Amanani Andayo Ababaleki

INGXENYE enkulu yomlando womuntu iye yagcwala izimpi, indlala, noshushiso. Ngenxa yalokho, kuye kwahlala kunabantu abadinga indawo yokukhosela. Esikhathini esidlule, izizwe nabantu baye bakhoselisa labo abaswele.

Ama-Aztec asendulo, abase-Asiriya, amaGreki, amaHeberu, amaSulumane, nabanye babeyihlonipha imithetho enikeza isikhoselo. UPlato, isazi sefilosofi esingumGreki, wabhala eminyakeni engaphezu kwamakhulu angu-23 edlule: “Umuntu wangaphandle, lapho ehlukanisiwe nabantu bakubo nomkhaya wakhe, kufanele aboniswe uthando olukhulu abantu nawonkulunkulu. Ngakho kumelwe kuthathwe zonke izinyathelo zokuphepha ukuze kungenziwa bubi kubantu bangaphandle.”

Phakathi nekhulu lama-20, inani lababaleki liye landa ngokuphawulekayo. Emzamweni wokunakekela ababaleki abayizigidi ezingu-1,5 abasala eMpini Yezwe II, kwamiswa i-United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) ngo-1951. Kwakucatshangwa ukuthi izoba khona iminyaka emithathu, ngokusekelwe embonweni wokuthi ababaleki ababekhona babezosheshe babe ingxenye yemiphakathi ababethole kuyo isikhoselo. Kwakucatshangwa ukuthi ngemva kwalokho lenhlangano yayizochithwa.

Nokho, phakathi namashumi eminyaka, inani lababaleki lenyuka ngokuqhubekayo. Ngo-1975 inani labo lase lifinyelele ezigidini ezingu-2,4. Ngo-1985 lase liyizigidi ezingu-10,5. Ngo-1995 inani labantu ababethola isikhoselo nosizo kuyi-UNHCR lase lenyukele ezigidini ezingu-27,4!

Abaningi babenethemba lokuthi enkathini yangemva kweMpi Yomshoshaphansi kwakuzovuleka indlela yokuxazulula inkinga yababaleki embulungeni yonke; kodwa ayizange. Kunalokho, izizwe ziye zahlukana ngenxa yezizathu ezingokomlando noma ezingokobuzwe, okuye kwabangela izingxabano. Njengoba kwakuqubuka izimpi, abantu babaleka, bazi ukuthi ohulumeni babo babengenakukwazi ukubavikela noma babengeke babavikele. Ngokwesibonelo, ngo-1991, abantu base-Iraq abangaba izigidi ezimbili babalekela emazweni angomakhelwane. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, ababaleki abalinganiselwa kwabangu-735 000 baye babaleka ezweni elaliyiYugoslavia. Khona-ke, ngo-1994, impi yombango eRwanda yaphoqelela abantu abangaphezu kwengxenye yabantu bakulelozwe abayizigidi ezingu-7,3 ukuba bashiye amakhaya abo. Abantu baseRwanda abangaba izigidi ezingu-2,1 bafuna isiphephelo emazweni ase-Afrika angomakhelwane.

Kungani Lenkinga Ibhebhetheka?

Kunezici eziningana ezibangela ukwanda kwenani lababaleki. Kwezinye izindawo, njengase-Afghanistan naseSomalia, ohulumeni bamazwe baye bawa. Lokhu kuye kwashiya izintambo ezandleni zamabutho ahlomile aphanga izindawo zasemaphandleni ngaphandle kokuzithiba, okubangela ukwesaba nokubaleka kwabantu.

Kwezinye izindawo, izingxabano zisekelwe ekwahlukaneni okuyinkimbinkimbi kobuhlanga noma okungokwenkolo, lapho inhloso eyinhloko yezinhlangano ezilwayo iwukuxosha abantu abangabuthelwe empini. Ngokuqondene nempi ezweni elaliyiYugoslavia, ummeleli othile we-UN wakhononda phakathi no-1995: “Kunzima kubantu abaningi ukuqonda izimbangela zalempi: obani abalwayo, kungani belwa. Kubaleka uquqaba lwabantu kolunye uhlangothi bese kuthi ngemva kwamasonto amathathu kubaleke olunye uquqaba luvela ngakolunye uhlangothi. Kunzima ukukuqonda ngisho nakubantu okufanele bakuqonde.”

Izikhali zanamuhla ezishaya ziqothule—imishini yokuciba amarokhethi amaningi, amabhomu acitshwayo, nokunye—zinezela ekubulaweni kwabantu futhi zandisa izingxabano. Umphumela: ababaleki abaningi ngokwengeziwe. Ezikhathini zamuva amaphesenti angaba ngu-80 ababaleki emhlabeni aye abaleka emazweni asathuthuka aya emazweni angomakhelwane nawo asathuthuka futhi angakuhlomele ukunakekela labo abadinga isikhoselo.

