Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 31-10-2019
The UNHCR has appealed to refugees and asylum-seekers involved in the protests in Cape Town and Pretoria to respect the laws of the country.
In a statement, the agency’s says it is closely following developments in front of its office in the mother city where police – pursuant to a court order – is acting to address the protest by refugees and asylum-seekers.
The agency has called upon the refugees return peacefully to their residences in South Africa.
The UNHCR say it is also aware of the concerns of the protesters with regard to personal safety, access to documentation, challenges accessing services and job opportunities.
“The protesters also expressed demands for resettlement, which is only available for a limited number of very vulnerable refugees.
It says South Africa is a generous host country with progressive asylum policies and laws and is currently hosting 268,000 refugees and asylum-seekers according to government statistics.
The UNHCR says it will continue to support the government in assisting to refugees and asylum seekers in the country.
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