JRLC update from Callixte Kavuro, Blue Waters
Account of 2nd weekly standing meeting below comes on the heels of
province’s failure to collect 2 Joint Refugee Leadership Committee reps to
attend the JOC twice in the last 2 weeks. Now with the cancellation of the
JOC, and the poor efforts to meaningfully engage with the JRLC, leaders are
concluding there is no genuine commitment to dialogue from govt.
From: “CALLIXTE KAVURO” <2831938@uwc.ac.za>
Sent: Wednesday, September 17, 2008 4:37 PM
Subject: Re: JRLC standing meeting at H Park 16th Sept
Hello my dear Sam!
Here there is a report that I have compiled from the leaders who attended the meeting at Harmony Park. I was not able to join others in the meeting because as I have planned with my colleague, they supposed to pick me up from Bellville since I was at the campus. I was called by Yves in the afternoon informing that there was no transport that was sent by provincial government. Therefore, I thought that the meeting was cancelled! I do not have a number of the people who are in charge of communication; I mean those whom have assumed Tracy and Sam’s role to facilitate the interaction between the government and refugees so I should not reach them to know what happened.
However, the provincial government sent a Toyota Tazz to pick up the leaders from the two camps of Bluewaters. The car arrived late, around 15 o clock when, the meeting has already started in Harmony Park at 14 H00! Only 4 Leaders were able to get in the car, that is Said, Yves, Bienvenue, and one lady representing women from the DRC. You can see that the car was so full, so they did not bother to pass by to camp “C” see to pick up other leaders (Somalis).
Meanwhile, Ghalib had called leaders in Bluewaters to tell them that the car will be arriving. He said that the car will be late because the driver did not know very well the way to our camp, as a result he got lost in her way to Bluewaters. What I do not know is whether he (Ghalib) tried to reach other leaders to let them know of the inconveniences, or any other problem that came up that prompted inconveniences.
They arrived at Harmony park at 15h40, the mood that was found there was like the meeting was over, and leaders from Bluwaters asked themselves why they should attend such meeting because the meeting was about to be called the day, and cannot participate unless to sit down and listen at this point. After sitting down, they came to realize Young field was not represented as well. This was seen like the meeting was only for Harmony Park, and others were only lobbying or excluded from the meeting!
The meeting was chaired and conducted by Ghalib, despite another lady who was writing everything said in a meeting down. He was with another lady that came from UNHCR, whom they were not able to identify by her name as Blue waters found that the meeting was already started, the introduction was already done! They did not have a chance to know the name of the visitor.
Mr. Said from Bluewaters, a Tanzanian asked that they might be briefed since their presence and intention were to attend the meeting. They are not going to come back without any information about what have been said or agreed, or reached in a meeting. Gharib briefly explained them. He told them that he (I think now this is a second time) was not able to arrange a meeting, where the officials from the DHA should have attended the meeting in order that their can give all the information about registration, and issuing of the document to IDP’s, and why the Provincial Government of the Western Cape wants to use the same team from Gauteng that issued only rejected to IDP’s from Gauteng. The issuing of these documents have resulted in people being unwillingly repatriated and others are in Lindela waiting for deportation. We wonder why they choose to call that team when here in W Cape, there is Home Affaires department.
His briefing, according to Ghalib was the only issue of paramount importance to tell the leaders from Bluewaters, and he told them that there is no other thing which is important has been raised in that meeting. While a meeting was around to finish, there was a leader who questioned about the threats that is happening in Khayelitsha and other places. He wanted to know what the govt is doing about such threats on foreigners who are running businesses especially Somalis, what the government is doing to eradicate such threats.
Then, Ghalib acknowledged this new cold wave of xenophobia of threatening foreigners that it is very serious issue. He said that the government is doing its best so foreigners and the locals may live together side by side, but Khayelitsha is a poor location, and the government will not deal with this problem easily because the inhabitants are adamant due to the government lack of service delivery. This includes other poor places, but the government to deal with this problem it has first to alleviate the locations so that people may be with at least a better life. This will take a quite long time to come up with satisfied solution to both side, he said.
A lady from the UNHCR told leaders that the UNHCR cannot implement their own policy of which may be in conflict with the government. They respect the Republic of SA as a sovereign country; therefore, they cannot interfere with its own policy. She said that what the UNHCR is doing now is to advise the govt and monitor the commitment of it in resolving the Xeno problem. So, the refugees should not hope that UNHCR is the one that should sort out Xenophobia problem.
Due to disappointment, the leaders seemed so nervous and they were not in mood of asking questions because the last promises were not kept, and it seemed like there was something going on, like to divide the refugees, if you consider that there was no transport that was provided, firstly on time and secondly, to the other camps.
They told me that after the meeting, they did not get a time even to chat to their counterpart because they were rushed back. If the driver was acting according to the orders given, he was under Ghalib’s instructions, but not Blue waters Leaders, so they had to leave.
I may conclude that if the meeting is going to be carried out in this manner, then we are heading no where, and this makes me believe that this how way the government wants to sort out the problem, leave them stranded at the end they will look for themselves another alternatives. They have showing such attitudes, thanks to Tracy’s and your pressure. We should not have managed to sit with these guys in the first place. Now that you are no longer with us, one week only, see how they are holding a meeting.
Please, keep in touch with Nancy or any other leaders from Harmony Park so that she can give you more details about the meeting, so that you do alteration and additional to this report.
Callixte Kavuro