We pass them on the streets and sit by them on the bus, but most of us are unaware that across Britain today are thousands of people who have fled Zimbabwe because of the brutal atrocities of Robert Mugabe’s regime. Those Zimbabweans who have come to Britain are among millions who have fled their country in fear of their life and who dare not return. They are doctors and teachers, farmers and businessmen.

They are people who want to work, who want to restore some dignity to their families, who want to return home when Mugabe – as he surely will be – is finally kicked out of office.

I know of one teacher who has been here for four years, living hand to mouth, thanks to the charity of church communities. When he applied for asylum he was turned down because nobody believed things were as bad as he claimed. Today, while we now see he was telling the truth, he is in limbo, neither able to return home nor to make a home here. For at least 50 others it is even worse, they are in detention – one has been incarcerated for two years. This threatens to make our government’s protestations about conditions in Zimbabwe sound hollow.

Russia and China have now vetoed United Nations sanctions against Zimbabwe, and the African Union must act to ensure that a new imperialism from such countries doesn’t exploit the situation in Zimbabwe. And while I applaud Gordon Brown for keeping up the pressure in the international community to isolate the Mugabe regime and end the abuses of its people, there is a saying that “he who comes to court must come with clean hands”. If Britain calls for sanctions against Zimbabwe, which I support, it must at the same time do right by those Zimbabweans who have fled to this country. What kind of humanity is it that says, grudgingly, you can stay here if it’s impossible to return home, but you must lose your dignity? You may be skilled, willing and energetic, but you must do nothing. Why should exiled Zimbabweans be compelled to twiddle their thumbs when they could be contributing to Britain by being allowed to work?

“Cowardice asks the question, ‘Is it safe?’ ” said Martin Luther King. “Expediency asks the question, ‘Is it politic?’ Vanity asks the question, ‘Is it popular?’ But conscience asks the question, ‘Is it right?’ ” Acting to restore the dignity of exiled Zimbabweans may not be politic or popular but it is the right thing to do.

Of course we must distinguish between criminals who have fled here – and must be deported – and those who have exhausted the asylum system. We should give those people a year and a day’s leave to stay, so that they can escape this dehumanising limbo, find education and employment, and prepare to return on the day that Mugabe is gone.

When Ian Smith declared independence for Rhodesia in 1965, I was a student attending a church conference with Yoweri Museveni, who today is president of Uganda. We were outraged at what Smith had done and Museveni went to see the leader of the conference, saying we must protest. He was told that this is not what Christianity was about, we were there to learn about Jesus and the Bible. Museveni said if we could not protest, then we were leaving, so three of us left. I have been working for the freedom of the people of that country ever since, the breadbasket of Africa which Mugabe has turned into a basket case.

It is sickening to watch Zimbabwean judges refusing to hear Morgan Tsvangirai’s case that the elections have been rigged, when they know perfectly well they were. To see Mugabe taking an oath of office while holding the Bible is little short of blasphemous. But if this is corrupt religion, there are many courageous people of faith in that country who have not come under Mugabe’s spell. Some are bishops who will be here soon for the Lambeth conference of the Anglican communion.

The media will inevitably focus on divisions around human sexuality but most of our time will be spent discussing global justice for the poorest countries, the environmental crisis and how people of different faith traditions relate to each other. These bishops represent thousands of unsung heroes and heroines in Christian communities around the world who are working for justice every day, often at great personal risk. They believe, as I do, that justice will come to Zimbabwe too.

Mugabe was right when he said that only God could remove him. No tyrant lives for ever. No cruel regime lasts. God puts down the mighty from their seat and raises up the humble and meek. And he uses ordinary people to do this. Mugabe will not last. I vividly remember another tyrant, Idi Amin. He butchered many of my fellow citizens but is long gone and Uganda is on course to a peaceful future. That will happen for Zimbabwe too.

In the meantime we in Britain must ensure no Zimbabwean is destitute on our streets, must provide them with dignity until they can return home. Jesus never called the Samaritan “good”, that was just what he became known as later. But now is the time for Britain to become a good Samaritan to the people of Zimbabwe. For anyone who is in need is my neighbour.

John Sentamu is the Archbishop of York

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