MINISTRY of Home Affairs permanent secretary Mulenga Chileshe has called on Zambians to observe and respect the rights of migrants.
Dr Chileshe said refugees contribute towards economic growth and human development in both home and host countries and enrich societies through cultural diversity, fostering understanding and respect among peoples, cultures and societies.
Speaking during the International Migrants Day on Friday, Dr Chileshe said Government is committed to addressing challenges of migrants.
“Government is committed to address, challenges related to migration by valuing the need to protect vulnerable people on the move, including victims of human trafficking, unaccompanied and separated children and also putting in place adequate mechanisms,” he said.
Dr Chileshe also said migration is not a problem to be solved, but a reality that can be managed.
“It is nonetheless encouraging to note that migration has formally been included in the 2030 agenda for sustainable development with the adoption of specific targets on migration,” Dr Chileshe said.
And UNHCR representative Laura lo Castro said Zambia acknowledges that refugees, such as doctors, nurses, teachers and farmers, who recently lost their refugee status can positively contribute to the economy of the country.
She said Zambia has shown the world that it is a nation that welcomes different kind of people.
Meanwhile, International Organisation for Migration (IOM) director general William Swing said it is unfortunate that sections of the media and society have sought to paint migration as a social evil and a spawning ground for fanaticism.
“I see an anti-migrant sentiment beginning to seethe. I see political malaise; an absence of courage, a bankruptcy of leadership and a paucity of moral sensitivity,” she said.
He has commended Zambia for showing generosity amidst high numbers of asylum-seekers, refugees and migrants.
Migrants are not necessarily refugees; specifically refugees migrate involuntarily and usually with little preparedness. However, migrants coming voluntarily must adapt and respect that which they have got themselves into. Don’t adulterate this term the way “gender” has been raped and abused…
I hope they are true refugees and not Hutus hiding from their genocidal after-effects. There seem to be too many Burundians in Lusaka these days. We should not be harbouring such characters. They should go back and face the music. The same with Somalis who ruined their own country from clanism. I miss peaceful Angolan refugees who have been flocking to Western Province for over 300 years, fleeing slave traders, the Portuguese and then finally the civil war in the 1970s.
Forget about fellow black Africans for a moment, what about the muslims from Lebanon, Syira, Pakistan, Afghanistan…..??
What’s the decent nickname for migrants in Zed?
I don’t think there’s one since we are one Africa before colonial masters created borders. But to fulfil your wish may be let’s call them foreign brothers and sisters (still more this word “foreign” does not sound decent) I don’t know! over to other bloggers suggestion……….
For the muslims its the “ninjas” because of the long black clothes they wear and hide their face under long black veils or turbans
…………………….. N I N J A S…………………………….
……………N I N J A S…………..
How about Zambians… We are a nation of tolerant peoples of mixed ancestry regardless when one arrived on the plateau…
…………………Ama Ninja…………………………..
Ama……………… n i n j a!!!
Boers, Mwenyes, Lebanese and Eygptains (N I N J A S in BLACK) migrants ought to change their attitudes towards native Zambians in Zambia. They are behaving as if Zambians are the migrants and they, (N I N J A S in BLACK) own Zambia.
Zambian maids, gardenboys, househelpers, nannies..etc are abused, kicked, beaten, insulted everyday by their foreign muslim empolyers from the Middle East and Asia
@Oz
There are decent people in all the groups you mention. Case in point, many of the migrants are entrepreneurs and providing services we Zambians COULD have provided to low income families. I ran in to an Egyptian father and son team who drive around cities selling Persian rugs, curtains etc to families on lay away plans. People love them in the hoods they serve.
It’s kinda fun meeting Chinese marketeers. Their spices are awesome. As for ‘ba mwenye’, just accept our 75th tribe good enough to speak local languages wherever they reside. Boers…um. Small doses. Prefer our white Zambians but that’s personal. I am sure there are hard workers amongst them.
Ah I forgot the Lebanese. Thanks for making kebabs popular. Try telling those who live in those take out joints you don’t like migrants. They will run you out. On the other hand there are dodgy types in all those groups but dodgy Zambians outnumber them a thousand fold. It’s our country and we like to eff it up at all levels. Hahahaha.
@Kalok you are right. However Zambia has always been a haven for both refugees and migrants. We look after all kinds of brothers and sisters. Its only the youngsters who are now seeing such people as foreigners. We the Zambians are the real Pan Africanists. Zambians who are entrepreneurial should build an industry around these.