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Samantha Chigogo Herald Correspondent—

The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has hailed Government for its commitment in protecting the well-being of refugees and asylum seekers from Mozambique.

Speaking at a media workshop on Global Forced Displacement in Harare yesterday, UNHRC country representative, Mr Robert Tibagwa, said Zimbabwe’s efforts to cater for asylum seekers was commendable.

“The Government has allowed people who have come from Mozambique to stay with their relatives or friends along the border, and chiefs have allocated small plots of land to these people and without Government efforts they wouldn’t be able to stay,” he said.

“We have quite a number of these people in areas around the border, mainly in Chipinge and Nyanga, but at this point, they are asylum seekers as Government has not yet sat down to discuss the veracity of their claims.”

He, however, said Government would soon constitute a committee to listen to the Mozambicans and determine their fate as refugees.

Mr Tibagwa said prioritising protection of refugees was a necessity.

“Government has also offered protection to these people. The police and other security organs are sheltering them and preventing them from being attacked by undesirable elements from Mozambique or Zimbabwe,” he said.

“It is important to have ministries playing the biggest part in sheltering and protecting these people.”

Mr Tibagwa said the UN refugee agency was working with the Government for food supplies to be distributed to the refugees.

“We are soliciting for support from the Government itself as well as the World Food Programme (WFP) and we are trying to put together food for the refugees,” he said.

“Regardless of the difficult economic situation in the country, Government is doing its best to put together food for refugees and international partners continue to assist.”

He, however, appealed to the international community for continued assistance in the well-being of asylum seekers and refugees across the country.

Mr Tibagwa also urged journalists to exercise balance and accuracy on reports of asylum seekers to avoid creation of hostile allegations that could lead to xenophobia and racism.

“The media has an important role to play in reminding the international community of its commitments on asylum and migration issues,” he said.

“We hope that through this workshop, we have reinforced your resolve to accurately cover such stories and also to report the positive efforts of governments in addressing the same.”