘should have sought clarity on the statement.’Kaapanda said that the Government has provided refugees at Osire Refugee Camp with education, health, and registration and verification services, and that the group had no reason to claim threats against their lives. ‘Despite instigations from institutions such as NSHR, we remain focused and committed to ensure that all refugees and asylum seekers currently hosted in the country are treated with the respect they deserve and their rights guaranteed as provided for in Chapter 3 of the Constitution of the Republic of Namibia and shall be adhered to without compromising the security of this country,’ he added.nangula@namibian.com.na