Oscar winning actor Matt Damon has described the situation facing thousands of Zimbabwean refugees in camps in South Africa as 'untenable' and has called for regional and international leaders to take action.
His comments came on Tuesday after meeting with a number of Zimbabwean refugees in the South African border town of Musina, where thousands of Zimbabweans have fled to escape the collapse of their own country. An estimated three million Zimbabweans are believed to be living in South Africa, with thousands believed to be crossing the border every night. The border jumpers face numerous dangers in their desperate search for food, medicine and safety and there is no way of knowing how many do not survive the perilous journey.
The journey itself is only half the battle and refugee camps across South Africa are overflowing with desperate asylum seekers. In Musina alone, more than 5000 refugees are camped out in the showgrounds there, and 250 new applications for asylum are registered per day.
Damon, who along with fellow celebrity heavy-weights, George Clooney and Don Cheadle, started the 'Not on our Watch' humanitarian campaign, is using his influence as a high profile star to raise awareness about the Zimbabwean crisis. The Hollywood star visited a number of organisations set up to aid the refugees, and spent the time listening to the often harrowing stories of those Zimbabweans who were left with little choice but to leave.
The actor told reporters the situation in South Africa is "testament to the situation across the border in Zimbabwe," and said "action must be taken." He called the situation 'shocking' and 'sad' and pledged to use his 'celebrity capital' to raise awareness about Zimbabwe. He said it was important to keep pressure on international and regional leaders to help Zimbabwe resolve its problems.
"I feel it is morally incumbent, (that) we who can get coverage, get coverage for something like this, rather than for the latest shampoo," he said
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It's rong to include refugees amongst Zimbabwe's diaspora, who send foreingfunds that indirectly fuels Mugabe's continued dictatorship.
Recently, I wrote that one of Tsvangirai's top priorities should be to promote the return of the Zimbos who sought refuge in neighbouring countries.
Matt Damon is quite right to confirm that Zimbo refugees are having a very hard time in refugee camps. He is damn right to decide to raise awareness about the plight of the refugees.
Raising awareness about the issue also includes calling for criminal Mugabe to be dragged before the ICC! How on earth could he display an 85 Kgs birthday cake for his anniversary when over 4 million Zimbos, as refugees, are not even having one meal a day?
Tsvangirai must be seen to be defending the defenceless! He should defy criminal Mugabe on the repatriation of the refugees since he knows that Mugabe is afraid that returning Zimbos will vote massively against him in a general election.
Who claimed Mugabe is still a hero? a patriot? My FOOT!! He is just another creep, every night counting how much funds he diverted to foreign bank accounts out of humanitarian funds!
Obama is right to renew sanctions aginst 200 of his cronies for another year! The Black Caucus in the US will not fail to pressurize for criminal Mugabe to be dragged also before the ICC!
Let us watch events unfolding!
Why is it always foreign Celebritites that come to the plight of the suffering africans and u get people like CHOKORA calling them racists. George Clooney has also come out in support of the suffering people of Darfur - thanks Georgie you a great Hunk!!!!
Wisdom from Tinseltown? Worse, advice from paid agents of INVADER culture?
They come to Africa to talk humanitarian trashy bullcrap.
They call themselves "stars" or "celebreties." More apt: skunks and degenerates of the sexualized culture of the INVADERS, the culture where women are reduced to sexual objects.
Tinsel stars: stay home, and fix the TENT CITIES that are spreading like wild fire in California, in YOUR BACKYARD, HOLLYCRAP.