News This Week - July 2000

	SOUTHERN AFRICAN MIGRATION PROJECT
	Migration News - July 2000

Click here for archives Click here for current news

July 2000

Angola/Namibia: News 24, Sapa-AFP (Luanda 07-26) quotes United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) officials, and maintained that thousands of Angolan citizens were fleeing the country by crossing the Kavango River into neighboring Namibia. According to WFP officials, many refugees were “penniless, exhausted and starving” when they arrived at temporary camps along the Kavango River. WFP officials indicated that the numbers of refugees in northern Namibia was expected to rise to 15,000 by the end of next month. Officials disclosed that though it had spent $ 500, 000 on emergency relief efforts, especially to provide food to refugees at the Namibian town of Osire where a majority of Angolan refugees were living, it needed additional funds of $ 700, 000 to pay for food supplies over the next few months. The scarcity of arable land in the Osire region also meant that most refugees were dependent on humanitarian aid in order to survive. Meanwhile, it had been reported that fighting had intensified in many parts of southern Angola between security forces and UNITA rebels. A majority of refugees living in camps in Namibia were from southeastern Kwando-Kubango province in Angola. Some Namibians had also fled their villages along the Kavango River largely due to increasing incursions by UNITA rebels into Namibia.

Angola/Zambia: News 24, Sapa (Luanda 07-26, 07-25) reveal that the two countries have resolved a border dispute that had strained relations between Angola and Zambia in recent years. The relations between the two countries had deteriorated since the resumption of hostilities between Angolan security forces and UNITA rebels in December 1998. The Angolan government had been accusing Zambia of supporting UNITA and providing them sanctuary on Zambian soil. Similarly, Zambian authorities had blamed Angola for sending troops and warplanes into Zambian territory while fighting UNITA rebels near the border. In May, Zambia had alleged that Angolan authorities had killed one of its soldiers and wounded two others but Angolan authorities had denied these allegations. Kundi Paihama, the minister of defence for Angola revealed that while visiting Mozambique for the recent SADC meetings, he also held consultations with Zambian officials.

Angola: Africa News Online, Angola Peace Monitor, IRIN (07-26, 07-19) quoting the Mid-Term Review for Angola produced by the UN office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), write that the overall situation continues to remain “precarious” in Angola. The report estimated that some two million people were dependent on food aid, and nearly 2.75 million persons would require humanitarian assistance in the coming months. At the end of June, there were 2.5 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the country, constituting about 20 percent of Angola’s population. It was estimated that more than 217,000 persons had been displaced this year. The largest numbers of displacements had taken place in the provinces of Bie, Kwanza Norte, Huila and Lunda Sul. At the same time, however, around 33,000 persons had returned back to their homes in Kwanza Norte and Zaire provinces. Despite increased access, many areas along the eastern and southern borders remained inaccessible to humanitarian agencies. Because of restricted road access, about 70 percent of aid continued to be flown to different areas. Insecurity persisted in large parts of the country hampering relief to ‘at risk’ populations, but the extension of state administration to areas like Maquela do Zombo, Camgandala, Cuvelai, Andula, Bailundo, Calenga, Lepi and Longonjo, had provided access the thousands of previously ‘unreachable people.’ In municipalities near Huambo, including the transit centres in Caal, it was reported that nearly 15,000 were living in ‘appalling’ and miserable conditions.

Angola/DRC: IRIN (07-25) quotes Ron Redmond, spokesperson for UNHCR, who revealed that some 200 Angolans were fleeing the northern province of Lunda Norte on a daily basis. These refugees were migrating largely to the Kahamba region in southwestern Democratic Republic of Congo to escape the armed conflict between UNITA and Angolan security forces. Current estimates by the UN refugee agency showed that nearly 12,500 refugees had settled in Kulindji, Chifwameso, Mwa-Mushiko and Bindu. Of these, more than 3000 refugees had arrived in the past six weeks and 5000 since the month of March this year. There was an urgent need for additional shelter, food and medicines for these refugees. Poor road conditions and the large number of roadblocks set by the DRC army made humanitarian assistance towards refugees especially difficult. The UN refugee agency had already sent a mission to these areas to further assess the situation.

Angola/Namibia: Sapa (Windhoek 07-23) referring to a statement released by the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) write that members of the Angolan Armed Forces (AAF) fatally shot two and wounded another Namibian citizen in the Kavango region. The statement revealed that members of the AAF, Namibian mercenaries and soldiers dressed in Namibian army fatigues, attacked residents of the Muhopi village in Masare constituency, near the Kabango town of Rundu. This latest incident has increased the total number of casualties this year to about 55 persons, and UNITA rebels have been blamed for most of these attacks. The Namibian government had not made any official statement regarding this episode.

Angola: Africa News Online, PANA (Luanda 07-21) reveals that the Angolan government is soon going to resettle nearly 343,000 internally displaced Angolans in the Huila province. Ramos da Cruz, the provincial governor of Huila informed the state-owned radio a few days ago that since security had been restored in the province, the resettlement process would begin in September and cost about 130,000 US dollars. Humanitarian agencies had identified suitable and fertile areas for resettlement, and these war-displaced persons would be given plots of land, seeds and other equipment to grow crops.

Angola/Namibia: Africa News Online, IRIN (07-19) report that the World Food Programme (WFP) has extended the duration of its emergency operations in Namibia. WFP will now continue its operations until next January in order to provide food to the large numbers of Angolan refugees migrating into Namibia to escape insecurity along the Angola-Namibia border. WFP disclosed that new refugees were crossing the Kavango River into Namibia as the armed conflict between the Angolan government and UNITA forces intensified in areas like southeastern Kuando Kubango province in Angola. At present, there are more than 11,000 Angolan refugees at the Osire camp, and WFP officials indicate that the number would increase to 15,000 in coming weeks.

Angola/Namibia: Africa News Online, PANA (Luanda 07-19) referring to the UN sponsored World Food Programme (WFP), inform that some 11,000 Angolan refugees had been housed at the Osire camp near the Angola-Namibia border. But WFP expected the numbers of displaced persons affected by the continuing war in Angola to increase to 15,000 persons in the coming weeks. Ronald Sibanda, WFP representative for Angola disclosed that a majority of the refugees had ‘walked a long way without food or water’ before they reached Namibia. He added that the agency needed an additional sum of about 700,000 dollars to provide food aid to refugees in the next six months. So far, the agency had spent about 500,000 dollars to provide assistance to new arrivals at the Osire refugee camp.

Angola: Sapa-AP, Sapa-DPA (07-14) referring to UNICEF, report that armed bandits attacked a refuge for children in Quissala in Huambo province, and abducted 21 children, injuring 4 children, and causing the death of a 16 year old boy. Lynn Geldof, UNICEF spokerspeson revealed that the armed men also damaged the facilities and stole blankets, mattresses and other items from the refuge. This incident is the second such attack on the children’s home. Another attack earlier this year resulted in the deaths of three children and a guard, and six children were seriously wounded. UNICEF said that its was “shocked and saddened” by this attack on the children’s home on 9 June, and urged the bandits to release the 21 children.

Angola: ANGOP (Benguela 07-14) reports that more than 70 civilians who had been kept under captivity by UNITA rebels escaped and fled to government authorities at Balombo municipality in central Benguela province. A spokesperson for the local administration stated that the displaced persons had fled Ecovongo village because they feared that Jonas Savimbi’s rebels would kill them. Two residents of the village interviewed by ANGOP revealed that the UNITA soldiers had killed a Cafindua chieftain and forced the residents to migrate to Ecovongo.

Angola: Africa News Online, PANA (07-12) reveals that Pedro Sachiambo Sakaita, the 20 year old son of the UNITA rebel leader Jonas Savimbi holds a passport from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Togolese citizenship in direct violation of the UN sanctions. The Angolan News Agency (ANGOP) reported a couple of days ago that the passport had been extended in the middle of May up to the year 2001. The passport indicates that Sakaita was born in Huambo province of Angola, and now resided in Lome. Jose Ribeiro, a spokesperson for the Angolan consulate in Portugal said that the passport was clear evidence that several African states were violating the terms of the sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council against UNITA. The UN embargo prohibits countries from providing protection to Savimbi and his supporters, and also includes a travel ban on these persons. These revelations came at a time when the Organization of African Unity was holding its 36^th summit in Lome, and Angola boycotted these proceedings in protest against Togo’s violations of the UN embargo on UNITA.

Angola: Sapa-AP (07-07) referring to Angola’s foreign minister Joao Miranda, reports that the Angolan government is willing to offer a pardon to the UNITA rebel leader Jonas Savimbi provided he gives up his 25 year old struggle for power in Angola. During a visit to Lisbon, Miranda said: “If Jonas Savimbi today…were to ask for a pardon and ask for forgiveness of the Angolan people, naturally the door would be open to that.” Savimbi and his UNITA (National Union for the Total Independence of Angola) rebels have been trying to overthrow the Angolan government since 1975 when the country ceased to be colony of Portugal. UNITA has established its bases in different parts of Angola, and the persisting conflict between government and UNITA forces has caused the displacement of some 2.6 million (about 25 percent of the country’s total population) from their homes. In April, a UN report had suggested that many internally displaced Angolans were in a precarious state, and were being forced to eat grass and worms to survive.

