Annette Brooke stands up to support right to work for failed Zimbabwean asylum seekers
December 12, 2005 6:00 PM
Williard Chinhanu presenting his case at APPG Zimbabwe meeting
The All Party Parliamentary Group for Zimbabwe this week held a press conference to highlight the plight of various 'failed' asylum seekers who cannot return to Zimbabwe for fear of persecution under the Mugabe regime.
The Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT) ruled in October this year that failed asylum -seekers should not be returned to Zimbabwe because it was unsafe to do so. At the same time, a United Nations report last week described Zimbabwe as being in "meltdown", a country where the average life expectancy has been reduced from 69 to 32 in the recent troubled years of the Mugabe regime.
Annette Brooke MP joined Baroness Shirley Williams, former Minister Kate Hoey MP and Conservative MP Graham Stuart at the special meeting to draw attention to their constituents who cannot return to Zimbabwe, but who want to contribute to the society where they live, while they live here.
Introducing Williard Chinhanu (31) who lives in Poole, Annette Brooke MP said:
"Williard is an international athlete, who has been training with Poole Runners since he came to Poole. I have been inundated by letters from many children as young as 12 who say that Williard has inspired them to run and train harder.
This is the generation we want to see competing in the 2012 Olympics in London, and yet, because Wiliard is technically not allowed to work, paid or unpaid, they are being denied his coaching skills."
Given the fact that the AIT has concluded that it would be unsafe to return these asylum seekers, the Refugee Council argues that the government is pursuing a lose-lose agenda. Asylum seekers remain now destitute, they are unable to use their professional skills or maintain their skills base. If they could work they would be able to keep themselves, contribute to the economy and maintain their skills so that they can contribute better to Zimbabwean economy when it is safe for them to return.
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