- Title: ZIMBABWE: BACKGROUND FEATURES - BORDER PROBLEMS
- Date: 22nd July 1996
- Summary: MUTARE, ZIMBABWE (RECENT - RTV) POLICE RAISING FLAG OUTSIDE POLICE STATION BORDER PATROL SETS OFF FROM TOWN AT DAWN PATROL OUT ON BORDER ROAD ZIMBABWE/MOZAMBIQUE BORDER (RECENT - RTV) BORDER PATROL MOVING THROUGH THE BRUSH BORDER PATROL MAN WATCHING THRU TREES WIDE VIEW OF BORDER JUMPERS MOVING THROUGH THE BRUSH BORDER PATROL CHASING JUMPERS THROUGH THE BRUSH TWO BORDER JUMPERS CAUGHT CHIEF INSPECTOR WILLIAM TAJKANIMANDO, BORDER PATROL, SAYING, "THEY KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME MOZAMBICAN NATIONALS WHO HAVE CROSSED HERE INTO THE BORDER INTO ZIMBABWE TO BUY A LOT OF GOODS. SO THEY WILL TAKE THE GOODS FROM MUTARE TO MOZAMBIQUE." (ENGLISH) POLICE HOLDING THE BORDER JUMPERS MOZAMBICAN POLICE TAKING THE BORDER JUMPERS BACK INTO MOZAMBIQUE MUTARE, ZIMBABWE (RECENT - RTV) LIEBERMAN NDLOYU, ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER, MANICALAND POLICE, SAYING, "I WOULD WANT TO SAY THE WEAPONS WHICH ARE COMING FROM MOZAMBIQUE, THEY ARE NOT JUST ONLY USED IN MANICALAND, THEY ARE USED IN OTHER PLACES IN THE COUNTRY. SO IT IS QUITE A PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE BORDER IS QUITE BIG AND QUITE MOUNTAINOUS, THEY CAN CROSS ANYWHERE, ANYTIME." (ENGLISH) ZIMBABWE/MOZAMBIQUE BORDER (RECENT - RTV) BORDER POLICE DETAINING THREE MORE BORDER JUMPERS MUTARE, ZIMBABWE (RECENT - RTV) TRAFFIC IN STREETS OF MUTARE JOHN GAMBANGA, EDITOR, MANICA POST, SAYING, "MOST OF THEM DO NOT HAVE IDENTITY CARDS. AND ONCE THEY HAVE WORKED FOR A FEW DAYS, A FEW WEEKS, AND YOU'VE GIVEN THEM THEIR PAY, THEY MIGHT STEAL FROM YOU OR FROM YOUR NEIGHBOUR AND CROSS THE BORDER. THAT IS WHERE THE CONCERN ACTUALLY COMES IN AND SEVERAL PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED, I WOULD SAY, ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE AND WIDESPREAD CRIME IN THE CITY, PETTY CRIME. YOU SEE, A LOT OF STREET KIDS YOU SEE IN MUTARE ARE FROM MOZAMBIQUE AND THEY WON'T GO BACK - THEY DON'T WANT TO GO BACK." (ENGLISH) NYANGA, ZIMBABWE (RECENT - RTV) CONFISCATED MARIJUANA HAUL BEING EXAMINED BY AUTHORITIES WIDE VIEW OF NYANGA COUNTRYSIDE MUTARE, ZIMBABWE (RECENT - RTV) LIEBERMAN NDLOYU, ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER, MANICALAND POLICE, SAYING, "WE GET PEOPLE FROM AS FAR AS BULAWAYO, HARARE, EVEN BOTSWANA, SOUTH AFRICA, COMING TO BUY THESE DRUGS, SO IN THE END IT IS GOING TO CREATE A BREAKING POINT FOR THIS DRUG IN THIS PART OF THE REGION. BUT EFFORTS ARE BEING MADE TO HAVE THE SAFCO, THE SOUTHERN POLICE CHIEF COOPERATION, WHICH SEEKS TO ERADICATE THIS KIND OF CRIME." (ENGLISH) BORDER JUMPERS BEING TAKEN TO MUTARE POLICE STATION BORDER JUMPERS PERSONAL EFFECTS BEING SEARCHED AT POLICE STATION REPORTER PIECE TO CAMERA Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
- Embargoed: 6th August 1996 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: ZIMBABWE/MOZAMBIQUE BORDER, MUTARE & NYANGA, ZIMBABWE
- Country: Zimbabwe
- Topics: Crime,General,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA6EYPUX1B4RCTSYY5JD2TU53TE
- Story Text: Dawn on the Zimbabwe-Mozambique border and patrols swing into action against illegal immigrants.
Police lay ambushes for the estimated thousands of Mozambicans who try to slip illegally into Zimbabwe every day. A battle of wits, where information and rumour are weapons.
