S. Africa: Zimbabwean refugees trapped

(Image from NYT)

As state-sponsored violence continues in Zimbabwe with the run-off elections now delayed until June 27th, waves of innocent victims and displaced people have been fleeing across the border to South Africa.
On April 21st, a New York Times article described Zimbabweans in South Africa warmly welcoming the refugees that were able to escape:
"For the people who make it through, there is a pipeline of sympathy waiting on the other side. Fellow Zimbabweans living in South Africa — often perfect strangers — have taken in border jumpers, giving them a safe house and a warm cup of porridge, and helping them along their way to Messina, about 10 miles south, and then onward to the bigger cities of Johannesburg and Cape Town."

Shockingly, a mere few weeks later, the situation has been reversed. Those Zimbabweans that were offering the porridge are now running for their lives. A nation-wide torrent of xenophobic riots have been terrifying innocent foreigners for the past two weeks. The causes of these riots allegedly come from deep-rooted economic problems within South Africa. As the divide between the rich and the poor has been widening, the urban poor often blame foreigners for taking up their jobs. Zimbabweans make up the largest immigrant group in S. Africa (about 3 million people).

One South African security guard, according to the LA Times said:
"People feel angry with Zimbabweans...People get jealous because they see these people progressing. Zimbabweans are good at crafts and they all speak perfect English."

These anti-foreigner riots sparked as the hordes of refugees from Zimbabwe entered the country as a result of the political crisis in the north. Over 20,000 people have been displaced and dozens have been killed. Many have fled their homes and have taken refuge in churches and police stations. Human rights violations are running rampant -- people have been burned alive, shops have been looted, homes have been razed, women have been raped, and many foreigners have been subject to gruesome beatings by angry mobs.

Fearing for disruptions in their tourism sectors as the country is currently undergoing an electricity crisis, the South African government has intensified efforts to quell the violence. These "efforts" have not really surfaced yet and, furthermore, does not mean much for the Zimbabweans who are trapped between two areas where they really do not want to be in.

Regional countries such as Botswana and Mozambique need to pro-actively take leadership and open their borders to offer safe haven for those who are sandwiched between areas of violence. Assuming the crisis in Zimbabwe will continue at least for another few months, it is also critical that the international community aid the South African government in putting an end to the violence as soon as possible and in jump-starting a process to reform their immigration policies.