Angola: IRIN (07-06) has disclosed that the latest figures for internally displaced persons in Angola estimated by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has reached around 2.5 million persons. It was also reported that of these, only 1 million persons had been officially registered. The latest figures for internally displaced persons represented a slight decrease in the total numbers of IDPs, which fell from 2.6 million at the beginning of May to the present figure (for the end of May). OCHA also announced that on 15 June, representatives of the Angolan government, UN agencies and several NGOs attended a daylong workshop in Luanda to explore new initiatives on food aid distribution and targeting strategies in Angola.

Angola: IRIN (07-05) reports that the new office of the UNHCR recently signed an agreement with other partner agencies to increase the efficiency of the process of providing assistance to internally displaced persons (IDPs). There are nearly 150,000 internally displaced persons in the north Uige and Negage areas, and according to the UNHCR, the Portuguese based NGO for international and cultural cooperation CIC would undertake the establishment of eight health clinics in the province of Uige. CUAMM, an Italian NGO working on health would revamp the maternity ward and the water system of the local hospital. Other efforts would include education and community services by the Danish chapter of Save the Children and support for mine victims and amputees by Handicap International. A spokesperson for the refugee agency stated that “UNHCR is hopeful that these efforts will at least provide some relief to immediately reachable people within the two km radium of Uige town.” A UN refugee agency team of five international and local staff is working in this town.

Angola: Sapa-AFP (07-04) informs that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) plans to hasten emergency relief measures for nearly 150,000 internally displaced persons in northern Angola with the help of other non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The UNHCR had not been able to provide assistance to these displaced persons because of constant UNITA rebels attacks in this area. For instance, in the town of Uige, the UN workers had been largely confined within the one mile or so radius of the town. With a new agreement signed just a few days ago, organizations like Portugal’s CIC, Italy’s CUAMM, Handicap International and Save the Children from Denmark would help UNHCR to carry out some of the specific tasks relating to relief operations. It was believed that many thousand Angolans had fled the bitter civil war being waged in Angola and were living a dire existence in refugee camps in the northern Angolan province of Uige. Emergency teams had been sent by UNHCR after a mission sent to assess the situation in this area exposed the shocking conditions of displaced Angolans in these parts.

Angola/Zambia: Africa News Online, Panafrican News Agency, Business Day, Reuters, News 24, Sunday Mail of Zambia (Lusaka 07-02, 07-01) inform that Zambia and Angola have agreed to work together to deal with the deteriorating security situation along the common border between the two countries. Defence and security ministers and officials from both countries met recently at a two-day meeting for the Joint Permanent Commission on Defence and Security. An official statement released after the meeting stated that the commission had established a technical committee that would investigate all cases relating to security concerns along the border. The commission also agreed to establish permanent communication links between the regional commanders and other security officers in the provinces of Moxico and Cuando-Cubango in Angola, and Northwestern and Western provinces in Zambia. It was reported that communication links between security officials of both countries would be strengthened by intensified border patrols. Zambian Defence Minister Chitalu Sampa said that the meeting was “cordial and fruitful.” Sampa also revealed that the two sides discussed the question of continuing influx of Angolan refugees into Zambia. Zambia has given shelter to more than 171,000 refugees - a large number of these are from Angola. In recent months, Zambian authorities had been complained repeatedly that Angolan and rebel UNITA troops were stealing food from, and harassing villagers in northwestern Zambia.

Botswana: Africa News Online, Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone 07-07) reports that at the annual general meeting of the Botswana Confederation of Commerce, Industry and Manpower (BOCCIM), participants sharply criticized the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs for unnecessary delay in processing residence and work permits. The theme of the meeting was ‘The Issuance of Residence Permits, Work Permits and Waivers in Botswana: Problems and Prospects,’ and several participants questioned the measures through which the department ensured the localization of companies after they had been issued permits. They urged the department of Home Affairs to speed up the process of approving applications, and recommended that the Batswana government employ members of the Immigration Selection Board on a permanent and full-time basis in order to hasten this process. The participants also urged the government to consolidate the process for obtaining permits, and applications for foreign investment. Finally, the participants requested the Ministry to give priority to ‘scarce skills’ while processing permits. In response, chief immigration officer Kgosientsho Seleka explained that the department was taking steps to reduce the backlog of cases by working on weekends and holidays. Furthermore, responding to accusations that the officers were rude to applicants, Seleka said that the department was planning to introduce new training programs in customer relations for the staff. He stated that there were 6230 applications pending for residence and work permits at the department as of May this year and of these, 4932 were from the Gaborone Regional office, 837 from Francistown, 305 from Phikwe and 156 from the Lobatse regional office. The Ministry also maintained that the recent backlog in processing applications was caused largely by the sudden shortage in ‘skilled manpower’ in Botswana.

Botswana: Africa News Online, Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone 07-07) writes that because of the continuing ‘exodus’ of local nurses to other countries, especially countries of Western Europe, the Botswana government had been attempting to recruit nurses from China and Latin America. But, these plans ‘backfired’ after the Nursing and Midwives Council of Botswana rejected the government’s proposal. As a result, a ‘nerve-wracking’ dispute had emerged between the government and the council. The controversy erupted recently when a group of twenty Cuban nurses were flown in at government expense into Botswana. The council criticized the government for indiscriminately recruiting nurses without subjecting them to the requirements of the nursing registration process, including examinations to test their qualifications. Dr. Esther Seloilwe, the chairperson of the council revealed that the government would not initially allow the council to interview the nurses. When they did manage to interview them, it was discovered that most of these Cuban nurses could not speak any of the official languages spoken in Botswana. The interviews also revealed that five nurses were not ‘unqualified,’ and were not issued certificates by the council. The Nursing Council’s decision to reject five Cuban nurses has also proved embarrassing for the Botswana government that has long-standing bilateral agreements with Cuba and China on health workers. The Ministry of Health is also believed to have spent large amounts of money on the transportation and upkeep of these Cuban nurses. The present controversy over ‘unqualified’ Cuban nurses has also raised other questions about the competence of other health workers in Botswana hired without being subjected to a licensing test. The Ministry of Health did not respond to Mmegi/The Reporter’s queries regarding the foreign nurses.

Botswana: Mmegi/The Reporter (07-07) staff writer Stryker Motlaloso interviews Thebe Mogami, Minister of Labour and Home Affairs regarding corruption in the Department of Immigration and Citizenship. Mogami argued that the current initiatives by the Department to combat corruption would remain ineffective as long as senior officers were guilty of accepting bribes. “If indeed some officers are involved in corrupt practices, it may be difficult to root out corruption [from] the department,” he maintained. He added that it was incumbent upon officers whose spouses were operating visa agencies to disclose this fact to the department. Mmegi questioned the minister about allegations that the applications forwarded by relatives of senior officers in the department were given preferential treatment by the department. Mogami responded that the accusations had not been substantiated, therefore no suitable action had been taken. But Mmegi/The Reporter had been told recently that the police had arrested a senior officer in the department in recent weeks for fixing passports. Mogami said that the department was reviewing the immigration process in order to identify loopholes that allowed corrupt practices. The department would issue temporary permits with a serial number.

Botswana/South Africa: WOZA, Africa News Online, Panafrican News Agency (Gaborone 07-03, 07-01) write that on Friday, the two countries signed an agreement on defence and security issues, including tackling common issues like drug trafficking, cross-border crime and ‘illegal immigrants.’ Tebelelo Seretse, the Botswanan Acting Minister for Presidential Affairs, and South African Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota signed the agreement for their respective countries at a ceremony attended by top security and military officials from the two countries. The present agreement follows soon after South Africa and Botswana launched the Tran-Kgalagadi Frontier Park – the first cross-border Game Park in Africa, to be managed jointly by the two countries. According to this agreement, a commission on security and defence would be set up by the two countries that would work jointly to deal with immigration, customs and security issues.

DRC: Business Day, Sapa-AP (07-19) citing Ron Redmond, UNHCR spokesperson, writes that several thousand refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo have abandoned their border settlements and fled to the neighboring Republic of Congo. He indicated that new refugee camps had emerged near the Ubangui river in an area where “the jungle…is extremely thick [and] it is very difficult for people to find any place where they can set up a hut and get some shelter.” Fighting between the rebels and Republic of Congo government forces near the river had also deprived the refugees of their main source of food – fish from the river. It is estimated that there are 4000 refugees camped close to the Ubangui River, although UNHCR had access to only a small number of these refugees.

Democratic Republic of Congo: WOZA, Reuters (07-04) report that the latest outbreak of fighting in the DRC has resulted in the flight of more than 10,000 refugees into the neighbouring Republic of Congo. Many more refugees were expected to follow in coming weeks due to the current fighting. Commenting on this news, UNHCR expressed concern that the influx of refugees included the first group of people leaving Mbandaka, the capital of the northern Equateur province. According to the UN refugee agency, the latest flight of persons from the town of Mbandaka indicated that the frontline had moved south. Agency spokesperson Kris Janowski said: “this heralds more trouble as it means that the town is engulfed and there may be more people coming out.” It is also estimated that there are now around 30,000 to 40,000 Congolese refugees in the Republic of Congo. UNHCR aid workers have already begun the long and arduous journey on motorized canoes up the Congo River in order to provide basic supplies and rations to refugees along the frontier between the two Congos.

