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Britain offers asylum seekers cash to return to Zim

Oct 30 2009 11:35

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Cash and aid repatriation packages worth up to £6,000 are to be offered to failed asylum seekers to go home voluntarily to Zimbabwe, the Home Office announced on Friday.

Phil Woolas, the immigration minister, indicated at the same time that the first steps would be taken this autumn towards forcibly returning more than 10 000 failed asylum seekers who fled Robert Mugabe's regime.

The forcible removal of Zimbabweans was halted in September 2006 pending a high court battle that ended in a ruling recognising that all those who were unable to demonstrate loyalty to Mugabe risked persecution if they were sent back.

Woolas said in a written ministerial statement that the enhanced cash package was intended to encourage failed asylum seekers to return voluntarily, "but where they choose not to do so we are bound to take steps, over time, to enforce the law".

The Home Office said it had carefully considered its position on enforced returns to Zimbabwe in the light of developments since the formation of a government led by the prime minister, Morgan Tsvangirai.

"The UK Border Agency will therefore be starting work over the autumn on a process aimed at normalising our returns policy to Zimbabwe, moving towards resuming enforced returns progressively as and when the political situation develops," Woolas said.

He insisted the Home Office took its obligations under the 1951 refugee convention seriously and said it would continue to consider individual cases on their merits. "However, we have always expected those found not to be in need of protection to return home. We prefer these individuals to return voluntarily."

The official Home Office position cites progress in political reforms, an abatement in indiscriminate violence in the past six months and improvements in the economy, schools and the availability of basic commodities as evidence of positive change in Zimbabwe.

Voluntary repatriation packages worth up to £6 000 have been available since February for those considering returning to Harare, but they have been available only "in kind" -- such as vocational training, aid in setting up a business or meeting the cost of the flight.

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Cash payments of up to £2 000 will be phased in over the next six months and paid through the International Organisation of Migration office in Harare. This will be available in addition to the basic £4 000 package of repatriation assistance paid in kind.

"Making cash available to those who go home will support economic reform in Zimbabwe, enabling people to return voluntarily and use their skills to support change and help rebuild Zimbabwe with capital behind them. The scheme will also be extended until December 31 and will be reviewed at that point," said the Home Office statement.

Donna Covey, of the Refugee Council, criticised the decision to consider forcing Zimbabweans to return. "In the past few days allegations of arrest, intimidation and harassment of supporters of the MDC and of human rights defenders have been widely reported. Our government is showing a cavalier attitude to the safety of refugees who have stood up for democracy and human rights," she said.

"After the farcical attempts to return Iraqis and Afghans in recent weeks against UN advice, it is of great concern that the government are now considering returns to Zimbabwe. It seems particularly inappropriate given Morgan Tsvangirai has begun boycotting the power-sharing arrangement and the United Nations special rapporteur on torture was deported yesterday."

Covey said the improvements to the voluntary repatriation package were welcome. "However, this has to be kept separate from attempts to begin forced removals. There were 89 returns under this programme from January to August this year, the equivalent to about 11 per month. This small number reflects the fear Zimbabweans continue to have about returning to their country which, however you look at it, is still ruled by Robert Mugabe."

The Zimbabwe Association in London said it believed there were 7 500 failed asylum seekers in Britain who benefited from last November's high court ruling that it was too dangerous to send them back. Hundreds more were awaiting an initial decision on their refugee claims.

More than 2 000 new claims for asylum from Zimbabweans were rejected in 2008. - guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media 2009

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Comments

Will the likes of Fungayi be taking up this offer?

Megan Holden on October 30, 2009, 1:00 pm

There is actuall usually quite a bit of difference between what the |UK Govt is doing and what the UK people think. For comparison try the protesting Zimvigil:

http://www.zimvigil.co.uk/

Alisdair Budd on October 30, 2009, 1:21 pm

Megan, I wish I was an asylum seeker I would have taken the money. It's interesting that you do not see this as an injustice by the UK government since you think Mugabe is a murderer. These people are being returned to Mugabe and I have always said all these allegations about human rights abuses are overblown lies. If there where abuses why then would the UK government see it fit to return people there.

Tsvangirai sold his supporters out with his speech which is now being quoted by the UK government at every turn to justify it's inconsistent approach on Zimbabwe. The Foreign & Commonwealth Office says things are so bad in Zimbabwe and the Home Office says well actully they are so good. More like the right hand not wanting to know what the left is doing. Double standards, I feel sorry for my fellow countrymen and women who have been misled by the British and Tsvangirai.

Zanu PF should celebrate this boost to its support base by Tsvangirai and the Brits without even campaigning. When Tsvangirai loses the next election you all know why, so don't come up with lies like rigging.

Fungayi Dzvinyangoma on October 30, 2009, 2:24 pm

Alisdair, what do you think about your government deporting Zimbabweans? You cannot excuse it by saying what the government does and what the people think is different because this is the British government for the British people by the British people.

If your government thinks things are fine in Zimbabwe then they must be fine. Considering how much they "care" about ordinary Zimabweans they would not send them back into the lion's den would they? How is your view that there is a difference between what the government does and what the people think any consolation to a "terrified" Zimbabwean facing the prospect of being deported?

Fungayi Dzvinyangoma on October 30, 2009, 2:57 pm

Britain is one hell of a country that has absolutely no credibility with the majority of Zimbabweans! Always wish-washee...Never straight and full of putting out the red flag, without a gun. Maybe it is a good thing that the UK is in decline compared to other emerging countries (South Korea, China, India, Brazile etc). I assume that the UK has deemed that Zimbabwe is safe! And they have every right to deport Zimbabweans in the UK, if they choose!

zodwa sibanda on October 31, 2009, 2:22 am

Wow! That sounds like a very reasonable deal on the part of the UK Govt. who have enough would be migrants to cope with as it is. Remember how refugees escaping from China would end up in camps in Hong Kong. Repatriation on these terms could lead to a whole new kind of refugee tourism! Ja, poor old England on the decline - but maybe that's the green way to go, unlike these frantically industrialising places pumping out all that carbon whatoxide. Declining economies are the way to go!! Growth just means more global warming, hey?

Andy van Oordieberg on October 31, 2009, 2:33 pm

Most should realise that they have hit the jackpot because it will take them at least three menial jobs and "eternity" to nett that kind of dough especially since they are fake asylum seekers anyway.

kevin sithole on November 2, 2009, 9:44 am

The right word is fake asylum seekers .Guys lets say the truth many people cooked up stories to gain asylum status and they have completely nothing to show off when they come home.It was a big mistake.
Better come early before yu,re deported.

panga dzvene on November 6, 2009, 9:57 am