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The article, published by The Independent newspaper,
suggested that 2 500 failed asylum seekers who faced persecution back home, had
been handed over to the Zimbabwean consulate in London for questioning.
However, Mr Mangwana said Harare welcomed back its sons and
daughters regardless of the circumstances under which they had left the country
to settle in a foreign country.
“Zimbabweans from all over the world are voluntarily
returning to their country. There is no single returnee that has been
persecuted regardless of the circumstances of their departure. Those who have
failed to meet immigration requirements in their countries of sojourn are
welcome home and their safety is guaranteed,” said Mr Mangwana.
He clarified that Zimbabwean consular services were
assisting compatriots with relevant documentation, failing which would render
the emigres stateless in terms of international law.
“The Government does not encourage any Zimbabwean to be
undocumented. Therefore, when required it facilitates appropriate documents for
its citizens using its consular staff in different countries. This is in order
to fulfil its constitutional responsibility that no Zimbabwean should be deemed
stateless,” explained Mr Mangwana.
“It is common consular procedure and practice that those
immigrants without proper identification or documentation and alleged to be
Zimbabweans by the host country be interviewed by consular officers from the
embassy to establish whether indeed they are who they are purported to be, in
this case whether indeed they are bona fide Zimbabweans. This is a standard
consular procedure to avoid countries admitting foreign nationals into their
jurisdictions in error.”
Mr Mangwana dismissed allegations that there was
persecution of opposition supporters, saying Zimbabwe under the new
dispensation had opened up the political and democratic space while upholding
human rights in terms of the country’s Constitution and the Universal Bill of
Rights.
“There are no political persecutions in Zimbabwe, neither are
there any political prisoners and Zimbabweans who have lived abroad for many
years are returning every day and living happily and contributing to the country’s development
towards Vision 2030,” he said.
The Independent said in the article it had learnt that at
least seven Zimbabwewan nationals, some of whom had lived in the UK for more
than a decade, had last week been ordered to attend meetings at a Home Office
building in the city of Sheffield “where they were asked ‘distressing’
questions by an embassy official from their country”.
The paper claimed the process was taking place in other
parts of the UK. Herald
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