Lesotho: News 24 (Maseru 07-07) writes that the HIV/AIDS stigma is haunting this country. In his address at a national workshop on a strategic plan for the disease, Lesotho Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili revealed that many Basotho people preferred to report tuberculosis or pneumonia as the cause of death of family members instead of AIDS, for fear of banishment from their communities. He urged all citizens of the country to work together to check the “spread of this pandemic and rescue the Basotho from the edge of this ugly precipice down which we are disappearing one at a time.” He indicated that in addition to urbanization, unemployment as well as poverty, labour migration between Lesotho and South Africa was one of the major contributors to the spread of AIDS.

Malawi: Africa News Online, AllAfrica.com, PANA (Blantyre 07-21) write that the Malawian government is worried about the increasing numbers of ‘illegal’ foreign workers employed in the private sector. The Minister for Labour and Vocational Training, Peter Chupa remarked that his ministry was extremely concerned that “the jobs that were supposed to be given to Malawians were being taken up by foreigners.” Chupa’s comment follows reports that nearly 20 employees of 30 workers in a Lilongwe-based company were not Malawian citizens. It had also been reported in recent days that many Asian-owned businesses were ‘importing unskilled personnel’ from East Asia. Francis Antonio, secretary-general of the Malawi Congress of Trade Unions stated that as per Malawian law, a company could hire non-citizens provided that no citizen of Malawi could perform the job adequately. Antonio alleged that Farmers’ World - the company in question had also hired non-citizens as clerks. He demanded a full investigation into the employment practices of the company especially since “most Malawians [we]re unemployed.” Recent statistics added to the prevailing public concern by indicating that the current numbers of 200,000 job seekers would double by 2003, exerting additional pressure on an already saturated job market. Given this situation, Antonio argued that it was unfair for the government to allow foreigners to hold menial and unskilled positions. “We are not against foreigners bringing their expertise here but where can we do the job ourselves it is only fair to give that job to us.” Last week, the Malawian government had expelled more than 20 unauthorized immigrants, many of them from Pakistan and India, for working in businesses owned by relatives while in the country on a tourist visa.

Malawi: Africa News Online, PANA (Blantyre 07-14) inform that following a ‘swoop’ on enterprises operated by Asians in Malawi, the department of immigration arrested and deported more than 10 undocumented migrants. The repatriation officer for the department of Immigration, McBobby Balaza told reporters in Blantyre that the 10 undocumented migrants deported by authorities were part of a group of 20 unauthorized migrants apprehended by the department. “The remaining foreigners are still under police custody because their travel documents are not yet ready,” he disclosed. The ‘surprise swoops’ were conducted after local residents and Malawians, who blame Asians for job losses, reported to the police about the undocumented migrants. Many of those detained by authorities were working as shop assistants in Asian stores in Blantyre. In June, Malawian workers of Asian businesses had participated in a strike, claiming that Asian business people were paying other members of their community higher wages than Malawians.

Mozambique: Africa News Online, PANA (Nampula 07-21) reports that 37 refugees from the Great Lakes region have arrived in northern city of Nampula. Of these refugees, ten were from the Democratic Republic of Congo and the rest of them were from Rwanda. These refugees, including women and children were living in the small servant quarters at the Immigration Directorate since the city lacked a refugee centre to house these refugees. Referring to this group of asylum-seekers, Joaquim Ibrahimo, the provincial immigration director said: “We didn’t give them any support as regards foodstuffs and clothing. What we did was to give them a place while they wait for the UNHCR to find means to address the problems.” The refugee agency had not yet given them formal recognition as refugees.

Mozambique: Sapa-AFP (Maputo 07-20) writes that at the three-day SADC meeting on defence and security in Maputo, Tobias Dhai, Minister of Defence for Mozambique has urged his counterparts to act cooperatively in order to address common security issues. He argued that “the continuing threat to peace and security in our region demands permanent consultations and collective responses.” He identified common threats to regional stability as drugs and arms trafficking, military aggression, the threat of HIV/AIDS, poverty and low levels of literacy. The continuing conflicts in Angola and DRC were also the focus of attention at this meeting. At the same time, some SADC members have already begun to resolve these issues in a joint and cooperative manner. For example, Mozambican and South African police forces have worked together in recent years to detect illegal weapons in Mozambique. Last month, joint efforts by both teams led to the recovery of large arms caches in Mozambique.

Mozambique: IRIN (07-05) based on recent estimates by the World Food Program, writes that nearly $ 2 million are urgently required to repairs roads and bridges damaged by floods earlier this year in southern and central Mozambique. The UN agency revealed that these repairs were critical in order to transport thousands of tons of food supplies to those flood affected persons in the coming months. Georgia Shaver, WFP’s Regional Manager for Southern Africa said that “much work still [needed] to be done to help Mozambique recover from this year’s devastating floods. In particular, repairing destroyed infrastructure such as roads and bridges [was] not only essential for relief food delivery, but also for economic revival.” Thus far, damaged roads have seriously hampered the efforts of WFP and its partners to distribute food in several parts of the country. The Italian government recently donated $ 1.4 million to WFP towards the repair effort. It is believed that after the road repairs are completed, flood affected persons will have to walk a shorter distance to food distribution sites.

Namibia: The Namibian, Nampa (Rundu 07-26) write that several hundred people from the Kavango region have traveled to the Office of Civic Affairs in order to obtain new Namibian identity cards. It was reported that Namibian security forces were conducting searches to apprehend unauthorized immigrants, and often did not accept birth certificates as proof for Namibian citizenship. Namibian armed forces insisted that local residents provide identity cards to establish their nationality. Nampa interviewed Haindere Mundumbu who had traveled “a long way” from Koro village in Mashare constituency. Mundumbu said that he had registered for the ID card last year, but had not received it thus far. Other people interviewed for this article requested the Directorate of Civil Registration to extend their service to other areas so that people were not forced to travel long distances to Rundu to procure these documents. At present, Rundu is only area in Kavango where the identity documents are issued. Meanwhile, the Directorate of Civil Registration in the Ministry of Home Affairs last week launched training courses on issuing birth certificates for Regional Councilors and traditional leaders in Ohangwena, Oshikoto, Omusati, Oshana, Kunene and Caprivi. Freddy Elivas, Deputy Director of Civil Registration stated that councilors and headmen of villages could easily identify the applicants, and thus avoid issuing birth certificates to the ‘wrong people.’

Namibia/Botswana: SABC News (07-21) cites Joshua Hoebeb, Namibian High Commissioner to Botswana, who stated that his government would ask Botswana to repatriate Caprivi refugees back to Namibia. He also believed that many of these refugees were guilty of crimes ranging from murder to treason. There are a substantial number of Namibian refugees in Botswana. In northern Botswana, for instance, the Dukwe refugee camp accommodates more than 3000 Namibian refugees who fled the eastern province of Caprivi. Many of these refugees fled Caprivi after fighting broke out between the secessionists and the Namibian army. But, a majority these refugees were reluctant to return to Namibia fearing that the Namibian army would harm them. Refugees from Caprivi have also become the recent source for controversy and dispute between the two governments. Last year, despite President Sam Nujoma’s plea, Botswana provided asylum to thousands of refugees from Namibia. The government in Botswana had not yet taken any decision to repatriate the Namibian refugees.

Namibia/Regional: Africa News Online, PANA (Windhoek 07-18) reveal that Erastus Mwencha, secretary-general of COMESA is touring Namibia to gather support for the launching of a free trade area in late October. His visit follows a recent summit in Mauritius of the Lusaka-based Common Market for East and Southern Africa, which agreed to eliminate all tariffs and non-tariff barriers from the end of October. Speaking to journalists in Windhoek yesterday, Mwencha said that nearly half of COMESA members had agreed to abolish their tariffs despite the recent withdrawal of membership by Tanzania, Mozambique and Lesotho. It is believed that Tanzania withdrew because it could not afford to abolish the tariffs. Similarly, Mozambique and Lesotho backed out because they considered the agreement to be a ‘duplication’ of agreements between SADC and COMESA in the same region. Mwencha, however, argued that the role played by COMESA and SADC was ‘complementary.’ He indicated that though Namibia had increased its volume of trade with the rest of COMESA member states, some barriers continued to exist, like the facilitation of trade though the Southern African Customs Union. According to Mwencha, “trade liberalization and…promotion programme [wa]s the centre piece of COMESA’s integration arrangements.” The organization was in the process of implementing several programmes in the transport, telecommunications, monetary, and financial sectors to maximize efficiency in the free trade area.

Namibia: Sapa (Windhoek 07-16) writes that while addressing students and teachers at the opening of additional facilities at Opawa Junior Secondary School in his hometown of Tsumeb, Prime Minister Hage Geingob argued that the country suffered from a chronic shortage of skilled workers. This was largely because the former Bantu system of education had seriously undermined Namibia’s human resource development. Though Namibia had worked hard to upgrade and expand its infrastructure as well as manufacturing and communication bases said Geingob, “Namibian people still lacked the adequate skills need[ed] to build, operate and manage [these] resources.”

