S.A. electric fence to bar Mozambicans

Press, 28 July 1986, Page 8

S.A. electric fence to bar Mozambicans

NZPA-AP Johannesburg

The 1500 refugees who flee the famine and civil war in Mozambique each month must avoid landmines planted by their Marxist Government and brave lions in Kruger National Park once they cross the border, South African officials say. On August 1 there will be a new obstacle. The South African Defence Force will electrify a 24km fence along the border, from Komatipoort, just south of the park boundary, to the limit of kaNgwane homeland, which allows refugees to enter its territory freely. "It is unlikely that even a very determined person or creature could pass over or through that fence.

“It is high and lethal,” “The Citizen” newspaper

quoted an Eastern Transvaal Command spokesman as saying. The spokesman said he was not certain of the voltage, but there would be different settings at different times of day.

There would be a safe fence 2.5 metres in height running along each side of the electrified one to protect people from accidental fatal electric shock, a Defence Force spokesman said. Warning signs will be posted at intervals in Afrikaans, English, Swazi, Shangaan, and Portuguese, but illiteracy has been estimated at up to 70 per cent in Mozambique.

South Africa considers the Mozambicans to be illegal workers, not refugees, and for the last 18 months has been deporting them at the rate of 1500 a month. A retired South African

Navy chief, Vice-Admiral Ronnie Edwardes, estimates that 60,000 refugees have entered South Africa across the border between Mozambique and the veld and bushland of Kruger Park, the nation’s biggest wildlife sanctuary.

He said Mozambican border patrols had planted land-mines to deter emigrants. “The results of the land-mine explosions have been seen by our people,” Admiral Edwardes said.

There had been reports of refugees attacked by lions in the park and of fires being set in the grazing land to enable the migrants to tell which way they were going.

Admiral Edwardes said there had been no official communications with Mozambique since August, 1985, so the refugee problem could not be discussed. The two countries

had signed the Nkoomati accord in March, 1984, each agreeing not to harbour or support guerrilla groups fighting to overthrow the other’s government.

But last year Mozambique presented documents found among captured members of the Mozambique National Resist tance, which, it said, proved they were still getting aid from resources inside South Africa. The South African Government acknowledged the documents.

Although South Africa deports the Mozainbicans, Admiral Edwardes said the governments of the homelands' of kwaZulu, kaNgwane, Gazankulu, and Lebowa had accepted 50,000 refugees and considered them to be guests, not permanent residents. The South African Gov-

emment and international humanitarian agencies are giving help with food, medical aid, and shelter to the Mozambicans who cross the border into the homelands, called independent States by the South African Government but not recognised by any other nation.

The new electrified fence runs along the only part of the border that is not in Kruger Park or in one of the homelands. “The intention is that the people (Mozambicans in the homelands) would return to their country once conditions improve,” Admiral Edwardes said. “As far as the future is concerned ... the situation will continue as long as the present economic and security problems continue, as long as there is unemployment and cross-fire between Frel-

imo (Mozambique’s only political party) and Rename (the guerrillas).” The Mozambique Government has acknowledged its drastic economic conditions, admitting corruption, disorder, and wastefulness, but blaming South Africa mostly-for its problems. It accuses Pretoria of trying to destabilise the Government through the Renamo guerrillas.

Mozambique’s Natural Disasters Office estimated jn May that about one million of its 13 million people were in danger of famine and that 250,000 had been displaced by the civil war.

The fighting began soon after independence from Portugal in 1975, when the Rightist Mozambique National Front (Renamo) split from Samora Machel, who established one

of Africa’s first Marxist States.

The Government has scheduled the country’s second general election in 11 years next month.

The anti-Marxist guerrillas attack transport, power, and communications links, causing havoc to the country’s already flimsy infrastructure. The newly appointed Prime Minister, Mario Machungo, noted in a recent candid economic report to the People’s Assembly that his country now imported goods such as cotton, which it used to export. Cotton production was down to 5000 tonnes in 1985, from 70,000 tonnes in 1981.

“It is against this that imperialism, through South Africa, has launched its systematic campaigns of destabilisation of the country,” Mr Machungo said.