Dukwi refugee stalemate persists after Geingob visit
Mbongeni Mguni | Friday July 15, 2016 11:35
They sat in the camp, quietly, eyes glued to the television set. On the screen was Hage Geingob, the Namibian President, on his first official state visit to Botswana and, in the process, becoming only the second head of state to address local legislators.
The more than 1,000 refugees at Dukwi Refugee Camp have been in a state of stasis since March when they won a crucial High Court decision allowing them to stay in Botswana, despite government’s efforts to repatriate them. A stalemate has ensued as Botswana still wants the refugees to voluntarily repatriate, while the Namibians claim persecution, torture and even death await them in their motherland from vengeful authorities.
The oldest in the 1,000-strong group are survivors of the 1998-1999 Caprivi Strip civil war, who fled across crocodile-infested territory teeming with lions into northwestern Botswana, to safety at Dukwi. The majority, however, are their youthful offspring born in Botswana in the refugee camp.
In 1962, when the conflict in Namibia was against apartheid South Africa, Geingob, then 21-years-old walked and hitchhiked from Namibia to refugee safety in Botswana, ending up in Francistown.
“In my wildest dreams I could not imagine that one day a refugee in a white house in Francistown would become the President of his country and address the people of Botswana in this august House,” Geingob told Parliament on Monday.
As the refugees watched Geingob on TV, the story he told struck home for many who last saw their motherland nearly two decades ago. The President’s visit may have seemed the elixir for their situation.
“We were not told officially about his visit. We just saw it on television. We could not prepare anything for it and in any case, we realised it was a state visit for their discussions,” says one of the refugee leaders, Felix Kakula, by phone from Dukwi.
Discussions between Geingob and President Ian Khama were behind closed doors during his two-day visit, but Kakula is confident their issue was raised. Refugee issues have dominated bilateral relations between the two countries over the years, as acknowledged by Geingob who told Parliament that Namibians have traditionally viewed more stable Botswana as a safe haven. “There’s no way they would come to Botswana and not talk about our issue,” Kakula says.
“His visit was likely about cementing the relationship with Botswana and maybe ensuring support for the position Namibia has taken on the Caprivi issue.”
Discussions did, however, take place at ministerial level between Defence, Justice and Security minister, Shaw Kgathi and Namibia’s minister of Home Affairs and Immigration.
According to Kgathi, the meeting on Tuesday was to brief the Namibians about the outcome of the court case and the state of play with regards to the refugees at Dukwi.
The meeting also discussed a key development that is likely to push the stalemate towards its end-game. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which for years has provided critical financial and technical assistance to Botswana to support refugees, plans to drastically scale back its activities. “It means an additional budget for us,” Kgathi says.
“Our position is that they must go back to their country. More than 50% of the people there, were born in Botswana and don’t have the foggiest idea about what happened all those years ago.”
Kgathi is hoping more Namibian refugees at Dukwi will emulate the nine of their countrymen who signed up for voluntary repatriation last year. While the process was frozen due to the court case, it is now reopened, but few are coming forward.
Even with Windhoek offering each returnee up to $300 each, as well as food and housing grants, the group at Dukwi are unmoved.
Those resisting the repatriation point to the long-running treason trial Namibia held for those accused of stirring up the Caprivi Strip civil conflict in the 1990s. According to Kakula, a total of 43 ‘Caprivians’ were found not guilty and released, which the Namibian government said was a sign that refugees were free to return without persecution.
“The Namibian government’s plan was that refugees would see those people released and perhaps be convinced to also return,” Kakula says.
“However, after only a few people returned and after the High Court here ruled in our favour, the Namibian government has appealed the judgements releasing those people, even for cases dating back to 2013.
“They have even given the affected people letters to say they should look for legal representation and prepare for re-prosecution.”
For Kgathi, however, the matter is cut and dry. The minister believes the March High Court judgement did not adequately appreciate the testimony of the UNHCR, which independently found that no security risks existed for the refugees returning to Namibia.
“It was never considered in court that the UNHCR satisfied itself about the conditions in Namibia.
“In addition, the judgement says my ministry did not satisfy itself about the situation in Namibia and this is not correct. “We had confirmation from the UNHCR who undertook an assessment and wrote a report, and they have the sole responsibility of taking care of refugees.” Few options remain for the parties involved in the stalemate. For Kgathi, Tuesday’s meeting with the Namibians is part of a process of seeking a fresh solution. A follow-up meeting with the Namibians and the UNHCR will be held before the end of September, while engagements will continue with the refugees.
One ‘option’ the minister rules out is appealing the March High Court judgement. “That decision was very appealable and we had a good chance,” he says.
“However, we will not appeal because we don’t have to prove any case. It’s entirely appealable, but it is not in the interests of the affected people at Dukwi.
“We don’t want to appear as though we are putting pressure on things that people have doubts about; this is about people’s lives.
“The whole idea is not to go through the legal process because this is about tackling the matter with dignity for the people.” Kgathi’s hopes for a solution lie in other refugees emulating the nine and coming forward for voluntary repatriation. For Kakula, the solution lies in Botswana and SADC convincing the Namibians for a peaceful resolution to the issue of the Caprivi Strip and its demands, which refugees have previously said include self-rule. “Botswana is a democratic country and Geingob on TV said Namibia was too. He said when issues arise they must be resolved properly.
“We look forward to seeing whether Namibia is really democratic and we are waiting for a peaceful solution. “It’s not that we cannot fight; it’s that we are peaceful. “But if things persist like what we hear is happening in Caprivi with soldiers patrolling and even the murder of a Caprivian recently, we will have no choice.” Geingob, appearing to choose his words very carefully and without specifically mentioning the refugees, could have given Kakula and his group a glimmer of hope towards a peaceful, negotiated resolution.
“Wherever you have government and one group, one region, one tribe, one race, feels left out, you are spelling conflicts.
“We must build harmony in Namibia where people can hold hands and live in one Namibian house as brothers and sisters.”