The patrol has heard today that the border jumpers will be using this route. Confusing chases through the bush often yield nothing for the border patrol.
But minutes later there is a catch.
----------------- CAPTION: CHIEF INSPECTOR WILLIAM TAJKANIMANDO, BORDER PATROL "THEY KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME MOZAMBICAN NATIONALS WHO HAVE CROSSED HERE INTO THE BORDER INTO ZIMBABWE TO BUY A LOT OF GOODS.
SO THEY WILL TAKE THE GOODS FROM MUTARE TO MOZAMBIQUE." (ENGLISH) ----------------- The border jumpers say they are just 13 years old and plead for release. The police take pity on them and hand them over to the Mozambican police who've been following them.
The border patrols have only convicted around 200 border jumpers since January of the thousands who are seen moving through the mine-laden bush.
Many of those who try to run the border merely want to buy food for their hungry families.
But police fear others are carrying guns that can be bartered for food in Mozambique. which are believed to be causing a rise in armed robberies.
-----------------
CAPTION: LIEBERMAN NDLOYU, ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER, MANICALAND POLICE "I WOULD WANT TO SAY THE WEAPONS WHICH ARE COMING FROM MOZAMBIQUE, THEY ARE NOT JUST ONLY USED IN MANICALAND, THEY ARE USED IN OTHER PLACES IN THE COUNTRY. SO IT IS QUITE A PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE BORDER IS QUITE BIG AND QUITE MOUNTAINOUS, THEY CAN CROSS ANYWHERE, ANYTIME." (ENGLISH) ----------------- These border jumpers plead with police to be let into Zimbabwe, playing on the sympathy some of the Zimbabweans have for their plight.
Once again the police decide not to arrest, but instead warn them not to bring in their second-hand clothes.
The bringers of these garments, many of which are gifts from aid agencies, have been accused of ruining the clothing market in the Zimbabwean border town of Mutare.
In the streets many Mozambicans looking for jobs are becoming unpopular -----------------
CAPTION: JOHN GAMBANGA, EDITOR, MANICA POST "MOST OF THEM DO NOT HAVE IDENTITY CARDS. AND ONCE THEY HAVE WORKED FOR A FEW DAYS, A FEW WEEKS, AND YOU'VE GIVEN THEM THEIR PAY, THEY MIGHT STEAL FROM YOU OR FROM YOUR NEIGHBOUR AND CROSS THE BORDER.
THAT IS WHERE THE CONCERN ACTUALLY COMES IN AND SEVERAL PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED, I WOULD SAY, ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE AND WIDESPREAD CRIME IN THE CITY, PETTY CRIME. YOU SEE, A LOT OF STREET KIDS YOU SEE IN MUTARE ARE FROM MOZAMBIQUE AND THEY WON'T GO BACK - THEY DON'T WANT TO GO BACK." (ENGLISH) ----------------- But the largest fear for police is the growing cargo of drugs, up by a third in the last year.
This is part ofr a 600-kilogram haul of marijuana seized in that time, worth an estimated quarter of a million U.S. dollars.
In this holiday resort of Nyanga police claim the influx of drugs has created a crime wave.
----------------- CAPTION: LIEBERMAN NDLOYU, ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER, MANICALAND POLICE "WE GET PEOPLE FROM AS FAR AS BULAWAYO, HARARE, EVEN BOTSWANA, SOUTH AFRICA, COMING TO BUY THESE DRUGS, SO IN THE END IT IS GOING TO CREATE A BREAKING POINT FOR THIS DRUG IN THIS PART OF THE REGION. BUT EFFORTS ARE BEING MADE TO HAVE THE SAFCO, THE SOUTHERN POLICE CHIEF COOPERATION, WHICH SEEKS TO ERADICATE THIS KIND OF CRIME." (ENGLISH) ------------------ Every morning another group of border jumpers are brought into Mutare central police station. A few will be charged and the rest sent home, where they're likely to try again.
For many, their miserable brush with the law is no worse than the poverty that awaits them at home in Mozambique.
------------------ CAPTION: CHRIS BISHOP, REUTERS, ZIMBABWE/MOZAMBIQUE BORDER "POLICE ON BOTH SIDES OF THESE BORDERS CLAIM THEY ARE "POLICE ON BOTH SIDES OF THESE BORDERS CLAIM THEY ARE TACKLING THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. BUT IT'S CLEAR THAT AS POVERTY DEEPENS IN MANY SOUTHERN AFRICAN COUNTRIES, THAT THE PROBLEM IS LIKELY TO WORSEN.
CHRIS BISHOP, REUTERS, MUTARE.
(ENGLISH) NARRATION AT 10.04.30 TO 10.09.24 - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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