Sunday, March 29, 2009

Ninety Somalis cause havoc at boarder post

The Government of Botswana is investigating circumstances that led to a group of Somalis trying to force their way into Botswana illegally.
Security personnel had to be called in contain the situation that had almost gotten out of hands.

Information passed to Sunday Standard suggests that Botswana is not happy with how the South African immigration authorities decided to let the Somalis try to force their entry into Botswana illegally.

Last week Wednesday at least 92 Somalis (90 adults and 2 kids) caused havoc at the Remotlabame Border post and both Botswana and South African authorities had to be summoned to control the situation.

It is understood that the Somalis, who are political asylum seekers, claim that they wanted to go to their home country because of the violent crime that they encounter in their daily lives in South Africa.

Speaking to Sunday Standard the immigration officer at Ramatlabama border post, Mr. Joseph Motsumi, explained that on Wednesday morning at around 6, they saw a group of people standing loitering in the no man’s land between Botswana and South Africa.

He said that when they approached them and asked them what they wanted, they said they wanted to cross into Botswana and head for their home country, adding that they only wanted to use Botswana as a transit route.

Motsumi said the Somalis told them they had enough because they are being attacked, robbed and killed by the South African.

However senior superintendent Oreneetse Mogapaesi in Lobatse said “I can not comment on the matter because the issue is being handled by the office of president”.

“We could not let them in to Botswana because they were not having traviling documents”.

He said after long hours of negotiations the Somalis were then taken by the South African authorities to Pretoria,

The deputy high commissioner of South Africa high commission in Gaborone Miss Castleman declined to comment

However around the year 2000 a group of freedom fighters in South Africa also tried to force them selves in Botswana claiming that they want to have a dialogue with the SADC secretary general.

They freedom fighters allegedly told both the Botswana and South African authorities that they were being ill treated by their own government.

Source: The Sunday Standard

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