Namibia/Botswana: Sapa (07-13) reports that negotiations were taking place between Namibia and Botswana for the likely extradition of 15 suspected Namibian secessionists wanted for crimes like murder and high treason. These offences had been committed during the armed uprising and attack to secede the Caprivi region in the northeastern town of Katima Mulilo in August last year. The Caprivi secessionists caused the deaths of fifteen Namibian soldiers and civilians. Han Heyman, the Prosecutor-General for Namibia stated a couple of days ago that the police were working on a prima facie case against the suspects in Botswana, as they could not be prosecuted independently of others held in Namibia. The fifteen suspected Namibian secessionists are part of a larger group of 3000 persons who left the country in 1998 and 1999 following a crackdown by the Namibian government to apprehend members of the Caprivi Liberation Army led by opposition leader Mishake Muyongo, now living in Denmark. The Prosecutor-General also revealed that negotiations towards the extradition were being conducted by the two governments, and excluded the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The suspects are believed to be living with other Namibian/Caprivi refugees at the Dukwe refugee camp and Kagisong centre near Gaborone.

Namibia: Sapa (Windhoek 07-12) reports Major General Martin Shali, chief of the Namibian Defence Force (NDF) has urged all motorists driving in western Caprivi to travel with security force escorts. Armed bandits linked to UNITA rebels have killed more than 15 civilians in this area in the past few weeks. Consequently, Namibian security forces have beefed up security measures in the region, especially between Divindu and Kongola checkpoints including armed escorts for motorists. He indicated that motorists who did not adhere to these new regulations would be penalized.

Namibia/Angola: Sapa-AFP (Windhoek 07-04) reports that Namibia would not participate in the Organization of African Unity (OAU) meeting in Lome beginning July 10^th. Namibia is supporting a boycott call by the neighbouring country of Angola after a UN sponsored report accused President Gnassimbe Eyadema of Togo of flouting sanctions against UNITA rebels by financing and selling arms to the rebel outfit. Since December last year when authorities in Windhoek gave Angola permission to attack UNITA rebels from within Namibia, some 50 Namibian citizens have been killed on the country’s northern border. The Namibian government was also providing logistical support to the Angolan armed forces to check UNITA’s operations, and had blamed these deaths on cross-border incursions by UNITA. An official statement released by the Namibian Ministry of Information stated that the boycott was in “anticipation of the introduction of sanctions” against governments implicated in the UN report for defying the sanctions against UNITA.

Namibia/Angola: The Namibian (Rundu 07-04) writes that since the beginning of June, more than 900 Angolan citizens have been sent from the Kavango region to the Osire refugee camp near Otjiwarongo. Mascar Kashembe, the principal immigration officer for Kavango informed Nampa that these statistics had been received from the office of UNHCR, and the 900 odd Angolans sent to the camp had reported to the Namibian authorities as refugees before June 1.

Regional: PANA (07-26) write that the fifth annual meeting of the Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Corporation Organization, also known as SARPCCO will meet in Malawi from 31 July-4 August. Benard Mphinji, Inspector General of Police for Malawi informed PANA that the main objective of this regional security bloc was to target cross-border crime like gunrunning, drug trafficking and organized crime. “With SARPCCO, the criminal fraternity will not find any country in the region as a soft spot for crime or a safe haven. With SARPCCO the long arm of the law stretches across the entire SADC region,” he maintained. Police chiefs from all 14 countries of SADC were expected to attend the meeting.

South Africa: City Press (07-30) reporter Phalane Motale writes about the “horror, the horror of the hell-hole [of] Hillbrow.” Motale comments that Hillbrow marked the ‘ugly picture’ of the deterioration of an inner city area – an area that was formerly ‘vibrant’ and a ‘glittering upmarket suburb[an] hous[ing] for some of the movers and shakers of black society.’ Today, Hillbrow had become the most ‘notorious’ place in Johannesburg, and a gathering place for ‘prostitutes, drug-dealers, card players, hawkers…and women selling home brewed liquor.’ Every street corner in Hillbrow was occupied by ‘suspected illegal immigrants and prostitutes.’ A similar development was taking place in other inner city areas like Yeoville and Berea. Urban degeneration began in these areas in the mid-80s when the government abolished ‘influx control laws.’ As a result, many ‘Africans started flocking to Hillbrow,’ settling with their extended families in the area that was formerly the ‘preserve of whites.’ Despite recent raids conducted by police in Hillbrow to apprehend undocumented African immigrants, the image of Hillbrow had not improved much in public perception.

South Africa: City Press, SABC News (07-30, 07-27) inform that the eight doctors apprehended yesterday for violating the regulations of the Aliens Control Act were released on bail in the Regional Court in Pretoria. These doctors were arrested in Kwazulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Gauteng and the North- west provinces and were released after each paying an amount of R1000. Annalie Brukner, the agent who obtained the work permits on their behalf was asked to pay R 2000 as bail. The detainees were from Nigeria, and were employed in various hospitals in different parts of the country. Some of them had been working in the country for nearly five years, and were not registered with the Health Professionals Council of South Africa (earlier known as Medical and Dental Council of SA). Police sources indicated that they were in the process of locating 12 other doctors practicing medicine in South Africa without valid work permits. Reacting to this news, Manase Makwela, spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs said that the department was planning to launch an inquiry into this case. Similarly, Superintendent Martin Aylward, spokesperson for SAPS national detective unit, said that the doctors risked being re-arrested if they continued to work following their release.

South Africa/Mozambique: Independent Newspapers Online (07-27) writes that members of the South African police services destroyed a large cache of firearms, mortars and ammunition in Mozambique as a part of its latest efforts under Operation Rachel. According to a statement released by SAPS, the arms caches that were discovered next to cultivated land ‘posed a great threat to the residents as well as the southern African region’ as most of the weaponry discovered by the police ‘could be used for criminal activities.’

South Africa: Dispatch Online (East London 07-27) reports that the Department of Home Affairs and South African Revenue Service have urged communities to assist them in limiting the ‘influx of illegal goods and immigrants’ into South Africa. A joint statement released by these departments argued that contraband goods harmed the South African economy. These departments pointed out that employing undocumented immigrants was a criminal offence. They encouraged South African citizens to come forward to provide information on undocumented immigrants, and corrupt officials willing to provide immigrants with South African identity books and passports in exchange for bribes. Inspector Deon du Preez of the Border Police Unit declared that “it was [sometimes] hard to stop immigrants…even if they [did] not have work permits. The reason [was] that these people [were] treated as refugees and [could] not be deported due to civil war and hunger in other countries.” He maintained that many immigrants arrived in the country as refugees, and thereafter obtained South African citizenship by marrying a citizen of this country. Du Preez added that between 2000 and 3000 undocumented immigrants had managed to obtain the South African ID books by “paying a desperate old woman in the street to issue a false statement to Home Affairs saying that she [was] their mother.” He recommended that the government should ‘do more’ to prevent the entry of unauthorized immigrants and goods into South Africa.

South Africa/Regional: News 24, Sapa (Pretoria 07-26) inform that the cabinet has formally endorsed South Africa’s participation in a regional free trade agreement involving the Southern African Development Community (SADC). While making this announcement, Trade and Industry Minister Alec Erwin revealed that President Thabo Mbeki would sign the SADC trade protocol at the end of the week in Windhoek. “This is a major breakthrough. We are extremely pleased about this development,” said Erwin. The free trade agreement involves 11 countries in the Southern African region, and is expected to come into effect at the end of September.

South Africa/Zimbabwe: News 24, Sapa (Cape Town 07-26) referring to a recent survey in South Africa, write that nearly 80 percent of the respondents believed that the land occupation crisis in Zimbabwe would contribute toward increasing numbers of ‘illegal immigrants’ into South Africa. The survey was conducted by Research Surveys who interviewed 1000 black and white South Africans residing in metropolitan areas in the country. Only 9 percent of survey participants believed that the political crisis in Zimbabwe would not lead to increasing numbers of undocumented Zimbabweans migrating to South Africa.

South Africa: News 24, African Eye News Service (Messina 07-26) report that the police detained two Zimbabwean citizens in the Northern Province for carrying 63 unaccounted for hi-fi sets. The two suspects were arrested in the early morning hours on their way to the Beit Bridge border post near Zimbabwe. Far North police spokesperson Ailwei Mushavhanamadi revealed that the two men were unable to provide “papers for the hi-fi sets” and also failed to explain “if they were owners of the sets or had been sent by someone else (to collect them).” The suspects were expected to appear soon at the Magistrate’s Court in Messina.

South Africa: WOZA (07-26) writes that nine doctors from Zaire, Nigeria, Niger and Zambia, have been arrested under Operation Crackdown for working in South Africa using ‘illegal’ work permits. These doctors were arrested after an intensive inquiry launched by the Aliens Investigation Unit in Kwazulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Gauteng and Northwest provinces. Police spokesperson Martin Aylward indicated that the doctors were registered with the South African Medical and Dental Council, and would appear in the Pretoria Regional Court on 27 July to face charges relating to the Aliens Control Act. Aylward also stated that additional arrests could be made by the police in coming weeks.

South Africa: Business Day (07-25) referring to a report sponsored by Cisco Systems informs that there is an acute shortage of skilled networking professionals in South Africa. The local skills’ shortfall is estimated to escalate from 33 percent in 1999 to 62 percent by the year 2003, driven to a certain extent by the emigration of technology workers. It is also estimated that South Africa will need nearly 85600 network engineers by 2003, but only around 33,000 skilled persons would be available in the country. The report indicates that the shortage of skilled professionals is likely to have an adverse impact on the expansion of Internet economy in the region. Mike Couzens, regional senior director of training for Cisco Systems recommended that countries like South Africa should deal this shortage by building their “intellectual capital” and increase their “competitive advantage” in the global economy.

