Call to treat refugees with dignity

AS WORLD Refugees Day was observed this week, organisations are rallying for basic human rights not to be ignored on our doorstep and across the world.

This week, Women and Children at Concern (WCC), an NPO, said they were reflecting on countries around the world, including South Africa, on refugees and their plight.

This includes Ukraine, where South Africans have been stuck since Russia invaded.

Weekend Argus spoke with Port Elizabeth resident Victoria Field, who has been in the war-torn city of Kyiv since February this year, and asked her how life was right now.

Field has been unable to see her family since the war but is in communication with them.

In February, Field left her home to accompany her son to Ukraine for a visit, then war began.

Field, originally from Ukraine, has been living in South Africa for 15 years. Every day, Field hears explosions. There are days when they have to ration their food and emergency supplies.

Speaking from a flat, Field sees buildings which have been shelled and demolished by Russian attacks.

“I am currently in Hostomel, where in March my friends were in occupation,” she said. “It is peaceful here right now. People are living in flats that were not destroyed.

“A building was shelled by Russian tanks.

“At another house, the Russians killed the owners and the only thing that survived was a white angora cat.

“The cat was coming out of the ruins and had turned black due to the dirt and smoke.

“After occupation ended, a woman adopted this cat.

“People are waiting for the invasion from Belarus, (there are) airstrikes alert every day and I hear explosions every day,” she said.

In March, the Department of International Relations and Co-operation’s (Dirco) head of diplomacy, Clayson Monyela, told the media the South African embassy in Ukraine was providing consular support and assistance to stranded South African citizens.

He said at the time there were around 200 South African nationals, including students.

This week Dirco did not respond to Weekend Argus on the status of South Africans in Ukraine.

Back in South Africa, Hafiz Mohammed, secretary-general of WCC, said

many refugees at the Bellville camp, known as Paint City, are still without basic needs after the showers were removed earlier this year.

“As you all know, since the year 2020 when we were brought to the Paint City refugee camp in Bellville, Cape Town, those who brought us did not provide us with anything to sleep on or to cover us with, no support at all.

“We do not have showers and remember it’s freezing cold and there are about 500 people here.

“The basic human rights are not seen to, the lack of showers, cleaning material for hygiene of the toilets, which has led to many women and children getting infections.

“The awareness is based on showing people in South Africa and other countries that no one chose to leave his/her country just to become a refugee and to be treated like second-class citizens.

“And this is to show everyone that anyone can become a refugee at any time.

“That’s the reason why host countries and their host local popul ation need to understand the need for them to treat refugees with care, rights and dignity rather than intimidating, harassing and depriving them of their basic human rights,” Mohammed said.