With just hours remaining before deadline elapses for refugees and asylum seekers’ relocation to Dzaleka Refuge Camp in Dowa, Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (Cdedi) has pleaded with government to suspend the exercise arguing it lacks merit and has several unresolved issues.

In a statement signed by Cdedi executive director, Sylvester Namiwa said while government is acting within the realms of the laws and regulations governing refugees and asylum seekers, it ought to approach the matter with sobriety and ensure measures employed in the exercise do not boomerang.

Dzaleka plays home to 48 000 refugees, four times its capacity

“One of the issues that need attention is the fact that Dzaleka Camp, which was designated to host 10,000 refugees is already hosting over 50,000 of them. Simply put, Dzaleka Refugee Camp is heavily congested and forcing more refugees will be a recipe for disaster and, to some extent, a violation of some rights of the refugees and asylum seekers,” reads part of the statement.

The organisations also notes a “glaring policy inconsistency” where government which is agitating for recampment, entered into an agreement with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and introduced what is called ‘self-reliant tokens’ to those that have proven to lead an independent life outside the camp.

“This was an attempt to save the refugees and asylum seekers from starvation after it became apparent that both the Malawi Government and UNHCR could not provide adequate food at the camp.

“Till this hour, government is still issuing the self-reliant tokens. Thirdly, in the year 2000 government opened up to refugees and asylum seekers that came in with skills and expertise beneficial to the society in areas of health, education and social work to go and live where they could put their skills and expertise to the benefit of the country,” reads the statement.

In an interview, Ministry of Homeland Security spokesperson Patrick Botha has said the ministry just saw the plea in social media as such the ministry could not respond to the concerns.

Early this month, government issued a notice giving the refugees and asylum seekers up to tomorrow to relocate to Dzaleka Refugee camp in Dowa.

The notice came five months after the government failed to implement the plan amidst calls from the indigenous business community to have about 8 000 refugees who had settled outside the Dzaleka refugee camp relocated.

In the statement, Minister of Homeland Security Ken Zikhale Ng’oma said government was obliged to protect refugees and asylum seekers in designated camps, therefore, they were required to reside there for their own safety.

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