adminThupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
THE International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has stopped rendering assistance to persons aged above 17 years deported from Botswana and South Africa citing increasing operational challenges. Prior to the latest development, IOM provided all deportees with transport to their respective homes. According to sources, the assistance would only cater for people under the age of 17.
IOM has two reception and support centres in Plumtree and Beitbridge where illegal immigrants deported from Botswana and South Africa receive humanitarian assistance.
The assistance included the provision of information on safe migration, overnight accommodation, food and transport to their respective homes.
The Beitbridge Reception and Support Centre has since its inception in 2006 assisted 385,483 returnees from South Africa. At Plumtree Border Post, the centre, which was established 2008, has so far assisted 179, 570 illegal immigrants.
The two centres can accommodate at least 1, 000 people at any given time.
On average, Zimbabwe and Botswana deport between 80 and 100 Zimbabwean illegal immigrants per day.
The decline in the number of deportees from the two neighbouring countries has largely been attributed to improved access of travel documents and an improving economy.
IOM’s Chief of Mission to Zimbabwe Mr Martin Ocaga confirmed to Chronicle yesterday that they had scaled down assistance for deportees.
“We have scaled down transport assistance, which will now be offered within a framework of revised operational modalities. As IOM, we will continue to offer assistance to deportees, but we will only be targeting unaccompanied minors for reunification purposes as well as those who are extremely vulnerable,” said Ocaga.
“The reduction in the provision of transport assistance is because of the reorientation of IOM programming in Zimbabwe where we are shifting from emergency humanitarian assistance to development programmes in line with the government’s Zim-Asset.”
Ocaga said, however, said IOM would continue to work with the Government in providing post-return humanitarian assistance to returning migrants.
“We also attended to migrants with protection needs and such cases are referred to the law enforcement officers as well as to the health authorities. We will assist those in need of medical assistance, referrals or treatment including voluntary counselling and HIV testing,” he said.
“We will also continue to provide information on safe migration as well as transport assistance for unaccompanied minors.”
Ocaga said those who fall sick on being deported would immediately be assisted with IOM paying all the medical bills.
The IOM centre in Beitbridge has a capacity to accommodate 600 people at any given time.
However, some of the deportees turn down any form of assistance from the IOM and those who opt to go home using their own means are released.
Others cross back into South Africa illegally through undesignated entry points.
Online Reporter