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City’s Refugee Day
commemoration Staff Reporter news@inner-city-gazette.co.za
T
UNHCR Regional Deputy Representative Sergio Norena
he City of Johannesburg’s Migration Services, in conjunction with the Pastoral Care of the Catholic Archdiocese of Johannesburg, Jesuit Refugee Services and the Bienvenu Shelter recently organised World Refugee Day commemorations at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Doornfontein, which was attended by hundreds of refugees and local residents. This year’s UN High Commission for Refugees’ (UNHCR) theme was: One Family Torn Apart by War is One Too Many. The Roman Catholic Church commemorated the day under the theme: Migrations: Pilgrimage of Faith and Hope. The delivery of former president Thabo Mbeki’s speech, I Am an African, which he oresented at the opening of parliament in 1998, reverberated throughout the church. It was followed by performances by groups from the St Francis Parish, Khanyesa, Bienvenu Shelter,
Taryn Foley and Rwanda Community. UNHCR Regional Deputy Representative Sergio Norena said of the 45.2 million people uprooted by conflict, 15.4 million became refugees. “War is the dominant cause of displacement and the majority of refugees come from five war-torn countries, Afghanistan, Somalia, Iraq, Syria and Sudan. In the DR Congo and Central African Republic, displacement continues and peace initiatives are not fruitful. In Colombia, there is however a sign of hope for 2.5 million people.” Norena said UNHCR’s global report highlighted that in 2012, about 7.6 million people became newly displaced around the world, and over 1.1 million of them became refugees. “With service delivery challenges in some of the poorest communities in South Africa, many South Africans would question whether this country could afford to accommodate refugees and asylum seekers. The answer is a resounding yes. This is an act of solidarity with victims of conflict, violence
and persecution. It is also part of South Africa’s responsibility as a member of the United Nations,” Norena said. He conceded that the asylum system in South Africa was overwhelmed. “However, the Department of Home Affairs is aware of this and is taking steps to address the problem.” He said the UNHCR is aware of the backlogs and the structural challenges that make it difficult to deal with numbers of asylum seekers. Dawood Moosa, Operations Manager of the City of Joburg’s Migration Services said as much as the City was doing its best to help affected communities, it was still confronted by incidences of xenophobia. He emphasised that his department is always available to offer help and advice to those who are vulnerable and in need of assistance. The Executive Director of the Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa, Sicelimpilo Shange Buthane, urged the refugees to strive to bring about peace in their countries.