Police arrest of Zimbabweans undermines humanitarian efforts

from Refugees International

The United States based advocacy organization, Refugees International, strongly condemns a police raid conducted at the Central Methodist Church in Johannesburg, South Africa on Wednesday, January 30, 2008. The South African Police Service arrested up to 1,500 people, the vast majority being Zimbabwean migrants who sought sanctuary in the Church. Many among those arrested were asylum seekers and refugees residing legally in South Africa. While hundreds have now been released, many detainees are still attempting to produce their documents.

The Central Methodist Church has provided shelter to refugees from all parts of Africa for the past four years, and is recognized as one of the few places where the basic needs of displaced Zimbabweans are addressed. Up to now, church leaders had established a positive relationship with the police and local authorities, who often brought homeless South Africans and migrants in need to the Church.

“Last night’s raid is a serious setback to the efforts of South African civil society to create safe humanitarian havens for Zimbabweans and other migrants,” said Patrick Duplat of Refugees International, who visited the Church in October 2007 as part of Refugees International’s mission to the region to assess the humanitarian needs of Zimbabweans in exile. “The South African police should immediately release all detainees from the Church and move to re-establish a constructive working relationship with Church leaders, including a promise to stop any future raids.”

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