IFRC calls on SADC for policies to recognize rights of migrants

Johannesburg: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies (IFRC) is calling Southern African Development Community (SADC) governments put in place policies that recognize the rights of migrants and to join forces with regional humanitarian organizations to eliminated problems faced by migrants in the region. IFRC Southern Africa representative Ken Odur Friday speaking in Johannesburg said migrants "needs" must be addressed irrespective of their legal status in a host country.

 IFRC and its member National Red Cross Societies in the Southern Africa region Friday launched a long-term and intra- region initiative that seeks to address migration-related humanitarian challenges while promoting respect for diversity and social inclusion in Southern Africa.

 "We want all the relevant authorities to partner with us in finding lasting solution on migrants problems..Red Cross movement alone cannot achieve a meaningfully difference in addressing these problem," Odur told a gathering including senior diplomats, NGO and government representatives.

 "This will require consistent efforts by national governments and humanitarian agencies and the academia both at national, regional, community and household level to address the underline causes of migration and to put in place policies and legislation that not only recognize them but address the rights of migrants," he added.

 The initiative is called "Ubuntu". Ubuntu is an ancient African word meaning "humanity to others".

 IFRC says the initiative is built on the core values of African culture which include respect for any human being, collectivity and sharing, humility, solidarity, caring, hospitality, and interdependence and is also in line with the Red Cross' principles of non-discrimination to all persons with humanitarian needs, irrespective of nationality or legal status.

 IFRC said although migration in SADC existed in the early 18th century with discovery of gold in South Africa, it believes has escalated to become a humanitarian emergency which require both political and humanitarian responses.

 Conflicts, economic crisis, natural disaster and various social challenges are increasingly triggering massive migration in Africa. Host nations are battling with increasing problems of negative attitudes and xenophobia as people compete for limited resources and survival opportunities.

 "In recent years, Africa has witnessed an upsurge in migration due to conflicts, economic problems, natural disasters and other social challenges," Odur said. "We are calling on governments and other organizations to become aware of this problem and partner with us in facing this challenge head on," he added saying "migration is here to stay."

 Speaking with Xinhua on the sidelines of the summit, Zimbabwe Red Cross Acting President Mandlamakhulu Moyo said there is a need for government to government interaction to deal with migrants problems.

 "There is a need for government to government communication to deal with this problem. Governments must look on how migrants can easily access relevant documents so that their traveling in search of jobs is not going to lead into miserable lives," Moyo told Xinhua.

 "Also I want to encourage the travelers themselves to ensure that before they travel they have the rightful documents, they must plan in advance and try to go to relevant offices to seek assistance in terms of their traveling," Moyo said.

 Odur said the five year Ubuntu program, which will be implemented in Lesotho, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland and Zimbabwe, will achieve this through adapting their existing areas of work and introducing new approaches in community-based health; disaster preparedness, risk reduction and response; and tracing and family links services.

 In addition it will facilitate and promote social inclusion in both sending and receiving communities, especially communities on major regional migration routes.

 "Host countries are battling with increasing problems of negative attitudes and xenophobia as people competes for limited resources and survival opportunities. Intolerance presents alarming challenges to humanitarian organizations and policy- makers, worse still to the migrant and host communities," International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Regional Cooperation delegate Bruce Mokaya said at the launch.

 For most countries, migration has resulted in national crisis. The Ubuntu breaks this cycle by promoting collaborative efforts towards identification of solutions to help both migrant and host communities reduce migration-related vulnerabilities, says Mokaya.

 In May 2008, xenophobia broke out in South Africa claiming the lives of 62 people and displaced tens of thousands more.

 According to IFRC, globally, South Africa ranks second to the United States as the country with the second highest number of asylum seekers. Most of these people originate from Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Swaziland, Somalia, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Angola, Burundi and Rwanda.