Information about the situation of Asians in Zimbabwe was scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
United States government sources of 2006 reported that Asians and mixed ethnic groups represent one per cent of the country's population (US 10 Jan. 2006; ibid. Jan. 2006). According to the country's most recent census, conducted in 2002 and released in 2005, there were 11,492 Asians living in Zimbabwe, who along with the white populace made up one-half per cent of the entire population (All Africa 22 Aug. 2005). The language information Website Ethnologue: Languages of the World noted that Zimbabwe has 19,000 speakers of Gujarati (2005), a language from India (University of Pennsylvania n.d.).
Country Reports 2004 noted that "[d]uring a cash shortage in 2003, the government controlled newspapers often accused Asians of hoarding millions of dollars to the detriment of the economy" (28 Feb. 2005, Sec. 5).
In March and April 2004, several news stories reported that Asians suspected of being involved in drug and human trafficking had been targeted for detention and deportation by immigration authorities (The Star 25 Mar. 2004; The Herald 25 Mar. 2004; ibid. 16 Apr. 2004).
According to a March 2005 Cape Times news article, some members of various ethnic communities, such as those with Indian backgrounds, have been affected by the "Citizenship Amendment Act of 2001, which denies citizenship to anyone whose parents were born outside Zimbabwe unless he/she renounces a claim to a second citizenship" (31 Mar. 2005). This piece of legislation has reportedly affected some Indians negatively by imposing restrictions on their legal and civil status within the country (Cape Times 31 Mar. 2005).
With regard to religion, the Europa World Year Book 2005 stated that the "Asian minority comprises both Muslims and Hindus" (2005, 4834), and the International Religious Freedom Report 2005 mentioned that the Muslim community in Zimbabwe is composed mainly of immigrants from India and Pakistan (8 Nov. 2005). The International Religious Freedom Report 2005 also noted that although Muslims reportedly had religious freedom as provided by the Constitution, there were some complaints of discrimination related to the practice of their religion and limitations to its public dissemination (8 Nov. 2005).
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Cape Times [Cape Town]. 31 March 2005. James Muzondidya and Karin Alexander. "The Ghost Voters, The Exiles, The Non-Citizens: An Election of Exclusion." <http://www.capetimes.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=273&fArticleId=2464235> [Accessed 3 Feb. 2006]
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2004. 28 February 2005. "Zimbabwe." United States Department of State. <http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41634.htm> [Accessed 3 Jan. 2006]
Ethnologue: Languages of the World. 2005. 15th Edition. "Languages of Zimbabwe." <http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=Zimbabwe> [Accessed 4 Jan. 2006]
The Europa World Year Book 2005. 2005. 44th ed. Vol. 2. London: Europa Publications Ltd.
The Herald [Harare]. 22 August 2005. "Zim's Birth Rate Falls." (All Africa/Factiva)
____. 16 April 2004. Tsitsi Matope. "Zimbabwe: 20 Asians Held in Operation Against Suspected Human Trafficking." (FBIS-NES-2004-0416/WNC)
____. 25 March 2004. "Zimbabwe: Police Uncover Suspected Human Trafficking Syndicate; Five Arrested." (FBIS 26 Mar. 2004/WNC)
International Religious Freedom Report 2005. 8 November 2005. "Zimbabwe." United States Department of State. <http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51503.htm> [Accessed 4 Jan. 2006]
The Star [Johannesburg]. 25 March 2004. "Zimbabwe: Foreigners Arrested, Deported in 'Crackdown' Amid Security 'Fears'." (FBIS 26 Mar. 2004/WNC)
United States (US). 10 January 2006. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). "Zimbabwe." The World Factbook. <http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/print/zi.html> [Accessed 4 Jan. 2006]
____. January 2006. United States Department of State, Bureau of African Affairs. "Background Note: Zimbabwe." <http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5479.htm> [Accessed 9 Jan. 2006]
University of Pennsylvania. N.d. "Gujarati Language and Literature." <http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/plc/gujarati/> [Accessed 9 Jan. 2006]
Additional Sources Consulted
Two oral sources contacted at the International Crisis Group (ICG) and the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) could not provide the requested information within time constraints.
Internet sites, including: Amnesty International, BBC, The Economist, European Country of Origin Information Network (ECOI), Factiva, Freedom House, Human Rights Watch, Kubatana.net, Minorities at Risk, United Kingdom Immigration and Nationality Directorate, United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), World News Connection, Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum.