Migration office host heated meeting with Zimbabweans in London

By Lance Guma
27 September 2006

The International Office for Migration (IOM) on Wednesday hosted what turned out to be a heated meeting with several Zimbabwean groups in London, over their voluntary returns scheme. Under the Voluntary Assisted Return and Reintegration Programme (VARRP) returnees are eligible for a £3000 reintegration package, which is meant to help them either start businesses or attend college back home. The IOM invited representatives from various pressure groups, media organisations and refugee support groups to an evening reception at their head office. Jan De Wilde the IOM UK Chief of Mission hosted the meeting as he explained how they can assist Zimbabweans who want to go back home voluntarily.

Once the presentations were complete and the floor was opened to the representatives, lively debates and at times emotional outbursts dominated proceedings. Participants took exception to the way the scheme was being advertised saying it gave the impression the £3000 was a one off payment and yet it was a package broken down into vouchers and cash payments in instalments over a year. The first £500 is paid in cash at the departure or arrival airport. The remaining £1500 can be provided as either additional reintegration assistance or cash grants phased over 6 months. No lump sums are paid out.

The feeling amongst most of the groups was that there seemed no clear separation between the UK Home Office and the IOM scheme to help Zimbabweans. Wilde and his colleagues explained to those gathered how the IOM was an independent international organisation whose mandate was to assist people who want to go back on a voluntary basis. Although they could assist those who have been forcibly removed they themselves do not take part in deportations. It was also disclosed that the scheme will end on the 31st October and returnees should have left the UK by the 31st December. After that the standard assistance scheme involving a £1000 package will take effect.

Godfrey Nyandoro the Organising Secretary for the Zimbabwe Action Group (UK) says while they appreciate the efforts of the IOM, question marks over the memorandum of understanding signed between the IOM and the UK Home Office remain a source of suspicion. He urged them to improve the value of support they were offering arguing that the hyper-inflationary environment in Zimbabwe meant even a package of £3000 would get returnees nowhere.
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27 September 2006.

Lance Guma talks to academic and human rights activist Brilliant Mhlanga. He wrote a sterling review of Cont Mhlanga’s play Workshop Negative entitled: Celebrating two decades of prophecy and relevance. The forum looks at that review and asks him to explain the points he raised in it.