Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08MAPUTO616
2008-07-02 12:21:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Maputo
Cable title:  

NUMBER OF ZIMBABWEAN POLITICAL REFUGEES ON THE RISE

Tags:  PHUM PREL SMIG PREF PGOV MZ ZM 
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VZCZCXRO9232
RR RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHTO #0616/01 1841221
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 021221Z JUL 08 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY MAPUTO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9066
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0189
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MAPUTO 000616 

C O R R E C T E D C O P Y ( TELEGRAM RECEIVED WITH MISSING PARAGRAPHS)

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/02/2018
TAGS: PHUM PREL SMIG PREF PGOV MZ ZM
SUBJECT: NUMBER OF ZIMBABWEAN POLITICAL REFUGEES ON THE RISE

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Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Todd Chapman for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (
d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MAPUTO 000616

C O R R E C T E D C O P Y ( TELEGRAM RECEIVED WITH MISSING PARAGRAPHS)

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/02/2018
TAGS: PHUM PREL SMIG PREF PGOV MZ ZM
SUBJECT: NUMBER OF ZIMBABWEAN POLITICAL REFUGEES ON THE RISE

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Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Todd Chapman for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (
d)


1. (C) SUMMARY: Poloffs recently met with the UNHCR
representative in Maputo to discuss the Zimbabwe political
situation's affect on Mozambique and subsequently visited the
Mozambique/Zimbabwe border towns of Machipanda, Manica, and
Chimoio on June 26-27 to gauge the situation on the ground
prior to the elections. While the atmosphere appeared to be
"business as usual" on the surface, visits with local
government officials, Mozambican NGOs, and multilateral
organizations revealed that a growing number of Zimbabweans
are entering Mozambique and requesting asylum to escape
political violence. In addition, sources highlighted claims
that elements of Zimbabwean police intelligence were entering
Mozambique to round up MDC supporters. With Mugabe "winning"
the runoff and already sworn in for another term, the stream
of Zimbabweans entering Mozambique is expected to continue.
END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) UNHCR representative in Maputo Victoria Akyeampong
told poloff June 24 that cooperation with the Mozambican
government (GRM) concerning the Zimbabwe crisis has been
"difficult." Despite an increase in the number of
Zimbabweans entering Mozambique, the GRM continues to treat
them as "normal SADC traffic." According to Akyeampong, the
GRM refugee agency INAR has, on several occasions, refused to
respond to UNHCR's request to initiate a process that would
culminate with Zimbabweans in Mozambique being granted
refugee status. The UNHCR recently secured an arrangement
whereby the UNHCR will identify camps in the three provinces
bordering Zimbabwe (Manica, Tete, and Gaza) providing
assistance and temporary protection to Zimbabweans, making
them immune from deportation even if their documents expire.
UNHCR has already identified possible camp sites in Gaza and
is looking a site in Manica and Tete. The arrangement was
reached on the condition that UNHCR's involvement is solely

on the basis of a first-of-its-kind case study and not as a
refugee situation.


3. (C) Akyeampong noted that while previously most
Zimbabweans coming to Mozambique were seeking food and a
better economic situation, the pattern has changed since the
first round of elections in March to mostly include MDC
sympathizers who have no intention of returning to Zimbabwe
while Mugabe remains in power. She estimated that there are
approximately 200,000 Zimbabweans currently in Mozambique.
She also said that UNHCR had received reports that Zimbabwean
intelligence agents or possibly ZANU-PF officials have been
entering Mozambique to harass MDC sympathizers and take them
back to Zimbabwe. UNHCR believes that these acts are being
perpetrated with the tacit approval of local Mozambican
authorities. This information was repeated in a separate
meeting on June 26 with UNHCR's local field representative in
Chimoio Josep Zapatera (strictly protect),who specifically
cited examples of such occurrences in Gaza province.
Zapatera (on loan from UNCHR Afghanistan and with previous
work experience in Bosnia and Serbia) has been in-country for
a month and spends most of his time interviewing Zimbabweans
in small camps in the bush. He estimates that there are at
least 3,000 Zimbabwean political refugees in Manica province
alone, although officially UNHCR has received approximately
600 applications for political asylum in the past month.
Zapatera also relayed reports that Zimbabwean police and
possible army units were stationed near the border to "catch"
any returning MDC supporters attempting to vote in the June
27 runoff.


4. (SBU) At first glance, the June 26-27 drive by poloffs to
the border towns of Machipanda, Manica, and Chimoio revealed
a business as usual atmosphere. Traffic along the corridor
from Beira to the border was moderate and the towns showed no
signs of being overwhelmed by Zimbabweans. However, while
Manica city, Mayor Mogne Candeeiro towed the usual party line
that that Zimbabweans and Mozambicans have always been one
big family, he did not hide frustration concerning the
challenges his town is facing with the influx of Zimbabweans.
Candeeiro estimated that as much as a quarter of his town's
45,000 residents are now Zimbabwean and noted that limited
resources are creating a difficult situation. Zimbabwean
children receive schooling, medical services are provided to
Zimbabweans, and a temporary site has been allotted for
Zimbabweans to sell their products, but as the number of
arrivals increase he is finding it more and more burdensome.
Mozambicans in Manica city have been mostly accepting of the
arrivals and generally are critical of Mugabe and ZANU-PF.


5. (SBU) In Chimoio, residents share the critical view of
Mugabe, in stark contrast to the local authorities. Many of

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the people spoken with have visited Zimbabwe recently and
think that Mugabe is plunging the country into an abyss. One
truck driver who has been visiting Zimbabwe regularly told
poloff that he felt obliged to place ZANU-PF posters and
bumper stickers on his truck while in Zimbabwe, so that the
"war veterans," police, and intelligence officials would not
harass him for being an MDC supporter. Another Chimoio
resident said he would not be visiting Zimbabwe as regularly
as he used to because of the increased presence of armed
Zimbabwean soldiers and sympathizers roaming around
intimidating people.


6. (C) COMMENT: The party line towed by the local GRM
officials during the meetings was decidedly out of touch with
the views of local residents. While UNHCR is attempting to
adjust to the influx of more politically-oriented refugees
entering the country, including MDC supporters, the GRM
continues to deny the existence of these refugees. More
worrisome are the reports of tacit support for Zimbabwean
officials to enter into Mozambique to pursue MDC supporters.
Post will follow up with UNHCR officials to discuss next
steps on addressing this troubling issue with senior GRM
officials. END COMMENT.

Chapman