D-day for Zimbabwe asylum seekers on Wednesday

By Tichaona Sibanda
10 April 2006

Three British Appeal Court judges will on Wednesday hand down judgment in two test cases which could decide the fate of thousands of asylum seekers facing deportation back to Zimbabwe.

The website ZWNews reported Monday that the two test cases known as the AA and LK cases to protect the asylum seekers involved, were brought to the Appeal Court after the Home Office appealed against a High Court ruling whose effect was to block all deportations to Zimbabwe after declaring that it was ‘unsafe’ to return failed asylum seekers.

Sarah Harland of the Zimbabwe Association strongly believes the judges will try to strike a balance in the case and probably refer it back to a lower court. She said the judges could find it hard to rule in favour of either side.

She admitted that most Zimbabweans were ‘very apprehensive’ of the issue but urged them to ‘stay calm’ saying they must understand that no matter what the outcome the case was far from over.

Britain declared last November that it was resuming the forced removal of failed Zimbabwean asylum seekers, sparking a volley of protests from human rights groups who say the asylum seekers face detention and torture back in Zimbabwe.

UK based MDC activist Patson Muzuwa said hundreds of Zimbabwe asylum seekers are eagerly awaiting the outcome of the judgement though many of them are worried things might not go their way.

‘I’ve been in touch with so many of my colleagues and they want the case to be done with once and for all, but you can tell they are a little bit edgy and worried,’ said Muzuwa.

He reassured the asylum seekers that they had a strong case and had high hopes that the judges would throw out the Home Office appeal.