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(TALKZIMBABWE) Britain's policy dilemma over Zimbabwe

Britain's policy dilemma over Zimbabwe
Philip Murombedzi
Fri, 24 Apr 2009 03:55:00 +0000

BRITAIN, Zimbabwe's former colonial power, faces a huge policy dilemma over Zimbabwe.

Last week I was in London and I accompanied a friend of mine to the immigration offices in Croydon to find out about the progress of his asylum application. My friend sought asylum eight years ago. His case is under what is called the 'legacy' queue - it is being reconsidered.

When we arrived in Croydon, there were about 250 plus Zimbabweans lined up, apparently seeking asylum. At least that is what most of the people on the queue openly said in their discussions. The individual stories, however, remained private.

An immigration official I spoke to told me that since the middle of February, there had been at least 300 Zimbabweans on the queue daily - a staggering figure, by any measure.

The British authorities, therefore, are processing at least 12,000 cases a month since February -- all Zimbabwean cases -- in London only. This is a huge administrative task. If we add other national immigration offices handling these cases, the monthly figure could well reach or exceed 20,000 plus.

Britain faces a policy dilemma. It has to grant these people some sort of status, otherwise they remain a huge burden to the economy.

The country has not shifted its policy on Zimbabwe since the formation of the inclusive Government, therefore deporting Zimbabweans to an "unsafe country" is not an option for them. Granting asylum to all Zimbabweans would seem like the most logical thing to do, but it has its own challenges, but that is not the subject of this piece.

Britain needs to somehow rationalise the stay of most, or all Zimbabweans in the country. There are many benefits. Most Zimbabweans I know would appreciate the opportunity to work and pay taxes. My people are a bunch of hard-workers who do not depend on handovers. Why not make them work, rather than keep them in limbo?

Either that, or Britain has to declare Zimbabwe a safe country and help with its redevelopment, and resume deportations. This will be an expensive exercise, considering the number of Zimbabweans in the country. This is a huge administrative exercise.

Britain also has to renthink its diplomatic policy on Zimbabwe and its strategy on land redistribution in the country.

A starting point could be reversing Claire Short's statement that the Labour Government is not responsible for colonising Zimbabwe, hence should not fund the land redistribution exercise. Britain is, in every measure, responsible for many of the problems obtaining in Zimbabwe. For decades, Zimbabwe was under colonial rule which skewed land ownership. Regardless of what level of corruption the Zanu PF government brought to Zimbabwe, Britain still has an obligation -- the obligtation to correct years of discrimination and second-class treatment against the black majority.

Of course that does not exonerate the Zimbabwe government from looking after its own people. The government of Zimbabwe has a responsibility to its people -- divorced from Britain, but that does not make Britain not responsible for the imbalance caused by years of colonial rule.

The government of Zimbabwe and Britain have to work together. Blaming each other will not help.

Many of us wait anxiously to see how Britain intends to handle this dilemma without engaging the government of Zimbabwe, or at least the current inclusive Government.

Sooner or later they will have to swallow their pride and go on that negotiation table. Trying to evacuate old Britons is not only racist and discriminatory, but will not help the policy dilemma in Britain or the situation in Zimbabwe.

In the meantime, we wait anxiously!

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Philip Murombedzi
philipmurombedzi@yahoo.com
Editor

Labels: REFUGEES, SANCTIONS, UK

posted by MrK @ 5:43 PM