Received 5 June 2000

The procedure I sent you for prospective refugees applying for entry to Australia seems to be a non-starter. The first person to apply was politely told that there is no such procedure and was instead sold a book of forms to apply for a normal immigration visa.

I was away from Pretoria from 19 May until last week, as was the chap who had offered to help me handle this task. On my return I phoned the First Secretary at the Australian High Commission in Pretoria (Tom Egan) and I presented the requirement to him.

Mr Egan politely told me that the Australian Government had been misquoted by the media and that the Department had put out a press release to correct this .

The reasoning is that a number of African countries are also signatories to the UN convention on refugees, and that they should be the first to offer refugee status to Zimbabweans. Apart from this, a number of Zimbabweans are holders of British and other passports and they should use these options if they need to leave Zimbabwe.

I pointed out that there are Zimbabweans (I never mentioned their colour)whose lives are at risk, who had no right of access to any other country in Africa or elsewhere, and who had relatives or friends in Australia. Egan was adamant that such persons should apply through the normal channels for an immigration visa, and that Zimbabweans would not be given preferential treatment.

We have also approached the UN and IRC reps in Pretoria. They say they have no mandate regarding Zimbabweans (whatever that might mean). Presumably their headquarters do not recognise any valid reason for Zimbabweans to apply for refugee status.

According to the Australian documentation at my disposal, anyone who is a victim of human rights abuse in their country of residence can apply for a Type 202 (refugee) visa for Australia. But if the local Australian embassy will not provide the necessary forms, this course becomes impossible.

If the FLF is to pursue this further, we will need to get the favourable attention of some human rights lawyer or organisation in Australia.

Perhaps the parliamentary opposition in Australia (Pauline Hanson?) would be interested in questioning how their representative in South Africa is handling the Zimbabwe issue.

Nicky Paterson of the CFU has asked if the FLF can assist them with refugees in South Africa. Before I advise her, I would like to know whether we should drop the Australian refugee option and concentrate on the SA option.

Have you any recommendations or suggestions?
Kind regards
John
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John Redfern
Honorary Secretary, Flame Lily Foundation
PO Box 95474, 0145 Waterkloof, South Africa
Tel & Fax: +27 12 4602066
<rasa@iafrica.com
"Keeping the Flame alive"
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ASYLUM IN AUSTRALIA: RECOMMENDED PROCEDURES

In Zimbabwe:

1. Register with the IRC (International Red Cross) as a potential asylum seeker. (This will strengthen the motivation when applying for refugee status later on.)

2. Contact the Australian High Commission (AHC). Ask to speak to the official who deals with a Type 200 visa and ask that person for the following: Forms 842; 842a; 681; 917 as appropriate. (These may cost in the region of Z$300,00.)

3. DO NOT MAKE A VISA APPLICATION IN ZIMBABWE.

In South Africa:

1. Contact the Flame Lily Foundation (FLF) - Tel and Fax: (012)4602066 for further advice on procedures to be followed.

2. If not already registered in Zimbabwe with the International Red Cross (IRC), apply for registration as an asylum seeker/refugee with the intention of going to Australia.

3. Contact the AHC and ask to speak to the official who deals with Type 200 visas. Obtain the forms required for asylum/refugee status in Australia (if not received in Zimbabwe) and for the details of an Australian-approved medical practitioner for a full medical examination (at own expense). A book containing the relevant forms costs about R50,00.

4. Complete all applicable forms in detail. Assistance can be given by the FLF in compiling the motivation, if required.

5. Hand in all forms and certificates to the applicable official at the AHC in Pretoria.

Notes:

1. If no queries are raised in Australia, the turnaround for the application should take 10-14 days.

2. An applicant must have less than the equivalent of A$10 000,00 or the applicant and family less than A$20 000,00 altogether.

3. Air fares to Australia for a person granted asylum and his/her family will be provided by the Australian Government at no cost to the applicant.

4. Forms:

Individuals applying for an ‘asylum visa’ must complete 842; dependents and family complete 842a.

Proposers must complete form 681.

5. Appropriate visas are:

200 - refugee visa.

202 - Global Special Humanitarian visa.

6. Application for a 200 or 202 visa can only be applied for and issued outside Australia and the refugee’s country of permanent residence. There is no cost attached to these visas.

7. There are certain restrictions and prohibitions if an applicant has previously applied for a visa to Australia, or has been refused an entry visa.

8. Discovery of an inaccurate (untruthful) application could result in subsequent deportation of the applicant and his/her dependents and family from Australia.

NB. This is NOT the procedure offered to Zimbabweans by the Australian Government through the news media. That procedure could result in the forced return of the applicant to Zimbabwe if the reason for issue of the visa no longer applies, as has happened with Kosovan (Albanian) refugees..

This has been thoroughly researched by a resident Zimbabwean

Please would anyone knowing anything more - Email Karen
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