African Union leaders leave G8 summit with mixed feelings on Zimbabwe sanctions; Britain resumes deportation of Darfur refugees; Displaced persons attacked by Militia in Zimbabwe

By Ted Townsend
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa  –  The Group of Eight (“G8”) Summit of industrialized nations met last week with leaders of seven African nations, to discuss both the need for aid to the continent and the international communities desire to sanction Robet Mugabe, recently re-elected President of Zimbabwe. These calls for action by the west have been met with skepticism by African Union leaders, some believing that public pressure and sanctions are the incorrect route to take with Zimbabwe. The leaders reticence could be, as Mugabe himself wondered “How many (leaders) can point a clean finger at (Mugabe)? How many held a better election than his one-man runoff that followed a campaign of violence against his foes that induced the opposition leader to quit the race?”

For one, Gambian president Yahya Jammeh praised the election of Mugabe, and ardently resisted the proposed sanctions, openly wondering “what has the west done for Africa.” In fact, many of the thirty-one African nations are ruled by despots who have run very similar elections as the recently-conducted Zimbabwe election.

The UN position is supported by evidence of an economic meltdown which has occurred under Mugabe’s reign. Over one third of Zimbabweans are hungry, and five million of an estimated twelve million native residents have fled the country, seeking more fertile pastures. According to Secretary General Asha-Rose Migro, the humanitarian issues and political precedents currently involved in Zimbabwe makes it “the single greatest challenge in southern Africa."

For more information, please see:

Associated Press  – West condemns Mugabe, ignores other African despots  – 4 July 2008

CNN –Bush focuses on Zimbabwe ‘punishment’ – 7 July 2008

allAfrica.com – Zimbabwe: African Leaders oppose sanctions – 7 July 2008

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LONDON, England – British officials say they will resume deportation of asylum-seeking refugees from Darfur to Sudan, a move that is widely criticized by human rights agencies. Beginning in December, Britain had a ban imposed on deportation of Darfur refugees back to Khartoum while it reviewed claims that Darfuri’s were being tortured. That review is now complete, and the British government claims that the accusations of refugee torture were unproven, paving the way for the resumption of deportations.

Opponents of the decision cited the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees opposition of the return. According to these opponents, those refugees who return to Khartoum face major human rights violations, including torture and death. Waging Peace, one of the peace groups opposing the return of the refugees, claimed that the British government already had returned one man to Khartoum, before the change in policy. The group alleges that instead of protecting refugees, as “promised,” the British government is “sending them into grave danger.”

One asylum seeker, Abubaker Yusuf Mohammed, said that he had been issued a plane ticket and ordered to return to Khartoum. Mohammed said he worked for rebel group the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), and expected that he would either be killed upon return or imprisoned for an extended period of time.

For more information, please see:

Reuters – UK lifts ban on deporting Darfur refugees to Sudan –  7 July 2008

UPI – Britain resumes Darfuri deportations – 7 July 2008

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HARARE, Zimbabwe – Two refugee camps, filled with displaced persons fleeing post-election violence in Zimbabwe, were attacked over the weekend, according to opposition and medical officials. According to the reports, the camps were raided by armed militia, some of them in army fatigues. Reports differ on the extent of the violence, but many agree that the raids could pose a major impediment to power-sharing proposals.

In Gokwe, north of Harare, the opposition claimed multiple deaths. Other reports claim one displaced person died in the raid.

At the same time, near the capital in Ruwa, a group of 354 men, women and children who had sought safety at the South African embassy in Harare were beat up by masked men in army fatigues. At least eight of those attacked at Ruwa were hospitalized, while fourteen remained missing. Eyewitnesses claim the refugees were promised security by the South African embassy. According to these witnesses, the armed militia burst into the camp with no warning, beating people with guns and kicking them.

For further information, please see:

BBC News – Militia attack Zimbabwe displaced – 7 July 2008

SW Radio Africa – Refugees attacked, several dead in weekend militia raids – 7 July 2008

News24.com – Zim refugees attacked at camp – 7 July 2008