Date: Wed, 31 May 2000 00:30:07 -0700
To: "Zimbabwe Crisis Mailing List":;
From: Zimbabwe Crisis
Subject: ZimCrisis -- Zimbabwean families arrive in New Zealand
Cc: "Australian government":;, "British government":;,
"Canadian government":
;, "South African government":;,
Commonwealth:;, Press:;
Hi everyone,
Some news (a little old) about the number of people applying to get to New Zealand. I'm catching up with a backlog of stuff sent to me, so I will get to the more current information soon.
Craig
About 25 Zimbabwean families have arrived in New Zealand since violence against white farmers started two months ago, a support group said. The New Zealand High Commission in Harare reported last week it was being swamped by inquiries from people wanting to leave Zimbabwe. Zimcare co-ordinator Elaine Crozier said about 25 families had so far arrived in Christchurch, Auckland, and other centres in New Zealand. More families were expected over the next three months. "People want to get out if they can. We know its an escalation of violence (in Zimbabwe). They will probably be kicked off their land." Those who had New Zealand connections were the main ones looking to come here, Crozier said. Immigration minister Lianne Dalziel said Zimbabweans would have to apply for residence visas under normal rules. For those with relatives who were resident in the country or who were New Zealand citizens, the Immigration Service would waive normal requirements of a return ticket and funds to support themselves during their stay, she said. The commission said it was getting about 400 inquiries a day, compared with about four calls a week before violence erupted in the country. The commission had to hire more staff, some of whom were farmers. Zimcare is a support group set up by former Zimbabweans, Crozier and Mary Needham, to help Zimbabwean migrants. Trust chairman Robyn Johnstone, who migrated to Wellington from Zimbabwe 12 years ago, said people were desperate to get out of the country. Last week her 71-year-old mother was forced to sign over hundreds of hectares of the family-tobacco farm to squatters. "A lot will leave with no money, there's no foreign currency. They won't even have warm clothing," Johnstone said. --Business Day
Craig
Zimbabwe Crisis Mailing List
This is currently a manually administered mailing list. To subscribe or unsubscribe, send your request to DELETED. Personal requests for removal will be carried out immediately. Requests from governmental, political or press organisations will be treated less favourably. The purpose of this list is not necessarily to redistribute published news reports. Rather, it is intended to distribute reports from or directly affecting those people in Zimbabwe. If you have seen something before, I apologise. Hopefully that will not be a regular occurrence.
Brief list of helpful sites on the issue:
- Comprehensive news updates -- http://www.1freespace.com/beetee
- Offers of and requests for help for Zimbabweans -- http://pub9.ezboard.com/boffersofhelp
- Commercial Farmers' Union -- http://www.mweb.co.zw/cfu
- Movement for Democratic Change -- http://www.in2zw.com/mdc
- Zimbabwe Democracy Trust -- http://www.zimbabwedemocracytrust.org
- BSAP Pursuit of Zimbabwean Criminals -- http://www.bsaphq.f9.co.uk
To: "Zimbabwe Crisis Mailing List":;
From: Zimbabwe Crisis
Subject: ZimCrisis -- Zimbabwean families arrive in New Zealand
Cc: "Australian government":;, "British government":;,
"Canadian government":
;, "South African government":;,
Commonwealth:;, Press:;
Hi everyone,
Some news (a little old) about the number of people applying to get to New Zealand. I'm catching up with a backlog of stuff sent to me, so I will get to the more current information soon.
Craig
About 25 Zimbabwean families have arrived in New Zealand since violence against white farmers started two months ago, a support group said. The New Zealand High Commission in Harare reported last week it was being swamped by inquiries from people wanting to leave Zimbabwe. Zimcare co-ordinator Elaine Crozier said about 25 families had so far arrived in Christchurch, Auckland, and other centres in New Zealand. More families were expected over the next three months. "People want to get out if they can. We know its an escalation of violence (in Zimbabwe). They will probably be kicked off their land." Those who had New Zealand connections were the main ones looking to come here, Crozier said. Immigration minister Lianne Dalziel said Zimbabweans would have to apply for residence visas under normal rules. For those with relatives who were resident in the country or who were New Zealand citizens, the Immigration Service would waive normal requirements of a return ticket and funds to support themselves during their stay, she said. The commission said it was getting about 400 inquiries a day, compared with about four calls a week before violence erupted in the country. The commission had to hire more staff, some of whom were farmers. Zimcare is a support group set up by former Zimbabweans, Crozier and Mary Needham, to help Zimbabwean migrants. Trust chairman Robyn Johnstone, who migrated to Wellington from Zimbabwe 12 years ago, said people were desperate to get out of the country. Last week her 71-year-old mother was forced to sign over hundreds of hectares of the family-tobacco farm to squatters. "A lot will leave with no money, there's no foreign currency. They won't even have warm clothing," Johnstone said. --Business Day
Craig
Zimbabwe Crisis Mailing List
This is currently a manually administered mailing list. To subscribe or unsubscribe, send your request to DELETED. Personal requests for removal will be carried out immediately. Requests from governmental, political or press organisations will be treated less favourably. The purpose of this list is not necessarily to redistribute published news reports. Rather, it is intended to distribute reports from or directly affecting those people in Zimbabwe. If you have seen something before, I apologise. Hopefully that will not be a regular occurrence.
Brief list of helpful sites on the issue:
- Comprehensive news updates -- http://www.1freespace.com/beetee
- Offers of and requests for help for Zimbabweans -- http://pub9.ezboard.com/boffersofhelp
- Commercial Farmers' Union -- http://www.mweb.co.zw/cfu
- Movement for Democratic Change -- http://www.in2zw.com/mdc
- Zimbabwe Democracy Trust -- http://www.zimbabwedemocracytrust.org
- BSAP Pursuit of Zimbabwean Criminals -- http://www.bsaphq.f9.co.uk
