Camps closures unacceptable without guarantee of adequate assistance and protection.

© Henrik Glette/MSF

Johannesburg - 8 August 2008 – As the announcement is made that the camps for displaced foreign nationals in Gauteng are to be closed, medical humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) calls on the South African government to uphold its obligation to protect refugees. The camps should not be closed without genuinely viable options being made available to the displaced. This requires communication and consultation.

Thousands of foreign nationals are still seeking refuge from the wave of xenophobic violence that swept across South Africa in May. Their fear is heightened by the announcement that the camps will close.

The uncertainty has led to high levels of stress and anxiety – both of which negatively impact on their mental and physical health. During the last week of July, 19% of the more than 300 consultations carried out were for stress-related conditions. These include insomnia, anxiety, poor appetite and headaches.

Authorities have not communicated any plans for the reintegration of the displaced, nor has it properly engaged in a dialogue with the camp residents about options for their immediate future.

“Foreign nationals fled from a massive wave of violence targeting them,” says MSF South Africa General Director Sharon Ekambaram. “While the camps are by no means a proper long-term solution, the foreign nationals cannot be expected to return to the communities that perpetrated violence against them, without any effort to ensure their safety and security.”

MSF finds it unacceptable that people who were forced from their homes once again are left out in the cold, having to find solutions for themselves.

MSF has treated nearly 9,000 patients in the displaced camps since May. Still, the organisation is not allowed access to all sites and to patients it has treated over time.

Poor communication on behalf of the government has disastrous consequences as shown in the recent case of the Glenanda camp. When residents of the camp decided not to sign for permits – they were arrested and taken to the Lindela detention centre. These refugees are now separated from their families and at risk of deportation – a clear violation of their rights under national and international law.

Many of the displaced are refugees that have fled to South Africa seeking protection, after experiencing instability and violence in their home countries, many of which are conflict areas in which MSF also operates,” says Rachel Cohen, MSF Head of Mission in South Africa. “It is imperative that they receive the protection and assistance afforded to them under national and international law, and that all relevant stakeholders adequately consult and communicate with the displaced about their options.”

MSF calls for South African authorities and UNHCR to immediately communicate plans regarding reintegration before any camp is closed and make known viable options for the displaced in order to ensure freedom of choice and movement. The government should primarily consider its obligation to protect refugees.

If you have further questions, or wish to arrange for an interview, please contact Henrik Glette at 011 403 4441 or 079 8722 950