South Africa: Channel Africa-SABC (Johannesburg 07-25) report that the city police have issued a warrant for the arrest of two Angolan citizens allegedly involved in a fraudulent cobalt deal worth 3 million dollars. Paul Mbayo Ngalu and Jean Claude Kelambaie were arrested three years ago for exporting containers of sand as cobalt to the United States and United Kingdom. Ngalu and Kelambaie were released on bail, but failed to appear in a magistrate’s court in June.

South Africa: Sapa (Cape Town 07-25) quotes the Department of Home Affairs, who denied that they were going to expel Tashi Phuntsok, the South African representative of the Dalai Lama. The Department was responding to a report in The Citizen that had claimed that Phuntsok was ‘persona non grata’ with the Department because his temporary residence permit had expired. Sources close to the Tibetan representative had maintained that some issue had been raised about his documentation, but added that it had been resolved some time ago. Phunstok, like many Tibetans in exile in India, had traveled to South Africa on special papers issued by the Indian government. Hennie Meyer, Home Affairs spokesperson informed Sapa that Phuntsok enjoyed a ‘special dispensation’ even though his department recognized only passports as valid travel documents. In a similar vein, spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs Daniel Ngwepe indicated that there were no ‘problems’ with the envoy’s residence in South Africa. Meanwhile, Phuntsok, who has been living in South Africa for the past three years, said that “at this stage, [he] would rather not make any comment on what [was] happening.”
South Africa: SABC News, News 24, City Press, Sapa, WOZA (Johannesburg 07-24, 07-21) referring to hearings on racism being conducted by the South African Human Rights Commission, report that black South Africans demonstrated ‘high levels of racism,’ especially towards immigrants from other parts of Africa. At the hearing in Johannesburg, the International Organization of Migration (IOM) revealed that “there is racism among black people themselves – it is called xenophobia, which is hatred and discrimination so that it can be dealt with as another form of racism.” The organization’s submission to SAHRC hearing on racism suggested that “black South Africans [did] not easily accept black Africans – there [were] at best tolerated and at worst brutalized and marginalised.” In addition, the report highlighted that many immigrants residing in South Africa were, in fact, refugees and asylum-seekers, who had sought refuge in the country from severe circumstances in their home countries, including human rights abuses, war and detention. Unfortunately, many refugees were subjected to prejudice and stereotyping in South Africa, which portrayed them as “job-stealers,” “criminals” and “border jumpers.” Since most immigrants faced xenophobic sentiments on a daily basis, many of them lacked a feeling of belonging and self esteem. The report emphasized that despite the ‘problems’ posed by undocumented immigrants, prejudice and xenophobia was often directed towards legitimate immigrants who made a ‘valuable contribution’ in economic and cultural terms to South Africa.
South Africa: Business Report (Johannesburg 07-23) reveals that a Dubai-based publisher has dropped plans to move his operation to South Africa because of the bureaucratic red tape and routine delays involved in obtaining a work permit. Naved Hassan, director of Gateway Marketing that produces the Business Guide to United Arab Emirates (UAE) disclosed this week that he would be moving instead to Uganda. “Here they tell you must wait from two to eighteen months for an answer,” Hassan declared. “I understand that South Africa has a problem with illegal immigrants, but you allow someone to start a business or buy a house here,” he added.

South Africa: Dispatch Online (Bisho 07-20) informs that during the debate on the annual report of the Health Department, Health MEC Bevan Goqwana informed the Eastern Cape Legislature that white doctors trained under apartheid ‘lacked loyalty’ and commitment to the present South African government. These doctors “with a snap of the finger [would] tell one [that] they [we]re going to leave the country. Instead of doing what is supposed to be done, they do the opposite,” he added. He maintained that the current problems being faced by the health services in the country could not be eliminated “with the snap of one’s fingers.”

South Africa: Dispatch Online (07-19) editor(s) comment that the recent decision taken by national police commissioner Jackie Selebi to impose an indefinite moratorium on the release of crime statistics implied that “he [was] not trying to protect us from good news.” The editor(s) argue that the reported inaccuracies in the statistics of 30 out of 1156 police stations was a ‘flimsy reason to hide the totals.’ Everyone is aware that the ‘data are imperfect’ and the strategies adopted by the police could take these problems into account. Selebi’s new policing initiative termed ‘Operation Crackdown’ had made an extraordinarily large number of arrests (18,500 persons) which could be viewed as an “excellent performance” only if “crime came down” during the operation, and those arrested were successfully prosecuted, justifying the detentions in the first place. Now, Selebi had to focus his attention on the difficult task of raising the morale of police officers, and improving the efficiency of policing in the country.

South Africa: Sapa (Durban 07-18) indicates that the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) would hold public hearings on racism in Kwazulu-Natal at the Durban City Hall on this day. Caren Stone, Kwazulu-Natal commissioner for HRC revealed that the accounts presented in Durban would be sent to the national conference on racism to be held in Johannesburg at the end of August. Nearly 40 submissions had been confirmed for Durban, though many other people attending the hearings were also expected to narrate their experiences of racism, xenophobia and other forms of discrimination.

South Africa: Sapa (Johannesburg 07-18) quotes Barney Pityana, Chairperson of the South African Human Rights Commission who expressed hope that the upcoming national racism conference would promote an “anti-racism culture” in South Africa. “Where such a culture exists, racism ceases to be fashionable or tolerated,” he observed. The National Conference on Racism, with the theme ‘Combating Racism: A Nation in Dialogue’ will be held in Sandton from 30 August-2 September. The participants at the conference will include 800 representatives of government, and NGOs, religious organizations, educational and research institutions, cultural and business groups as well as traditional leaders.

South Africa: Sapa (Nelspruit 07-17) reports that the South African Human Rights Commission is organizing a day-long public meeting on this day on racism in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga as a part of a series of meetings to be held nation-wide in South Africa. Commissioner Ntshole Mabapa said, “we need to hear the voices of the people. It is really about people’s experiences.” Last week, at a meeting held in Marble Hall, the commission heard accounts of xenophobic encounters by Somalian hawkers who accused the town council of discriminating against them, ordering them to leave the town. The commission is expected to hold similar hearings in Western Cape, Northern Cape, Northwest, Free State, Northern Province and Kwazulu-Natal later this month.

South Africa: News 24 (Pretoria 07-17) reporter Alet Rademeyer argues that trained intensive care unit and high care unit nurses have become ‘extremely scarce’ because many trained nurses were leaving for higher-paying jobs overseas. Fasie Smith, nursing services manager for Montana Hospital in Pretoria North confirmed this assertion, and stated that the shortage of specialized nurses was increasingly becoming a ‘big problem’ in hospitals. This hospital had already ‘lost’ three nurses in recent weeks to hospitals in Saudi Arabia and USA, and several other nurses were also considering leaving the country. Lindi Swart, client manager for Spesmed, a nursing agency in Pretoria revealed that his agency “sometimes receive[d] a call in the middle of the night from a hospital urgently requir[ing] a nurse.” A spokesperson from another agency said that it was increasingly common “to tell a hospital that we do not have a sister for them. Some days we have a shortage of up to four sisters.” Smith maintained that the current shortage of nurses could lead to other bigger problems for the health sector, and added that the private sector had to be more active in training new nurses.

South Africa: Sapa (Pretoria 07-14) writes that the national police commissioner Jackie Selebi has requested Steve Tshwete, the Minister for Safety and Security to place a moratorium on issuing of crime statistics in South Africa. The freeze would provide police with a “breathing space while taking stock of and redesigning its entire approach to the way it counts and assesses crime” in the country. While in effect, only the national quarterly statistics would be issued, and that too by police headquarters in Pretoria. Eric Pelser from the Institute for Security Studies hoped that the authorities would use this period to enforce the suggestions of a committee of inquiry that looked into crime statistics in 1998.

South Africa: Independent Newspapers Online, WOZA, Reuters (07-13) indicate that South African police are planning to extend the activities of ‘Operation Crackdown,’ and target organized crime syndicates in South Africa. Sally de Beer, National Police Spokesperson Director told Reuters that 27 crime syndicates run by 24 ‘barons’ and 650 ‘runners’ or ‘workers’ had been ‘singled out for attention.’ National Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi had also established an Organized Crime Task Force, which included members from several units. At the same time, however, de Beer added that “these [were] ongoing and sensitive investigations, and we cannot say when arrests will be made.” De Beer further revealed that there were two components to Operation Crackdown: “…One [was] the very visible raids and sweeps and arrests on the street, the other [included] the organized crime investigations.” A total of 185, 849 suspects have been arrested so far under Operation Crackdown.

South Africa: News 24, Sapa (Cape Town 07-12) refer to e-tv news reports which stated that human rights activists and members of the South African Police Service’s border control unit gathered together in Cape Town to discuss the ill-treatment of undocumented immigrants. Members of human rights organizations maintained that the police frequently harassed and victimized undocumented immigrants in South Africa. The activists further expressed concern regarding a new immigration law that focuses on unauthorized immigrants. The National Consortium of Refugee Affairs, in a similar vein, argued that South Africa was ‘backtracking’ in its responsibility towards refugees. In the early months of this year, police detained thousands of undocumented immigrants under the SAPS sponsored ‘Operation Crackdown,’ but police have refuted claims that the operation largely targeted ‘illegal’ immigrants.

