8 Ruwa refugees still missing

By Alex Bell
09 July 2008

There is still no word on the whereabouts of eight people who went missing, following Sunday night’s attack on refugees at a camp in Ruwa.

The group who fled their Epworth homes following an outbreak of violence there last month, had gone to the South African embassy to seek refuge. They were removed to a “place of safety” in Ruwa but despite promises by embassy officials that security would be provided, the group were forced to set up their own security patrols. Some of them were living in a squash court on the premises, contrary to claims that it was a rehabilitation centre.

Eight people were hospitalised after about 20 masked men with shotguns and other weapons stormed the shelter in Ruwa at midnight and attacked the refugees. Another 14 people, mostly young men from the security patrols set up by the camp, went missing, but 6 people who fled into the surrounding bush have since made their way back to the camp.

An official from the US Embassy told Newsreel on Wednesday that they are trying to accommodate at least two MDC supporters who had fled the Ruwa camp to seek refuge at the US embassy; an indication that Zimbabweans no longer regard their fellow African embassies as points of safety.

At the same time, sources at Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights told Newsreel the camp was being closely monitored by riot police. The US embassy official also said the camp had been “inspected” by armed, uniformed men who threatened the refugees on Tuesday. So concern for the refugees safety remains.

Meanwhile, the MDC said on Wednesday that the Minister for Labour and Social Welfare, Nicholas Goche, told state media on Tuesday that the refugees would be moved back to their Epworth homes because the situation there has “calmed down”.