The Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says it is concerned after Botswana deported 57 Zimbabwean refugees who had lived in the host country since 2008. The refugees reportedly failed to register for voluntary repatriation, which led to their forced removal late last week. The UNHCRs external relations officer, Kate Pond, says the refugees, irrespective of their status, have rights and could have been allowed to remain as permanent residents. "UNHCR remains concerned that Zimbabweans who have been in Botswana for over a decade have been removed to Zimbabwe in less than voluntary circumstances. Irrespective of their status they still have certain rights, and UNHCR had aimed for alternative solutions, like those provided to Zimbabweans who have family links in Botswana and may be able to remain in the country as permanent residents," Pond said. One of the deported refugees, speaking on condition of anonymity, says they were rounded up Thursday and told to board a bus which took them to Zimbabwes border. "We left Botswana on empty stomachs. We were deported to the border and we didnt get any assistance. We wanted to remain in Botswana; thats why we did not register [for repatriation]. We have nothing, we dont know where to start. We had children going to school. It will be difficult without documents like passports and identity cards," the refugee said. The deportees had been living at the Dukwi refugee camp. Botswanas government had warned that refugees who did not register would be deported. Last month, Botswana sent back more than 200 other Zimbabweans who had registered for voluntary repatriation. The repatriated refugees had initially refused to do so, citing fears of persecution in their homeland. Most were opposition activists whose homes were burned down during a deadly presidential election campaign in 2008. But one of the returnees, Bheki Weza, says they have surprisingly been well received in Zimbabwe despite their earlier safety concerns. "We are very happy about the situation. As we speak, I am now home still trying to settle down and adjust to the difficult economic conditions here in Zimbabwe. But I am happy because there is still peace surrounding us. I have met with the chiefs and even met with people that we fought with before I left. So far so good," Weza said. The UNHCR says it will continue to assist refugees who were repatriated. Each person received $520 and a food package. But the agency says there will be no such assistance for the deported refugees.
Ibiro bya Komiseri Mukuru w’umuryango w’abibumbye ushinzwe impunzi (UNHCR) bivuga ko biteye impungenge nyuma yuko Botswana yirukanye impunzi 57 zo muri Zimbabwe zari zituye mu gihugu cyari cyarabakiriye kuva mu 2008. Bivugwa ko izo mpunzi zanze kwibaruza ngo zisubizwe mu bihugu byabo, ibyo bikaba byarabaviriyemo kwirukanwa ku gahato mu mpera z'icyumweru gishize. Umukozi ushinzwe ububanyi n'amahanga wa UNHCRs, Kate Pond, avuga ko izo mpunzi, hatitawe ku miterere yazo, zifite uburenganzira kandi ko zemererwa gukomeza kuba abaturage bahoraho. "UNHCR ikomeje guhangayikishwa n'uko Abanyazimbabwe bamaze imyaka irenga icumi muri Botswana bimuriwe muri Zimbabwe ku ngufu. Hatitawe ku miterere yabo baracyafite uburenganzira bumwe na bumwe, kandi UNHCR yari igamije kubishakira ibisubizo nk'ibyo byahawe Zimbabwe. Kugira umuryango muri Botswana kandi ushobora kuguma mu gihugu nk'abaturage bahoraho ", Pond. Umwe mu mpunzi zirukanywe, yanze gutangaza amazina ye, avuga ko ku wa kane bakusanijwe bakababwira ko binjira muri bisi ibajyana ku mupaka wa Zimbabwes. "Twavuye muri Botswana nabi. Twirukanywe ku mupaka kandi nta mfashanyo twabonye. Twifuzaga kuguma muri Botswana; niyo mpamvu tutibaruje [kugira ngo dusubizwe mu gihugu]. Ntacyo dufite,ntaho twahera ubuzima. Twari dufite abana bajya ku ishuri. Bizagorana nta byangombwa nka pasiporo n'indangamuntu ", impunzi. Abirukanywe bari batuye mu nkambi y'impunzi ya Dukwi. Guverinoma ya Botswanas yari yaraburiye ko impunzi zitibaruje zizoherezwa. Mu kwezi gushize, Botswana yasabye abandi baturage barenga 200 bo muri Zimbabwe biyandikishije gutaha ku bushake. Impunzi zatahutse zabanje kwanga kubikora, kubera ubwoba bwukob batotezwa mu gihugu cyabo. Abenshi muri bo bari abarwanashyaka batavuga rumwe n’ubutegetsi amazu yabo yatwitse mu gihe cyo kwiyamamariza amatora y’umukuru w’igihugu murib 2008. Ariko umwe mu batahutse, Bheki Weza, avuga ko mu buryo budasanzwe  ko bakiriwe neza muri Zimbabwe nubwo mbere bari bafite impungenge z'umutekano. "Twishimiye uko twakiriwe. Nkuko tuvuga, ubu ndi mu rugo ndi kugerageza kumenyera imiterere n'ubukungu btoroshye hano muri Zimbabwe. Ariko ndishimye kuko hakiri amahoro. Nahuye n' abatware ndetse tunabonana n'abantu twarwanye mbere yuko ngenda. Kugeza ubu ni byiza ", UNHCR ivuga ko izakomeza gufasha impunzi zatahutse. Umuntu wese yahawe amadorari 520 hamwe n'ibyo kurya. Ariko iki kigo kivuga ko nta mfashanyo nk'izo zizahabwa impunzi zirukanywe.