South Africa: Independent Newspapers Online (07-11) reporter Charles Phahlane reveals that the proposed conference on racism to be held at the Sandton Convention Centre will precede the United Nations World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Violence hosted by South Africa next year. The conference is expected to cost the South African government R4 million, and attended by 750 delegates including cabinet ministers, bureaucrats, traditional leaders, representatives from political parties, and social organizations. Penuell Maduna, Justice Minister informed Parliament that the conference would be “people driven” rather than “paper and speaker driven.” Thabo Mbeki told Parliament that South Africans “must work together, both black and white, to end racism.”

South Africa: News 24 (Durban 07-10) reporter Dries Liebenberg writes about SANDF company commander Major Pieter van As who was shot dead recently by a platoon commander in his office earlier this week. His mother Mrs. Konnie van As of Richards Bay said that her son’s company was deployed recently to participate in the crime prevention crackdown being organized by the South African police. She added that her son worked under ‘dangerous conditions’ to apprehend ‘illegal immigrants,’ trace dagga plantations and stolen vehicles.

South Africa: Business Report (Cape Town 07-09) reporter Clive Rubin writes that the film industry in Western Cape is ‘flouting’ and ignoring the country’s labour laws. The industry is largely self-governing with little unionization, and production companies often hire models from outside South Africa asking them not to disclose that they are working in the country. The models, Rubin writes, obtain tourist visas issued easily to citizens of the European Union, and work for South African film companies without a valid work permit. This practice is very common throughout the industry and violates the department of Home Affairs regulations regarding employment of foreign nationals in South Africa. According to rules established by the department, foreign workers can obtain work permit exemptions only if they get advance permission from a South African consulate in the country of origin of the worker. Also, the exemptions are generally granted only if the worker does not remain in South Africa for more than 24 hours.

South Africa: Sunday Times’ (07-09) Mboniso Sigonyela writes that ‘urgent’ action was needed from the South African government and the information technology industry in order to address the shortage of IT skills in the country. A recent study conducted by International Data Corporation, and sponsored by Cisco Systems estimated that there would be a shortage of some 53,000 skilled workers in the country’s IT industry by 2003. The report, which looked at 11 different countries and their performance ranked South Africa last in terms of the expansion of the IT markets. President Mbeki had recently announced that an IT advisory council could be set up by the South African government shortly to deal with the “digital divide matter.” The study also underscored that the shortage of skilled IT workers in the developed world would affect smaller markets like South Africa adversely because of ‘brain drain’ of IT workers to countries like UK and Germany.

South Africa: Sunday Times’ (07-09) Sue Valentine reviews the new and ‘fascinating’ novel ‘Skyline’ written by Patricia Schonstein Pinnock. The central protagonist of the novel is a young girl living in a shabby block of apartments in Long Street within Cape Town’s city centre. The lives of a stream of refugees from various parts of the African continent who have arrived in “Mr. Mandela's country” to seek a better life is portrayed through the eyes of this young girl. Skyline also explores the ugly reality and ‘cruelty’ of xenophobia among South Africans.

South Africa: WOZA, Sapa (Johannesburg 07-08) informs that Jako Lekorotsoana, a citizen of Lesotho is planning to take legal action against Pelonomi Hospital in Bloemfontein for placing him in a morgue while he was still alive. Mojafela Ramphai, the South African lawyer representing Lekorotsoana revealed that he had been admitted at the hospital after a hit and run accident in 1996, and was certified dead on arrival.

South Africa: The Natal Witness, City Press, Independent Newspapers Online, Sapa (07-07, 07-06) referring to recent statements by Home Affairs Minister Mangosuthu Buthelezi write that under the terms of a new immigration law, employers will soon be expected to pay a “license fee” to employ migrant workers. Buthelezi told participants of a conference at Parliament on ‘Regulating Migration in the 21^st Century,’ that the levy, a percentage of the employee’s salary, would be used to finance the training of South African workers. He maintained that the new draft Immigration Bill was “aimed at keeping out foreigners we do not want and deporting those who are in the country illegally.” Buthelezi added that his department had created a “flexible system” of migration that allowed “anyone to employ as many foreigners as they need for as long as they need them.” Application process for entry permits will be simplified, and objective criteria for granting permits established in order to reduce the discretionary powers of department officials. He emphasized that persons who employed unauthorized immigrants or educational institutions granting them admission would be severely penalized. The proposed immigration policy will also be more lenient to family class immigrants such that spouses and immediate family of migrant workers would be considered eligible for entry permits. “We will not allow the law to break down family ties or interfere with people’s emotional and sentimental lives.” New “types” of family relationships would furthermore be considered. A new department of South African Immigration Service (SAIS) will implement the new policy, bringing the process of “dealing with foreigners into full compliance with the constitution and the highest international standard.”

South Africa: Africa News Online, Business Day (Johannesburg 07-07) write about the two-day conference in Cape Town on immigration attended by South African officials, leading academics and sponsored by Anglo-American mining group. In his keynote address, Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Minister for Home Affairs, stated that despite general agreement that immigrants were needed by South Africa, it was difficult to establish objective standards to determine the types of foreigners ‘needed or wanted’ by South Africa. Canadian academic Professor Jonathan Crush informed government leaders and academics yesterday that the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) conducted “deeply flawed” studies on immigrants in early 90s. Unfortunately, “grossly inaccurate” statistics and information produced by these studies were still being used by the South African bureaucrats and MPs to arrive at “misleading conclusions” about immigration in South Africa. Though the government was planning to abolish the repressive Aliens Control Act, the focus remained on the control of immigrants who were largely seen as “enemy number one.” He argued that the South African government needed to adopt a carefully thought-out immigration policy especially in order to address the ‘brain drain’ issue. Crush also informed the participants that the new Immigration Bill may be ‘on a collision course with its own stated objectives’ of erasing South Africa’s discriminatory apartheid past. He further questioned the “special treatment” to be given to the mining industry under the new immigration legislation – concessions regarding the employment of migrant labour that had not been extended to sectors and industries. Oupa Bodibe, lobbyist for the Congress of South Africa Trade Unions (Cosatu) said that the federation would ask the government to explain the “rationale” behind these exemptions for the mining industry.

South Africa: Business Report (Cape Town 07-07) reporter Lynda Loxton writes that labour and business representatives showed a mixed response to the new ‘migration controls’ compelling employers to pay a new levy to employ migrant workers. Union representatives argued that the difference between the new levy and current skills development levy was unclear. Similarly, business representatives argued that the new fees would discourage foreign investors, and affect mining groups adversely that depended to a great extent on migrant labour. They argued further that many businesses and industries relying on migrant labour would no longer be able to employ migrants. As a result, the new fees would hurt the economies of neighbouring countries caused by the retrenchment of migrants. Delegates representing South African businesses were also skeptical that the new Immigration Bill would reduce the bureaucratic maze to be negotiated by employers of migrant labour. Buthelezi and his special advisor Mario Ambrosini termed the new levy as a “user charge” and indicated that exemptions to the levy could be granted in exceptional circumstances. Lawrence Schlemmer, a political analyst commented that with the exception of the new fees that would increase labour costs, the proposed legislation was “a distinct improvement (on present legislation) and reasonably progressive.”

South Africa: Independent Newspapers Online (07-07) writes that a Sheng Yu Hsu, a businessman from Taiwan was fined R50, 000, given an 18 month sentence (suspended for five years), and ordered to pay for his own deportation after he was caught trying to use a stolen Lesotho passport. Hsu wanted to establish a business in Lesotho, and was apprehended at the U.S. consulate when he presented the stolen passport. Responding to this incident, Inspector Gert de Beer of the Durban Internal Tracing Unit stated that some immigrants imported raw materials into South Africa and subsequently exported these items to other states like Lesotho causing established businesses to suffer.

South Africa: News 24 (Cape Town 07-07) reports that Mangosuthu Buthelezi, the Minister for Home Affairs has agreed to help the non-South African members of Cape Town Symphony Orchestra in the country. The Orchestra closed its doors last week as a result of shortage of finances, and the foreign members of the orchestra had been asked to leave South Africa since their employment had ended in the country. While speaking at a dinner in Cape Town’s historic castle at which the four foreign members of the orchestra performed, Buthelezi said that he would assist these members to stay in the country long enough to organize their affairs or participate in the formation of a new orchestra. “If the Bill, [that] we are considering during our conference (on migration) had already been passed, the foreign members of our symphony orchestra would surely qualify for work permits,” he stated. “However, the Bill is not a reality, but this tragic event underpins its necessity.”

South Africa: News 24, Sapa (Bloemfontein 07-07) reveal that anti-crime initiatives under ‘Operation Crackdown’ in Free State resulted in the detention of 1765 suspects during the months of May and June this year. While making this announcement, provincial police commissioner Moranadi Gaobepe disclosed that the police conducted 50,000 separate searches during these months. He added that the police ‘dedicated much of their action’ to ‘flush out illegal immigrants,’ and around 150 unauthorized immigrants were arrested. Gaobepe argued that the operation was a success, and remained enthusiastic about continuing Operation Crackdown.

