THE UNHCR AND ZIMBABWEAN REFUGEES IN MOZAMBIQUE, 1975-1980

Principally based on archival records, this article examines the delicate role played by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in responding to the massive refugee crisis generated by the Rhodesia/Zimbabwe war in the late 1970s. During this period, the agency had to navigate between its mandate of neutrality and the need to provide assistance to tens of thousands of refugees fleeing conflict. To effectively carry out its task, it needed to build working relations with armed non-state actors, react to Rhodesian attacks against refugee camps and settlements, and address difficult questions of the refugees' legal status. This required active efforts by the representatives of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees on the ground, most notably its deputy chief of mission, Sergio Vieira de Mello, to expand the scope of the agency's work. While its efforts were successful, many of the issues faced by the agency during this time persist.