Neighbours bolster border security

Zimbabwe's neighbours have moved to strengthen security on their borders, fearing the worsening political and humanitarian crisis in that country will result in an influx of refugees. Mozambique has followed South Africa’s example and deployed extra security force personnel on its border with Zimbabwe. An analyst with the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) told IRIN it was clear the neighbours "fear a possible spillover (of refugees into their countries) during and in the aftermath of the election". At least 26 people have been killed in political violence in the run-up to the presidential elections on 9-10 March. President Robert Mugabe is up against Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)leader Morgan Tsvangirai in the biggest fight of his political life. The country is also in the grips of a serious food crisis. Chris Maroleng, a researcher with the African Security Analysis Programme of the ISS, told IRIN it was more likely that hunger, and not political violence, would force Zimbabweans to flee to neighbouring countries. South African Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota has said his troops are standing by to contain any exodus from Zimbabwe to South Africa. He is reported to have said: "Today there is no food in Zimbabwe. Now its people are coming across to South Africa. They (the Zimbabwe government) did not have the sense to manage the problem." AFP reported on Tuesday that Prime Minister Pascoal Mocumbi told journalists at his weekly briefing that "we have decided to reinforce control along the border to put an end to smuggling of various products, particularly sugar". However, Radio Mozambique reported that the deployment of troops along the border was aimed at preventing possible Zimbabwean refugees from slipping into Mozambique. Maroleng said: "There's definitely an escalation in the security presence on the border with Zimbabwe. The neighbouring countries fear possible spillover in the aftermath and during the election period because of possible violence. Especially on the South African side, where (so far) there has not been the huge influx of refugees that they had expected." South Africa has turned a former military base in the border town of Messina into a refugee camp. "They estimated, and have been planning for, 50 000 refugees coming across. So far though it's been the normal economic refugee situation - with Zimbabweans crossing over for work and crossing back to provide for their families," said Maroleng. "But," he added, "a large number of Zimbabweans can be expected to leave the country in search of food ... predictions are of a deficit of 500 000 mt of maize. Yet South Africa only has the capacity to ship in 50 000 mt a month. So one of the worries of Zimbabwe's neighbours is that they already have their own problems and when faced with an influx of refugees seeking humanitarian assistance, will they have the capacity (to assist refugees).” According to Maroleng, the plan is "to stop the refugees from coming into your own country and try and stabilise the situation in Zimbabwe itself". Malawi is experiencing its own humanitarian crisis, with 70 percent of the population in danger of starvation, so it's unlikely they would have an influx of Zimbabwean refugees. "One might expect a flow out of Malawi rather than into it," Maroleng told IRIN. Zimbabwe's crisis had already damaged South Africa's economy, impacting on trade and “scaring-off potential investors in the region and worsening the influx of immigrants”. Mugabe has faced mounting international condemnation for the continued violence and intimidation of MDC supporters in Zimbabwe. The European Union recently imposed sanctions on the 78-year-old and 19 of his close associates. The independent Harare newspaper the Daily News reported on Monday that Mugabe was said to have sent more than US $14,234 million (Z$800 million at the official rate or Z$4,5 billion on the parallel market) through the Channel Islands in the past three months. The paper claimed the transfer of the millions was seen as a hint that Mugabe may flee the country if he loses the poll. It said British newspaper, The Sunday Telegraph, had revealed that most of the money was moved through financial institutions without their knowledge and had ended up in Malaysia. "These reports came as the Swiss government announced it would freeze more than US $ 78,287 million (Z$4,4 billion at the official rate or Z$24,75 billion on the parallel market) of Mugabe's money stashed away in Swiss bank accounts if ZANU-PF rigged its way to victory in the presidential election,” the Daily News said. George Charamba, Zimbabwe's Secretary for Information and Publicity, dismissed the allegations that Mugabe had seeded away millions in foreign bank accounts.