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S Africa to set up refugee camps
Government in South Africa has decided to set up special relief camp for the foreign victims of anti-immigrant violence.
South Africa is to set up seven refugee camps around the country for foreign migrant workers who have fled a recent wave of anti-immigrant violence.
The holding camps will take up to 70,000 people from the increasingly unsanitary conditions at temporary shelters put up around state buildings.
The government decision comes despite strong advice from respected international aid agencies.
They say South Africa does not have the expertise necessary to run the camps.
Medecins Sans Frontiers (MSF), the medical charity, says conditions for people seeking refuge in the existing shelters are worsening.
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Sanjay Jha
New Delhi, India -
Mandy de Waal
South Africa












Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (5)
at 20:22 on May 27th, 2008
Do you think this will just make matters worse?
at 20:36 on May 27th, 2008
Sanjay Jha, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 01:56 on May 28th, 2008
Sanjay Jha, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 04:03 on May 28th, 2008
It's the only thing SA can do at the moment to save face to the rest of Africa: these people were made refugees (in this instance) by SA itself. For some, this is their second go-round at fleeing violence in recent times.
at 05:16 on May 28th, 2008
Update: the fallout continues, even as South Africa demurs from the term "refugee camp":
Source: mg.co.za
Source: mg.co.za