There are fears that Refugees at Dukwi Refugee camp are being recruited into drug smuggling and child trafficking rings. In what appears to be part of a global trend where barriers to legitimate economic activity for camp-based refugees result in their turning to unauthorized or illegal means to secure resources, The Minister of Defence, Justice and Security Dikgakgamatso Seretse hinted this week that some Dukwi refugees are involved in child trafficking and other criminal activities.
Addressing Dukwi refugees last Thursday the Minister said, “it has come to my attention that some of you are involved in criminal activities particularly the child trafficking reports that we have been receiving. The law will not hesitate to bring you to book if you commit such criminal activities because no one is above the law. Botswana is a sovereign state and it has got its own laws. These laws should be obeyed by everyone in the country.” The minister’s warning comes amid reports that refugees are also being recruited into drug smuggling rings. In earlier interviews with the Sunday Standard, Detective Senior Superintendent Miriam Kilano of Drugs and Narcotics revealed that the police were worried about the increasing number of political asylum seekers who are involved in drug trafficking, especially cocaine.
“A lot of refugees are involved in drug trafficking, especially the Congolese, Tanzanians and Kenyans,” she said.
Madoda Nasha, the Assistant Protection Officer at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Botswana, in the past confirmed receiving police reports that some refugees were peddling drugs. The human trafficking and drug smuggling problems among Botswana refugees appear to be part of a global trend. A research paper by the US based Lutheran Immigration and Revenue Service titled “Trafficking Risks for Refugees” states that “not only are refugees easily exploitable as workers because of their desperate life circumstances, but their unauthorized status puts them in greater contact with criminal actors.”
The research paper further states that, “in flight or in a place of temporary refuge, refugees are not supported by the same community structures or social networks that existed in their countries of origin. All of these social systems are disrupted. Being cut off from family and community support can create or exacerbate a widerange of other risks, including poor physical security, lack of economic support, and lack of psycho-social support, all of which are associated with greater vulnerability to becoming a victim of human trafficking.”
Warning Dukwi refugees, Minister Seretse said, “It is our wish as Batswana that we should be using this refugee camp for other purposes, but instead we had to sacrifice and agree with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to accommodate you due to the predicaments in your own countries. We will not allow our generosity to be abused by those who indulge in breaking the law. It is also our wish as Botswana government that troubles in your own countries come to an end so that you can go back and live peacefully. I am very certain that each and every one of you loves their native country and would love to go back home some day,” he said.
The Minister further told the refugees problems in war torn regions “led to an influx of refugees into Botswana and we welcomed them with open hands. You should be reminded that some of Batswana had to lose their lives in the process due to bombings by terrorists from these regimes who were after these refugees. We had to provide a system to protect Batswana and the refugees from these attacks hence the establishment of this refugee camp.” The Minister also said that, if the refugees were allowed to assimilate with the rest of Batswana, their safety would be compromised as it could lead to issues of xenophobia.
He said that they are mainly kept in the refugee camp for their own protection. “We are keeping you in the camp because of your own safety. If we allow you to assimilate and stay with the citizens, issues of xenophobia might arise. It happened in South Africa a few years back where some foreigners in that country were killed,” the Minister warned. He also said that if refugees are allowed to merge with the citizens and scatter all over Botswana, it would be difficult to keep track of them and assist them. The minister also explained that Botswana has its own challenges like any other country.
“Like any other country, Botswana is faced with its own challenges therefore it is difficult to attend to all of your problems. I plead for your forgiveness if you feel that we are not doing much to assist you. My suggestion is that you should use the little that you have at hand for your benefit,” he said. The Minister said that the refugees at Dukwi refugee camp should not feel isolated. He said that the government of Botswana will always take heed of their problems and provide assistance where possible.