Ezingxabanweni eziningi, ukuntuleka kokudla kunezela kulenkinga. Lapho abantu bebulawa indlala, mhlawumbe ngenxa yokuvinjelwa kwezinqola eziletha usizo, baphoqeleka ukuba bathuthe. I-New York Times iyaphawula: “Ezindaweni ezinjengaseNhlonhlweni Yase-Afrika, isomiso nempi kuye kwabhubhisa izwe kakhulu kangangokuba alisakwazi ukusekela ukuphila. Akubalulekile ngempela ukuthi amakhulu ezinkulungwane ezihambayo abalekela indlala noma impi.”

Izigidi Ezingafunwa

Nakuba umbono wokunikeza isikhoselo uhlonishwa, inani elikhulu lababaleki liyazikhungathekisa izizwe. Lesi simo siyefana nesaseGibithe lasendulo. Lapho uJakobe nomkhaya wakhe befuna isiphephelo eGibithe ukuze babalekele indlala ebhubhisayo yeminyaka engu-7, bamukelwa. UFaro wabanikeza ‘izwe elihle kunalo lonke’ ukuba bahlale kulo.—Genesise 47:1-6.

Nokho, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ama-Israyeli aba maningi, ‘izwe lagcwala wona.’ Manje abaseGibithe basabela ngokhahlo, kodwa ‘ngokuwahlupha [kwabaseGibithe] kwaba-yikhona [ama-Israyeli] anda, asabalala; baba-novalo ngabantwana bakwaIsrayeli.’—Eksodusi 1:7, 12.

Ngokufanayo, izizwe namuhla ziba “novalo” njengoba inani lababaleki liqhubeka landa. Isizathu esiyinhloko sokukhathazeka kwazo ezomnotho. Kumba eqolo ukondla, ukwembathisa, ukuhlalisa, nokuvikela izigidi zababaleki. Phakathi kuka-1984 no-1993, izindleko zaminyaka yonke ze-UNHCR zenyuka zisuka emaRandini ayizigidi ezingu-1714 ziya kwayizigidi ezingu-5018. Iningi lalemali linikelwa amazwe acebile, amanye awo anezinkinga zawo siqu zezomnotho. Ngezinye izikhathi amazwe anikelayo ayakhononda: ‘Sicindezeleke ukuba sisize abangenamakhaya emazweni ethu siqu. Singabanakekela kanjani abangenamakhaya kuyo yonke leplanethi, ikakhulukazi lapho lenkinga ingase yande kunokuba inciphe?’

Yini Eyenza Kube Nzima Nakakhulu?

Labo babaleki abafinyelela ezweni elicebile ngokuvamile bathola ukuthi isimo sabo siba nzima ngenxa yezinkulungwane eziningi zabantu abaye bafudukela ezweni elifanayo ngenxa yezizathu zezomnotho. Laba abafuduka ngenxa yezomnotho ababona ababaleki ababalekela impi noma ushushiso noma indlala. Kunalokho, bafuna ukuphila okungcono—ukuphila ngaphandle kobumpofu. Ngenxa yokuthi bavame ukuzenza ababaleki, bekhathaza izinhlangano ezinikeza isikhoselo ngezicelo zamanga, bakwenza kube nzima kakhulu ukuba ababaleki bangempela bathole ithuba elihle.a

Ukuthutheleka kwababaleki nabafuduki kuye kwafaniswa nemifudlana emibili osekuyiminyaka eminingi igelezela emazweni acebile. Nokho, imithetho eqinile yokufuduka iye yavala ukugeleza kwabafuduka ngenxa yezomnotho. Ngakho, baye baba ingxenye yomfudlana wababaleki, futhi lomfudlana uye wadla izindwani wabangela izikhukhula.

Njengoba bazi ukuthi kungase kuthathe iminyaka eminingana ukuhlola isicelo sabo sesikhoselo, abafuduka ngenxa yezomnotho bacabanga ukuthi basesimweni sokuzuza. Uma isicelo sabo sesikhoselo samukelwa, bayazuza, njengoba bengahlala endaweni echumayo kwezomnotho. Uma isicelo sabo senqatshwa, bayazuza nalapho, njengoba beyobe sebethole imadlana ethile bafunda namakhono athile abangabuyela nawo ekhaya.

Njengoba inani elandayo lababaleki, kanye nabakhohlisayo, lithutheleka kwamanye amazwe, amazwe amaningi awasabamukeli. Amanye aye avalela ababalekayo imingcele. Amanye amazwe aye ashaya imithetho futhi amisa izinqubo eziphumelela ngendlela efanayo ekunqandeni ukungena kwababaleki. Futhi amanye amazwe aye abuyisela ababaleki ngenkani emazweni ababaleka kuwo. Incwadi ethile ye-UNHCR iyaphawula: “Ukwanda okuqhubekayo kwamanani—kokubili awababaleki bangempela nawabafuduka ngenxa yezomnotho—kuye kwalicindezela kakhulu isiko lokunikeza isikhoselo elineminyaka engu-3500 likhona, kwacishe kwaliqeda.”

