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Tribunal finds most Zimbabaweans are at risk

Friday November 21st 2008

REFUGEE Action is urging the Home Office to grant protection to Zimbabwean asylum seekers, after the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal ruled that it is not safe for many to return.

The Immigration Advisory Service (IAS) brought a test case against the Home Office in the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal.

The tribunal has determined that anyone who is unable to demonstrate support for Zanu-PF or the Zimbabwean regime would be at risk if they returned, and that former teachers are one group in particular danger.

The tribunal also found that although a power-sharing agreement has been signed between Zanu-PF and the opposition party, the MDC, it has not removed the risk of serious harm to someone who cannot demonstrate allegiance to the regime. General country conditions are also so bad that people may not be able to access food, safe water and shelter if they did return.

Sandy Buchan, the Chief Executive of Refugee Action, said: “For a long time, we have argued that Zimbabweans who are living in the UK must be offered some form of protection. Widespread intimidation of opponents to Mugabe’s regime, coupled with Zimbabwe’s economic crisis, means that the situation has become a humanitarian emergency. However, instead of receiving protection in Britain, most Zimbabweans have had their asylum claims rejected and have been left destitute, too afraid to return to their country and banned from working to support themselves.

“Our own Foreign Secretary David Miliband stated only last month that Zimbabwe's economic and political situation is deteriorating(1). We now urge the Home Secretary to act on the tribunal’s findings.”

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For more information call Julia Ravenscroft, press officer at Refugee Action on 0161 2331956 or on 07771 748 159. Alternatively contact Juliar@refugee-action.org.uk.

To read the full determination of the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal go to http://www.ait.gov.uk/Public/Upload/j2184/00083_ukait_2008_rn_zimbabwe_cg.doc

To read the press release from the Immigration Advisory Group go to http://ias.live.poptech.coop/C2B/PressOffice/display.asp?ID=411&Type=2s or http://www.iasuk.org/C2B/PressOffice/display.asp?ID=414&Type=2.

Refugee Action is an independent, national charity working to enable refugees to build new lives in the UK. We provide practical advice and assistance for newly arrived asylum seekers and long-term commitment to their settlement through community development work, and received 30,000 visits from asylum seekers last year. As one of the country’s leading agencies in the field, Refugee Action has 27 years’ experience in pioneering innovative work in partnership with refugees.