South Africa/Mozambique: News 24 (Johannesburg 07-05) reveals that thousands of South Africans wanting to travel to Mozambique have been waiting impatiently for more than two weeks to obtain their visa stickers. ‘Red tape and administrative bungling’ seemed to have prevented the Mozambican embassy and consulates in South Africa from procuring the stickers needed for the visa. Consequently, long queues of people waiting to get the stickers were seen outside the Pretoria embassy. The Mozambican embassy was also forced to send home many of its employees in the absence of the stickers because there was little work for them. Timo Beukes, an official from the Department of Foreign Affairs in South Africa maintained that Mozambican consulates in other parts of country, especially Johannesburg and Nelspruit were only slightly inconvenienced by the shortage of visa stickers. He also revealed that the numbers of tourists traveling to Mozambique had increased rapidly in the past few years, especially over the recent long weekend. On the other hand, a visa agent in Johannesburg stated that the current shortage of visa stickers was adversely affecting tourism in Mozambique. “Nothing is coming from Maputo. I even know of a case of some would-be South African tourists applying to the embassy in Malawi in a bid to secure visas. Even they are out of stock,” he argued. He also said that it normally took his agency about five days to obtain the visas but because of the shortage “at the moment, we are doing nothing.” Another agent interviewed by this newspaper maintained that the Mozambican consulate was issuing the visas within five days, but indicated that the visa fees levied by his agency had increased in the past few weeks. A third agent interviewed by News 24 reporters said that the large crowd waiting outside the Johannesburg consulate in order to get the visas had demonstrated in anger a few days ago against the unnecessary delay. He added: “This is similar to the situation about two years ago, when the embassy could not provide passports. Mozambicans who wanted to return home for the Christmas holidays broke into the embassy when they were told that it was closed for three weeks, and trashed the offices.” A spokesperson for the Mozambican embassy in Johannesburg, however, refuted the claim that the shortage had lasted for two weeks. He said that problem only arose a few days ago, and added that the Mozambican embassy in Pretoria had recently received a consignment of stickers via courier from Maputo. The spokesperson agreed that the shortage of stickers had meant a loss of valuable revenue for his country, but argued that the loss was unavoidable since an overseas company printed these stickers. The shortage comes at a time when the impoverished Mozambican government desperately needs additional funds to repair the extensive damages caused by floods earlier this year.

South Africa: Business Report (Cape Town 07-05) reveals that as per the preliminary data released by Statistics South Africa, the numbers of foreign visitors to the country grew only by a ‘disappointing’ five percent last year. Research carried out by Grant Thornton Kessel Feinstein for the South African Tourism Board, more than 110,000 foreign visitors came to South Africa each year to attend conferences, exhibitions or on incentive travel trips. According to Gillian Sanders, the head of Grant Thornton Kessel Feinstein’s hospitality, tourism and leisure division, the estimated growth of overseas foreign visitors, excluding visitors from the continent of Africa, was about 7 percent exceeding the global average. “Such growth [will] be considered good in many industries,” she added. She commented that the numbers of visitors arriving from countries like UK and Germany was increasing, but arrivals from US grew only by 1.3 percent “which [was] disappointing from one of our large, key markets.”

South Africa: Dispatch Online (07-05) reporter Lew Elias writes about Fong Kong, a Market Theatre Laboratory production dealing with the issue of xenophobia in South Africa. Xenophobia is a topic that urgently needs public attention in post-apartheid South Africa, and Fong Kong was written as a part of the new ‘Roll Back Xenophobia’ initiative by the UNHCR. The production examined the future of refugees from countries like Burundi, Sierra Leone, DRC, Rwanda and Ethiopia in ‘Africa’s newest democracy.’ The production also dealt with the prejudice of ordinary South Africans about refugees and immigrants, and explored the corruption among Home Affairs’ officials, municipal officers and the police.

South Africa: Dispatch Online (Umtata 07-05) informs that according to local police, Emmanuel Sraha, a Ghanaian citizen, employed with a firm of accountants in Umtata was shot dead while driving in his vehicle in the Vulindlela industrial area. Sraha’s body was discovered near the Southernwood shopping complex. It is understood that he apparently collapsed there shortly after two gunmen ambushed him. The reason for the fatal attack was unknown.

South Africa: City Press’ (07-02) Sabata Ncgai argues that “not all refugees are drug dealers,” and provides an account of several refugees at Sea Point who are running thriving business enterprises. Ncgai interviewed refugees like George Enow, a Cameroon born refugee who runs a successful Internet café on the Main Road in Sea Point. Ncgai writes that despite reports by the South African narcotics bureau that many Nigerian immigrants in Sea Point were working for a drug syndicate, South Africans should not brand every Nigerian or refugee in Sea Point as a criminal. He reveals that many immigrants and asylum-seekers were, in fact, working hard at jobs deemed undesirable by South Africans.

South Africa: Sunday Times (07-02) reporter Alpheus Siebane provides an impression of ‘South Africa’s safest town’ – Messina, near the border in the Northern Province. Local police spokesperson Inspector Peter Mudau interviewed for this article boasted that “car hijackings, armed robberies and taxi-related feuds have never happened since this town was established.” Crimes like murder and rape were so infrequent that local residents could not remember the last time that such crime had occurred in Messina. The only people locked up in the local prison this week were ‘illegal immigrants’ awaiting deportation. The secret of Messina’s success in combating crime was cooperation between the local police and the residents of the town. For instance, local residents helped the police arrest 562 ‘illegal’ immigrants residing in the town.

Swaziland: Business Day (07-14) writes that a Taiwanese firm Nien Hsing Textiles will invest more than $ 160 million in the country to set up a factory employing 2000 workers. According to Lutfo Dlamini, the Minister for Enterprise and Development, construction was to begin immediately and the factory was expected to start its operations in April or May next year. The factory was also expected to be the largest establishment at the Matsapha Industrial Site. For the past several years, foreign direct investment into Swaziland has increased only marginally, and this factory is the largest foreign direct investment initiative in recent years. Nien Hsing Textiles was considering Malawi and Lesotho as possible venues for its operations, but a trip by King Mswati to Taiwan in April convinced the firm to invest instead in Swaziland.

Tanzania: PANA (Dar Es Salaam 07-23) informs that a recent decision by the World Food Programme (WFP) to reduce food rations by 40 percent has led to growing fear among refugees in the country. However, local authorities fear that this decision could anger the refugees in Tanzania to ‘cause trouble.’ Abubaker Mgumia, regional commissioner for the western region of Kigoma stated that the WFP decision was not surprising especially since the agency was facing severe shortage of funds. Tanzania is currently host to nearly 800,000 refugees from Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia and Rwanda; a majority of them are from Burundi.

Zambia: The Post of Zambia (07-27) quotes the Minister for Home Affairs Peter Machungwa who informed Parliament that insufficient information from applicants especially in missions abroad and the absence of personnel who could obtain the missing information were largely responsible for delays in the issuing of passports. Machungwa was responding to a question by Mwembeshi MMD MP David Shimonde, who declared that the number of foreign citizens detained for illegally holding Zambian passports remained substantial. The Minister responded that several citizens were selling passports to foreign nationals residing in Zambia. At the same session, deputy minister for Home Affairs Edwin Hatembo announced in Parliament that between 1996 and 1999, more than 150 foreigners had been detained for ‘illegally’ possessing Zambian passports and national registration cards. A majority of those detained, Hatembo revealed, were citizens of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Zambia/Namibia: Africa News Online, The Namibian, Channel Africa-SABC, PANA (Windhoek 07-26, 07-25) report that the two countries were negotiating a ‘border deal’ allowing Zambian citizens to travel into Namibia without having to produce their passports. After the separatist bid in Caprivi about a year ago, the Namibian government had imposed this new rule. Nkrumah Mushelenga, the Deputy Director for Immigration (Namibia) informed The Namibian that a ‘humanitarian arrangement’ allowing Zambians living close to the Namibian border to visit relatives, shop and seek medical attention in the country without passports continued to remain in effect. But, Ministry of Home Affairs spokesperson Mikka Asino indicated that this arrangement applied only to the Oshikango border post. Meanwhile, President Frederick Chiluba, while speaking to the Zambian press yesterday, criticized opposition leaders for expressing support for Lozi secessionists in Namibia. Chiluba maintained that these sentiments were largely responsible for the Namibian authorities’ desire to impose new regulations regarding passports for Zambians travelling to Namibia. He also denied reports, which suggested that Zambia was providing support to Caprivi secessionists in Namibia. The separatist bid in Caprivi had caused instability in both countries, he argued.

Zambia: Africa News Online, The Post of Zambia (Lusaka 07-26) quoting an official from Meheba refugee camp, write that there were only four ‘genuine refugees’ among the 143 Somalian immigrants detained by Copperbelt police. The official also revealed that a majority of these immigrants had ‘escaped’ from Meheba. Nearly three weeks ago, the Copperbelt police had apprehended these Somalian refugees, maintaining that they were ‘illegal immigrants.’ The official from Meheba refugee camp added: “The police did not do a good job because most of these guys were not refugees, and as such should not have been taken to Meheba – a haven only meant for refugees.”

Zambia/DRC: The Post of Zambia (Lusaka 07-20) reports that the police apprehended Kajaji Ntanga, a Congolese national in Lusaka for manufacturing imitation Afro Shampoo with the Lever Brothers trademark. Lemmy Kajoba, spokesperson for the police disclosed that Lever Brothers had discontinued manufacturing Afro Shampoo in August 1999. The last consignment of Afro Shampoo, given the high demand for this product, to be sold by late September. But the continued presence of the shampoo in many retail outlets raised suspicions, and after conducting an independent investigation, Lever Brothers informed police about Ntanga. Ntanga was charged for producing imitation shampoo using the Lever Brother trademark.

