Southern Africa:Botswana deports DRC refugees
The Government of Botswana has forcibly returned at 4 of the 10 families of the 41 Congolese refugees who fled Namibia last July, a reliable government source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said.
The Government of Botswana has forcibly returned at 4 of the 10 families of the 41 Congolese refugees who fled Namibia last July, a reliable government source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said. The families of Joel Kabangu, Jean Ilunga, Nzuzi Kwamadio and Bertin Kalumba, numbering altogether 23 souls, have been forcibly repatriated to their war-torn motherland by Botswana authorities in collaboration with the local office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the source said. The deportation of the families severally took place between February 8 and 24 2010. The fate of the remaining 6 refugee families, totalling approximately 19 members, remained in custody a Botswana prison just outside capital of Gaborone.
Meanwhile a Congolese-DRC air force officer informed NSHR over the weekend via satellite telephone that Joel Kabangu and his family were being held in custody at the Ndjili International Airport in the Congolese capital of Kinshasa. The reasons for his detention are not clear and the officer would not elaborate.
The group of Congolse refugees fled Namibia for their lives on July 7 2009 following death threats from Namibian authorities after they spoke out against violations of refugee rights at the Osire Refugee Camp some 220 kilometers northeast of the Namibian capital of Windhoek. The refugees said that, following such threats, they were unable and or unwilling to avail themselves of the protection of the Government of the Republic of Namibia—owing to well founded fear of being persecuted, inter alia, for reasons of nationality or membership of a particular social group or political opinion.
Prior to fleeing Namibia, individual members of the group had received letters from Namibian immigration officials wherein the latter told the former inter alia that their human rights activities at the ORC “constitute a threat to peace and security”. Article 21(1) of the Namibian Constitution, which is the supreme law of the country, guarantees the rights of “everyone” to freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of thought and conscience, freedom of association and freedom of assembly as well as freedom of movement.
Most of the concerned refugees—some of whom have been residing in Namibia for up to 10 years—are members of the Association of the Voiceless (AV), a non-violent organization established at the Osire Refugee Camp (ORC) to advocate respect for the rights of refugees and asylum seekers.
The refoulement of the Congolese went ahead despite reasonable fears of persecution of these refugees and asylum seekers in their country of origin. Hence, NSHR is deeply concerned that the refouled refugees have been put at risk of being arbitrary deprived of personal liberty, of being subjected to summary executions, torture and other cruel and inhuman treatment or enforced disappearance in their war-and-conflict stricken DR Congo.
Approached for comment this morning, an top official at the Botswan High Commission said the High Commission would not deny or confirm the reports at this stage and that the High Commission would first enquire with Gaborone.
* In case of additional comment, please call Steven Mvula or Phil ya Nangoloh at Tel: 061 236 183 or 061 253 447 or 0811 406 888 (office hours) or Cell: +264 811 299 886 (Phil) or E-mail: [email][email protected] or visit: