Executive Director of Inua Advocacy, an organization that is working for the plight of refugees and asylum seekers at Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Dowa district Innocent Magambi, says while Malawi’s laws currently require refugees to remain in designated camps unless authorized to leave, the sentencing of six refugees must be understood.
Magambi was giving his reaction after the Magistrate Court in Lilongwe sentenced six refugees to six months imprisonment with hard labor for leaving Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Dowa district without Exit Permit and found themselves staying in various parts of the City of Lilongwe.Mirece expresses fear over Dzaleka refugee relocation
The six refugees were arrested by Immigration officers during their enforcement operations in Lilongwe, they were charged for the offence of disobedience of a statutory duty contrary to section 123 of Penal Code of the Republican Constitution
The court declined to grant the six refugees an option of paying fine on the argument that refugees are required by law to reside in the designated camps unless obtaining the Exit Permit to leave the camp.
In the judgement, the court said after completion of the sentence, the six refugees will return to Dzaleka Refugee Camp where they will continue to abide by the camp regulations.
Magambi said the reality on the ground is that there’s severe funding shortages in the camp, limited livelihood opportunities, and humanitarian challenges, saying all these are forcing refugees to leave the Dzaleka Refugee Camp.
” Responses to irregular movement should balance enforcement with protection, recognizing that many refugees leave camps out of necessity rather than criminal intent while advancing reforms that uphold human dignity and durable solutions,” said Magambi.
A Malawi Congress Party (MCP) diehard of Mvera in Dowa district Mr. Rodgers Kamphangala, has pleaded with President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika to pardon these six refugees so that they can return back to Dzaleka Refugee Camp in the district.
Kamphangala said to error is human and to forgive is divine, saying these refugees finding themselves in town is not for criminal intent but rather finding ways of how they can sustain their lives, their families and children.
” Life in the Dzaleka Refugee Camp is very tough, imagine one receiving cash equivalent 6 to 8 US Dollars ( official exchange rate) to last for the whole month, while some receive nothing, this is forcing many to leave the camp to Lilongwe and elsewhere,” he said.
The MCP diehard has invited President Professor Mutharika to pay the refugees and asylum seekers visit at the Dzaleka Camp to hear the challenges they are meeting inside the camp, he will feel pity at them.
Kamphangala said beside some organizations implementing their various interventions in the Camp, water remain the biggest challenge forcing many to leave the camp hence an appeal to President Professor Mutharika to release them.Parliamentary committee urges action on security at Dzaleka Refugee Camp
He said truth to be told, these refugees and asylum seekers are hard working people claiming that they are renting many gardens growing tomatoes, cabbages, water melons which is found in all local markets dismissing claims being made by some other people that refugees receive funding from the UNHCR but the truth of the matter is that they are surviving through hard work.
