UN critical of Botswana’s human rights abuses against Zimbabweans

By Tichaona Sibanda
17 March 2006

The United Nations has released a report highly critical of Botswana’s growing hostility towards immigrants, especially those from Zimbabwe.

The report, compiled after an investigation by a UN committee in Botswana, painted a picture of a country with very little regard for human rights where refugees are locked up in prison for up to four years.

A weekly Botswana newspaper, The Sunday Standard published part of the report in its edition last week, under the headline ‘Botswana fails UN human rights tests,’ a situation that is set to embarrass authorities in Gaborone.

Our correspondent Don Mafingenyi told us the report highlighted the abuse of prisoners, most of whom are denied justice as well as medical attention.

Mafingenyi said the report read in part; ‘The UN is concerned that in practice asylum seekers are automatically detained in prison-like conditions until their status is determined.’

This process can last up to four years and the refugees cannot appeal against the decision to deny them asylum status. The report also acknowledged the existence of hostiliies against undocumented immigrants in Botswana, in particular Zimbabweans.

Those who came under attack in the report included police and army officers, whose persistent abuse of illegal immigrants from Zimbabwe is well documented.