Inzondo Nokwesaba

Okunezela ezinkingeni zababaleki ukwesaba nokuzonda abantu bangaphandle. Emazweni amaningi abantu bakholelwa ukuthi abantu bangaphandle basongela ubuzwe babo, impucuko, nemisebenzi. Ngezinye izikhathi ukwesaba okunjalo kubonakala ngobudlova. Umagazini i-Refugees uthi: “Ezwekazini laseYurophu kuhlaselwa umuntu oyedwa njalo emizuzwini emithathu ngenxa yobuhlanga—futhi ngokuvamile izikhungo ezamukela abafuna isikhoselo ziyizisulu.”

Isithombe esithile enkabeni yeYurophu siveza ubutha obujulile, ubutha obuvezwa ngokwandayo emazweni amaningi omhlaba. Isigijimi saso sobutha siqondiswe kumuntu wangaphandle: “Bayithumba elibi nelibuhlungu emphakathini wesizwe sethu. Bawuhlanga olungenasiko, imibono yokuziphatha noma engokwenkolo, iqembu lemizulane eliphangayo nelebayo kuphela. Njengoba bengcolile, begcwele izintwala, bagcwala emigwaqweni naseziteshini zesitimela. Mabathathe amasaka abo bahambe unomphela!”

Yiqiniso, ababaleki abaningi bangathanda ngempela ‘ukuhamba unomphela.’ Bafisa ukuphindela ekhaya. Izinhliziyo zabo zilangazelela ukuphila okuvamile okunokuthula nomkhaya nabangane. Kodwa abanalo ikhaya abangaya kulo.

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Usizi Lwababaleki

“Ingabe bewazi ukuthi amakhulu ezinkulungwane zezingane zababaleki alala engadlile njalo ebusuku? Noma bewazi yini ukuthi ingane yombaleki eyodwa kuphela kwezingu-8 eyake yalubhada esikoleni? Iningi lalezi zingane alikaze liye ebhayisikobho, noma epaki, kungasakhulunywa ngokuya emnyuziyamu. Eziningi zikhulela emakamu abiyelwe ngocingo olunameva noma emakamu ahlukanisiwe. Azikaze ziyibone inkomo noma inja. Izingane eziningi zababaleki zicabanga ukuthi utshani obuluhlaza buwukudla, hhayi okuthile ezingagingqika futhi zigijime kukho. Izingane zababaleki ziyingxenye edabukisa kakhulu yomsebenzi wami.”—USadako Ogata, we-United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

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U.S. Navy photo

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UJesu Wayengumbaleki

UJosefa noMariya babehlala eBetlehema nendodana yabo, uJesu. Ababhula ngezinkanyezi baseMpumalanga bafika nezipho zegolide, impepho, nemure. Ngemva kokuhamba kwabo, ingelosi yavela kuJosefa, yathi: “Vuka, thatha umntwana omncane nonina ubalekele eGibithe, uhlale khona ngize ngikunike izwi; ngoba uHerode usezohamba emfuna umntwana omncane ukuze ambhubhise.”—Mathewu 2:13.

Ngokushesha bobathathu bafuna isikhoselo kwelinye izwe—baba ababaleki. UHerode wathukuthela ngoba ababhula ngezinkanyezi bengambikelanga ukuthi ukuphi Lowo okwakubikezelwe ukuthi wayezoba inkosi yamaJuda. Ngomzamo oyize wokubulala uJesu, wayala amadoda akhe ukuba abulale bonke abafana abancane eBetlehema nasendaweni ezungezile.

UJosefa nomkhaya wakhe bahlala eGibithe kwaze kwaba yilapho ingelosi kaNkulunkulu iphinda ivela kuJosefa ephusheni. Ingelosi yathi: “Vuka, thatha umntwana omncane nonina uhambe uye ezweni lakwa-Israyeli, ngoba labo ababefuna umphefumulo womntwana omncane sebefile.”—Mathewu 2:20.

Ngokusobala, uJosefa wayehlose ukuhlala eJudiya, indawo ababehlala kuyo ngaphambi kokubalekela eGibithe. Kodwa waxwayiswa ephusheni ukuthi kwakuzoba ingozi ukwenza kanjalo. Ngakho usongo lobudlova lwaphinde lwathonya ukuphila kwabo. UJosefa, uMariya, noJesu baya enyakatho eGalile futhi bahlala edolobhaneni laseNazaretha.

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Eminyakeni yamuva nje izigidi zababaleki ziye zabalekela kwamanye amazwe ukuze zisindise ukuphila kwazo

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Top left: Albert Facelly/Sipa Press

Top right: Charlie Brown/Sipa Press

Bottom: Farnood/Sipa Press

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Boy on left: UN PHOTO 159243/J. Isaac