No current plans to enforce removals : UKBA

By Elisha Shamba

The Home Office has issued a statement re-affirming the British government’s suspension of removals of Zimbabwe failed asylum seekers, for now.

The official statement was issued after Hatnews, in keeping with its news agency founding principles of seeking and reporting the truth contacted the Home Office Press Office.

The statement reads:

‘We assiduously consider every single individual case with enormous care and whenever someone needs our protection we give it and give it proudly. If anyone wants to go home voluntarily we will help them to. We have no current plans to enforce removals to Zimbabwe.’

In response to the government’s statement, a spokesperson from the Refugee Council said:

“It is good to know that the government is not planning on sending Zimbabweans back – it is too soon to know what will happen under the new regime.  But there is still the issue of destitution among Zimbabweans here in the UK.

“Recent developments in Zimbabwe may mean there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon.  We therefore urge the government to play its part in the future of Zimbabwe by allowing Zimbabweans in the UK to work and reskill so they are able to help with the rebuilding of their country as soon as it is safe for them to return.”

Sarah Harland, the Coordinator for the Zimbabwean Association, which is a support group for Zimbabwean asylum seekers said:

‘The Zimbabwe Association (ZA) is pleased to hear that the UK Border Agency has no current plans to enforce removals to Zimbabwe.

If there are currently no plans to enforce removals the ZA suggests that UK Border Agency might allow temporary permission to work for asylum seekers who have been awaiting the resolution of their asylum cases for some years.’

Following the political settlement between Zanu PF and MDC a fortnight ago, many Zimbabwean asylum seekers are on tenterhooks about their fate. The majority of them are petrified about being sent back to Zimbabwe. Some of them fear the political changes in Zimbabwe may not offer fundamental democratic freedoms outrightly. Some may want to head back home but they fear the political changes in Zimbabwe may not offer fundamental democratic freedoms outrightly. Therefore this statement offers them some respite.

However life is not any easier in UK for the failed asylum seekers though they may not be tortured nor beaten to death like from whence they fled. Refugee group and charities say many Zimbabwean asylum seekers are now destitute and relying on friends and charity.

Amnesty International UK in July this year said it was “appalled” at the findings of new research from Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust conducted in Leeds. The report shows a massive rise in destitution among refused asylum seekers with Zimbabweans forming the single biggest national group of destitute people in the city (21% of 331 after an increase from 4 to 56 in 18 months)

There are between 11,000 and 15,000 Zimbabwean asylum seekers whose cases are yet to be determined or have had their applications turned down. They live in a limbo. They are not allowed to work whilst they are going through the asylum process (which has been speeded up, but in some cases may take up to many months or even years for a claim to be finalised or decided upon.) The majority of these asylum seekers have skills and a high level of education. Many are qualified nurses, teachers, journalists, civil servants, trade unionists or accountants.

In early May this year Zimbabweans gathered in London for a church service and march to press for asylum seekers “to be allowed to work and acquire skills”.

The march, held under the banner of ‘Free UK Zimbabweans From Limbo’ and ‘Strangers Into Citizens’ was supported by several MPs including Labour MP Kate Hoey , Trade Unionist Jack Dromey and the Archbishop of York, John Sentamu.

Dr Sentamu told BBC News: “The government finds itself between a rock and a hard place because of the rules they’ve made themselves.

“Whilst they’ve removed the rule of exceptional leave to remain, it means that people find themselves in this kind of limbo.

“The home secretary has given us an undertaking that those people who are facing destitution should present themselves and then the government may try and give them some kind of aid and support.

“My view would be that if people are qualified and have got jobs why not give them leave so they can work and continue to keep their skills going.”

“We need a bit of pragmatism rather than simply sticking to rules and regulations.”

Meanwhile Zimbabwejournalists.com reports that the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) national chairman, Lovemore Moyo who is visiting UK told supporters on Saturday that he will talk to British authorities about the failed Zimbabwean asylum seekers and the on-going process to form an all inclusive government in Zimbabwe.

Responding to questions after attending a rally in Birmingham, Moyo, who is also the Speaker of Parliament, said he intended to discuss with the British the need to come up with a “humane approach” in dealing with failed asylum seekers who may be repatriated home, if all goes well back home.

He was responding to a question on whether the MDC had any plans to approach authorities here to discuss the plight of many failed Zimbabwean asylum seekers who have been living in limbo in the UK for many years.