Zimbabwe

October 2006

  
Zimbabwe asylum seekers and the IOM, (Sunday Mirror, 2006-10-23):-Some failed Zimbabwean asylum seekers in the United Kingdom are allegedly abusing an International Organisation for Migration (IOM) scheme meant to assist them to return and reintegrate back home. The scheme, the Enhanced Reintegration Package falling under the Voluntary Assisted Return and Reintegration Programme (VARRP), gives Zimbabweans in the UK up to the end of this year to resettle in the country and start income-generating projects.Under the scheme, failed asylum seekers have until October 31, 2006, to apply and receive 1 000 British pounds for transport back home as well as potential access to a further 3 000 pounds in reintegration assistance. This programme is co-financed by the European Refugee Fund and is run in conjunction with the UK Home Office. Former UK immigration minister, Tony McNulty is on record saying the 3 000 pounds that is being offered asylum seekers to make them leave Britain voluntarily was “good value for money” when compared with the 11 000 pounds per person of a forced deportation. This has lend credence to the belief that the UK government simply wants to get rid of people illegitimately claiming asylum through a cheaper means than deporting them. The VARRP is open to asylum seekers of any nationality, whose asylum claim is under one of the following criteria: waiting for a Home Office decision, refused asylum by the Home Office and those granted Exceptional Leave to Remain (ELR). However, sources have told a Zimbabwean Sunday paper, the Sunday Mirror, that a number of the beneficiaries, after receiving assistance immediately leave the country and try and settle in neighbouring countries like South Africa and Botswana against the spirit of the initiative. “I have a colleague who benefited from the scheme but is now in South Africa. He told me that the cash advance he received from the IOM was enough for him to go and try his luck in South Africa. “Apparently, a friend of his advised him to take that course of action and this gives rise to the belief that a number of people might also be abusing the facility,” said Emmanuel Utare who has been living in asylum in the U.K for the past three years. Under the scheme, the returnee is entitled to 500 pounds cash at the airport as a relocation grant. The remainder is made available in Zimbabwe in batches following discussions between the returnee and IOM field officers to ensure that the money is used in sustainable income-generating projects. VARRP field officers are supposed to carry out checks to ensure the stated projects are being run while the IOM pays cash to suppliers of services and raw materials rather than giving all the cash to the returnee. But, there is also a full cash option where the returnee simply gets the money in full. The paper's sources said some of the beneficiaries were taking the 500 pounds and crossing the border to South Africa and Botswana. Nicola Simmonds from the IOM office in Harare said they were yet to receive such reports though she confirmed that of the 233 returnees assisted so far, five had taken a full-cash option. She did not say if there were any follow-up checks to determine if the five were still in the country or had left Zimbabwe again. Simmonds said: “233 people have been assisted to date to set up small projects and 5 have chosen the cash option. “All transactions are done in Zimbabwean dollars using the prevailing United Nations Rate of Exchange. No payments are done in foreign currency hence there is no contravening of Zimbabwean foreign exchange regulations.” She added: “ This programme started in 2002. The VARRP programme, managed by the IOM office in London, has assisted over 4 500 people to return to their home countries and start new lives. “Since its inception in 1951, IOM’s belief is that migration is beneficial to individuals and society when done in an orderly and dignified fashion. We do not comment on, or investigate, people’s underlying motives for migration except to establish that they seek our help on a purely voluntary basis.” Children are also eligible for the reintegration assistance depending on whether they qualify for the enhanced facility or not. Theoretically, this means a family of five could conceivably receive 15 000 pounds with 2 500 being payable at the airport. The number of Zimbabweans illegitimately claiming asylum in the UK has shot up in the past few years. Last week, the same Sunday paper reported that some of the people granted asylum are illegally returning home to conduct personal business before going back to the UK.  
South African Migration Project (SAMP) - Queen's University - http://www.queensu.ca/samp