Zambia: The Post of Zambia (07-14) quotes Drug Enforcement Officer Raphael Mungole, who said that the rise in drug trafficking in the country continued to be a ‘worry’ for concerned authorities. Zambia had become both a transit-point for the circulation of illicit drugs in the region, and also a major consumer of these commodities. He argued that the geographical position of the country and the centrality of Lusaka International Airport had contributed to the easy circulation of drugs both within and outside the country. For example, Mungole revealed that mandrax was being transported by air from the Indian sub-continent to countries like Ethiopia and Kenya via Tanzania, and then sent by road into Zambia and South Africa.

Zambia: Sapa-AFP (Lusaka 07-13) reveals that immigration, police and intelligence officers conducted a series of raids in the northern Copperbelt town of Ndola a few days ago, and apprehended more than 750 suspected undocumented immigrants - many of them from Somalia. It had been reported earlier this year that there were more than 200 unauthorized immigrants in the country’s prisons. Many of them had been jailed for more than five years largely because the Zambian government could not afford the airfares to send them back to their home countries. Arthur Yoyo, a local government official said that the Zambian government was worried about the increasing involvement of undocumented immigrants in criminal activities in the country.

Zambia: Sapa (Lusaka 07-12) writes that the United States government has donated $ 1,3 million to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Zambia. This grant has been given to the UNHCR in order to provide humanitarian assistance to the large numbers of Angolan refugees arriving in Zambia on a regular basis. Last weekend alone, more than 2000 refugees entered northwest Zambia, near the town of Mwinilunga from war-torn Angola. Zambia has given refuge to more than 200,000 refugees and a majority of these refugees are Angolans. The remaining 30,000 odd refugees have migrated from countries like Burundi, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Somalia and West Africa.

Zambia/Angola: The Post of Zambia (07-05) writes that at the 17^th session of the Zambia-Angola Joint Permanent Commission on defence and security, the commission expressed concern over the deteriorating situation along the border between the two countries. The commission recommended that security measures along the border needed to be beefed up, and also appointed a technical committee consisting of officials from both countries to look into cases of attacks in border areas. The commission also requested the Angolan consulates at Mongu and Solwezi in Zambia to maintain regular consultations with the administration regarding the security situation.

Zambia: The Times of Zambia (07-05) reports that Zambian immigration officials in Kabwe detained eleven Congolese citizens for attempting to enter into the country ‘illegally.’ After a tip-off from local residents, officers from the Department of Immigration and the state police arrested the eleven undocumented migrants in Chikonkomene area before Chisamba where the migrants had camped in order to purchase maize. These unauthorized migrants were taken for screening at the immigration offices, after which they were detained at the Kabwe Central police station, waiting to be transported to Mukobeko prison. It was reported that some other undocumented migrants along with this group escaped the police. It is also believed that the outlying areas of Kabwe had been ‘invaded’ by foreigners, especially Congolese nationals, many of whom entered Zambia on a frequent basis without valid immigration documents to buy food.

Zimbabwe/Mozambique: The Daily News of Zimbabwe (07-18) reports that five Mozambican citizens were convicted for a jail term of 19 years for allegedly trafficking in dagga. Mario July, Farai Frank Bizek, Edward Chagonyera, Lovemore Munemo and James Nzvenga are believed to have rented a lorry from an undercover policeman in order to transport the dagga, and were convicted by Harare magistrate Virginia Sithole for contravening the Dangerous Drugs Act.

Zimbabwe: Business Day (07-17) writes that two Cuban doctors, who were detained in a Zimbabwean prison for more than a month shortly after they attempted to claim asylum at the Canadian High Commission in Harare were now in Sweden, and seeking asylum in the United States. Sweden had granted temporary visas to Leonel Cordova Rodriguez and Noris Pena Martinez, and arrangements were being made for a meeting between US immigration officials and these asylum-seekers in Stockholm. Last week, Zimbabwean authorities released the two doctors, and allowed them to leave for Sweden. US officials had welcomed the news but had declined to comment on the refugee status of the two doctors. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Republican representative from Florida and a strong critic of Fidel Castro revealed that she had recently met with the two asylum-seekers. They informed her that they wished to “take refuge in the United States, where they [had] relatives ready to help them start new lives and…enjoy liberty and democracy.” She expressed hope that the “White House and the state department” would “honor the offer to grant them political asylum and take the necessary steps to expedite their case.”

Zimbabwe: The Daily News of Zimbabwe (07-14) writes that a German citizen who allegedly stole items worth $120, 000 from the famous Zimbabwean musician Tendai Mupfurutsa appeared before the magistrate’s court in Harare. The accused Norbert Irmer, however, denied the charges levied against him.

Zimbabwe: Business Day, The Zimbabwe Standard Online, Independent Newspapers Online (07-11, 07-08) write that after spending two months in a Zimbabwean prison, Leonel Cordova Rodriguez and Noris Pena Martinez, two Cuban doctors who unsuccessfully attempted to seek asylum in Harare were released and allowed to travel to Sweden. The case of the two doctors had received widespread international attention, and though the United States had offered asylum to the two doctors some time back, Robert Mugabe’s government was reluctant to embarrass Cuba by releasing the doctors to US officials. Helena Gustavsson, a spokesperson for the Swedish foreign ministry informed Reuters that the two doctors had been granted “temporary visiting visas…for humanitarian reasons.”

Zimbabwe/South Africa: The Zimbabwean Herald (Beitbridge 07-10) reveal that the South African police deported at least 35,000 Zimbabwean ‘border jumpers’ from the country last year. This also means that every month in the past year, nearly 3000 undocumented Zimbabweans were returned from South Africa. Chief Thomas Masare, the Officer in Charge of the Beitbridge Police Station revealed that the figure was almost double than the numbers arrested in previous years. More than 19,000 Zimbabweans were arrested last year for residing in South Africa without valid immigration documents while the rest were detained for attempted unlawful entry. Many of the ‘border-jumpers’ were arrested in the month of December after South African authorities intensified their border operations. Many Zimbabweans deported by South African authorities, however, maintained that they would return to South Africa. “We have to return there and work. The economic climate here is not good and there is no work,” revealed a Thembo Moyo. It is believed that many Zimbabweans in the areas around Beitbridge have migrated to South Africa and are employed as cheap labourers working on farms, industries and shops. But, migrant workers have also been accused for the past several years for ‘stealing’ jobs from South African citizens.

Zimbabwe: The Daily News of Zimbabwe (07-07) quotes George Saramba, the spokesperson for President Robert Mugabe who indicated that the Department of Immigration Control was now looking into the case of the two Cuban asylum-seekers being held at a Harare prison. But the Director of Immigration, Elasto Mugwadi could not be reached at his office for comments.

Zimbabwe: Africa News Online, Panafrican News Agency (Harare 07-06) informs that thousands of white Zimbabweans were ‘streaming’ back into Zimbabwe from neighbouring countries where they had sought shelter during the weeks leading up to the general elections in the country. Many white farmers had fled Zimbabwe for Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia and other near by countries until after the results from the general elections were announced. An officer in charge of immigration at the eastern border with Mozambique stated that many Zimbabweans were “all returning from Mozambique. There was a particularly huge influx of returnees yesterday.” A majority of those who left the country stayed temporarily in Mozambique, South Africa and Zambia.

Zimbabwe/Mozambique: The Daily News of Zimbabwe (Mutare 07-05) indicates that nearly 500 Zimbabweans, who had left the country earlier through Mutare, were returning. An official in charge of immigration in Mutare said that those that had left were “all returning from Mozambique. There was a particularly huge influx of returnees yesterday.” According to immigration officers at Forbes border post, some 200 Zimbabweans, a majority of them whites, had left Zimbabwe around the 25^th of June to avoid election-related violence, and the numbers had risen to nearly 500 persons on the last day of polling.

Zimbabwe: The Daily News of Zimbabwe, Independent Newspapers Online (Harare 07-05) reveal that Zimbabwean authorities were keeping the two Cuban asylum-seekers, doctors Leonel Cordova Rodriguez and Noris Pena Martinez in a police station in Harare. John Adu, a representative for the UNHCR made this disclosure, and indicated that the two doctors were doing well, but had been advised not to speak to the press in order to avoid jeopardizing their release. At the same time, however, Adu expressed disappointment at the fact the Zimbabwean government had not yet released the two doctors. “Every time I go to find out what the position is, I am told to wait for a response in due course,” said Adu. He stated that the UN refugee agency had been told that the case would be resolved after the general elections in Zimbabwe, and were now being told that they would have to wait until the formation of the new cabinet. Adu could also not explain why the two doctors were being held at a police station, despite the fact that they had not been charged with any offence.

Zimbabwe: The Herald (Beitbridge 07-03) writes that hundreds of Zimbabweans who had fled the country in the weeks leading up the general elections have started returning home. Similarly, thousands of cross-border vendors have begun their regular trips to South Africa. Immigration officials confirmed that many white families have been returning to Zimbabwe. Most of these families have left Zimbabwe and camped temporarily in South Africa in low-cost hotels and caravan parks. Several returning Zimbabweans interviewed by this newspaper revealed that they were happy to return home, and were willing to cooperate with the government towards the economic development of the country. The article also states that the Beitbridge border post was a hive of activity, and many traders had resumed their trips to markets in South Africa.

Updated 27 September 2000

Migration News - July 2000

Click here for archives

Click here for current news

July 2000