Bread of Sorrow: Revolutionary voices in exile
By Walter Nyabadza, Advocacy and Legal Officer at PBI
Walter is a human rights lawyer from Zimbabwe who relocated to the UK due to the situation of risk which he faced in his home country as a result of his human rights work . He now works as Advocacy and Legal Officer at PBI UK, where he supports threatened human rights defenders and advocates for the UK Government to do more to support them. Here, he writes about his lived experience of exile and what steps can be taken to address the challenges it creates.
It had been a few days since my arrival at the Methodist Youth Centre, a refugee shelter in Soweto, South Africa, when suddenly my cell phone rang. My heart pummelled ferociously as I imagined who might be calling me in the middle of the night. Back home in Zimbabwe, I had received strange calls at such ungodly hours from strange characters asking for my whereabouts.
“Hello”, I answered hesitantly.
“How are you, my leader?” said the deep voice on the other end of the line. I was relieved it was the familiar voice of Justice Mukuchura, Jet, as we fondly called him. Jet was the then Secretary General of our newly registered civil society organisation in Zimbabwe, the National Reclamation Assembly (NRA).
“Have you found a safe place to stay? I am currently living in a small room here in Alexandra but the situation is dangerous for foreigners. I am currently organising a meeting with Julius Malema's Economic Freedom Fighters and I will give you further details once the meeting has been confirmed…..We must remain vigilant my leader and continue with the struggle!” He continued.
“I am currently staying with Bishop Paul Verryn…”, I replied, careful not to disclose my exact location in case someone might be listening in to our conversation.
Jet (far left) and Walter beside him at a demonstration in front of the Zimbabwe parliament.
That was the last time that I ever heard Jet’s voice. A few months later, I was told by one of the NRA board members who lives in exile in the United States, that Jet had died under very suspicious circumstances. His body had been discovered lying on the floor in the single room which he had spoken to me about. No one knew what had happened to him. He had died alone and neglected in the shanty town of Alexandra. It was rumoured that this was the work of Zimbabwe’s dreaded Central Intelligence Agency (CIO) who had pursued Jet for a long time. Jet was an astute political activist and his career as a school head teacher in rural Zimbabwe made him a powerful advocate for change within his community. The CIO resented him for it and persecuted him relentlessly.
The news of Jet’s murder in South Africa was shocking. We had fled to the neighbouring country around the same time after having suffered arbitrary arrest, detention and interrogation at the hands of Zimbabwe’s state security agents for demonstrating against the deteriorating human rights situation. We had both been accused of working for the West as regime change agents and warned of the serious repercussions of selling out. Jet’s death got me thinking very hard about my own security situation at the Methodist Youth Center and in South Africa in general. It had already come to my attention that there were CIO informants amongst the Zimbabwean refugee community at the refugee shelter. Besides, there had been several xenophobic attacks against immigrants in Johannesburg and my application for legal status at the Home Office remained unattended. I was not safe and unable to work. The only viable option for me, I gathered, was to relocate to another safe third country and so, I began my journey to the United Kingdom.
The story of Jet and I is a common one. Despite the critical role played by human rights defenders (HRDs) in the promotion and protection of human rights, they remain subject to legal, physical and operational threats and attacks. These include sophisticated new and old forms of repression such as targeted violence, intimidation, smear campaigns, surveillance, lawsuits based on overly broad legislation, stigmatisation, unlawful and arbitrary arrests and detention, lengthy imprisonment, torture, enforced disappearances and extra-legal/judicial killings. For many HRDs, this has meant making that difficult decision to flee from their homes and seek refuge abroad. However, once in exile, many HRDs become stranded in a cycle of poverty that causes them to end their activism, as they struggle to survive without sustainable livelihoods or financial support for their human rights work.
Walter at the 75th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights Defenders in December 20223
The International Partnership for Human Rights, in its 2023 final report, lays out recommendations from exiled HRDs themselves. These include the provision of financial and employment support, housing assistance, medical and psychological support, institutional support and funding, as well as facilitating collaborations and connections. It acknowledges the imperative need for robust long term support structures for HRDs. Peace Brigades International (PBI) Kenya in its research, Enhancing Support for Exiled Human Rights Defenders in Nairobi, concluded that “donors must develop flexible funding capabilities that allow exiled HRDs to access granting mechanisms in order to build organisations capable of operating with HRDs in exile. This not only makes exiled HRDs self-sufficient but also ensures that their critical human rights work does not cease once they are forced from their home countries”. In the European Union (EU), only a few Member States issue residence permits to HRDs. In cases in which there is a need for longer-term stay, often the only avenue open to defenders is to apply for international protection by seeking asylum. This can have the adverse effect of rendering their human rights work impossible because of their asylum seeker status. As an asylum seeker, they would not be allowed to travel to their country of origin, nor would they be allowed to carry out remunerated work, including human rights work, in the receiving country during the often lengthy asylum application process. Some Member States provide additional support to human rights defenders to enable them to continue their human rights work during their stay in the EU. Such support includes access to a work permit, education, healthcare, banking services, capacity building, trauma relief and psychological support. The UK does not have such a scheme.
The PBI UK team alongside Honduran HRD Melissa Reyes at a roundtable event in London last year
Recently, I had the privilege of joining HRDs from around the globe who had gathered at the University of Dundee for the Scottish Human Rights Defender Fellowship (SHRDF) inaugural conference held from 11-14 March. I spoke on a panel to an audience of government officials and civil society organisations about what more can be done to support defenders in exile. In the end, one of the key resolutions was the establishment of an HRD-led hub in collaboration with the SHRDF and/or a designated human rights organisation to foster resilience, relevance, and agency among HRDs living in exile. This will be a pilot project aimed at promoting unity, collaboration, and advocacy, strengthening support and solidarity for HRDs to continue their human rights work.
As my work placement draws to an end, I would like to express my deep gratitude to Peace Brigades International (PBI) UK for affording me this excellent opportunity to continue supporting and promoting human rights and the environment while in exile. During the course of my placement, I learnt so many lessons which are indispensable. My knowledge and understanding of other human rights thematic areas, distinct from those I was previously accustomed to back home, increased significantly. I developed very strong advocacy skills, made incredible connections and friendships that will last for a lifetime.
As I consider the next steps, I am keen to know what impact the still pending FCDO Strategy on Open Societies and Human Rights will have on developing protection mechanisms for HRDs in exile in the UK. I urge the UK government to demonstrate leadership in this regard by developing holistic support programmes for defenders in exile .
What you can do:
Donate to help us support more human rights defenders in exile and galvanise international support for the issues they face here!
Read the International Partnership of Human Rights report which details more challenges faced by human rights defenders in exile
Spread the word about how the UK Government can better support human rights defenders globally by checking out our policy hub here!
