allAfrica.com: Mozambique: Maratane Refugees Complain of Ill-Treatment
16 June 2009
Maputo — Some refugees in the Maratane centre, in the northern Mozambican province of Nampula, mostly from the Great Lakes region in central Africa, have accused the commander of the local police post, Muriricha Chicopo, of abuse of power, reports Tuesday's issue of the Maputo daily 'Noticias'.
Among the alleged irregularities, the accusers mention detentions for refusing to give products on credit, and a ban on wearing clothes which might be confused with military uniforms.
One of the refugees, Bishop She-Ndaby, told reporters that such complaints have been reported to the provincial police command and to the managers of the centre. He said that such irregularities have reached "intolerable" proportions, threatening that this situation may lead to demonstrations, with serious consequences.
"Nobody can bear any longer the humiliation to which he is submitting us", said She-Ndaby.
He added that one of the refugees, only identified as Alijo, was arrested recently for playing dice, an activity that the refugees regard as simple entertainment, after work in the fields, and not a crime.
Another refugee, whose identity was not revealed, is said to have been arrested for wearing clothes similar to military uniform, which he claimed to have purchased among bundles of second hand clothes.
She-Ndaby said that the matter has been reported to the provincial police command, "but no action was taken to reverse the situation'.
Nampula Police spokesperson Oliveira Maneque expressed doubt about the refugees' allegations.
For his part, the centre's interim manager Antonio Mussupai said that he has never received any reports on such irregularities. "I have never been informed about this matter, but now I promise I will take steps to find out the truth".
According to Mussupai, the main problem with some of the asylum seekers has to do with attempts to disobey the legally established order.
"I will not comment on the issue of credit, because I do not know in what circumstances it happened, but as for clothes with military characteristics, the regulations prohibit it, because there (in the refugee camp) you can't circulate things that make people think about war. And as for the dice game, it is an illicit activity and measures must be taken against it", said Mussupai.
On his recent visit to the centre, Nampula provincial governor Felismino Tocoli advised the about 4,000 refugees in the centre to respect the local authorities and the laws of Mozambique.
The Independent: Bullying found at immigration centreJune 2, 2009
By Robert Verkaik, Home Affairs Editor
Allegations that asylum seekers are being bullied by immigration staff are not being properly investigated, a report into Britain's flagship immigration removal centre has found.
The use of reasonable force to control detainees at Colnbrook Immigration Removal Centre, near Heathrow Airport, had increased and was not always well managed, Anne Owers, the Chief Inspector of Prisons also found in a report published today. In the three months before the inspection, there had been 179 complaints ranging from bullying to poor food.
Dame Anne said: "...we found little improvement at Colnbrook since our last visit... there was evidence of the centre taking inappropriate steps to manage some of the challenges; there were examples of separation being misused and the vulnerable persons unit was not fit for purpose."
The centre, run by Serco, holds male detainees in the most secure facility in the detention estate. Dame Anne said: "A significant number of complaints, including allegations of staff bullying, were not adequately investigated and replies lacked detail."
Dave Woods, head of criminality and detention at the UK Border Agency, said: "In the six months since HMCIP visited, safety, security and purposeful activity for detainees have improved significantly."
INMIGRACIÓN UNA OPORTUNIDAD: ASILO A UNA NIGERIANA VÍCTIMA DE ABLACIÓNAsilo a una nigeriana víctima de ablación
escrito por EP
martes, 26 de mayo de 2009
El Tribunal Supremo ha reconocido el derecho de asilo de una ciudadana nigeriana que, tras sufrir ablación genital, huyó a España para evitar un matrimonio forzoso pactado por su familia en su país. El fallo se produce cinco años después de que el Ministerio del Interior negase la protección y tres desde que la Audiencia Nacional desestimara el recurso.
Según la sentencia, recogida por Europa Press, B.O. pidió asilo a España en 2002 alegando persecución por pertenencia a un grupo social, el femenino, exponiendo la ablación genital y el matrimonio forzoso como fundamentos de la misma.
En abril de 2004 Interior entendió que en el relato de la mujer había incongruencias que motivaban la denegación de refugio, aunque determinó que existían fundamentos para autorizar su residencia en España por motivos humanitarios. La misma conclusión alcanzó en 2006 la Audiencia Nacional, que desestimó el recurso de B.O. contra la resolución ministerial previa.
En concreto, la resolución argumentaba entre otras cosas, que la solicitante conocía la intención de su familia de organizar el matrimonio y por tanto, de practicarle la ablación de clítoris y pese a ello, "no reaccionó contra tal situación".
"Tampoco acredita que solicitase la protección de las autoridades de su país, dado que la mutilación genital femenina está prohibida en Nigeria desde el año 2000", explicó la Abogacía del Estado en la resolución denegatoria.
Sin embargo, la sentencia de la Sala Tercera del Supremo se remite a los informes del Alto Comisionado de Naciones Unidas para los Refugiados (ACNUR) para poner en duda que en Nigeria "se otorgue protección efectiva a las personas que intentan evitar la mutilación genital" y afirma que "la práctica es todavía común en la mayor parte del país, especialmente en las áreas rurales".
LA ABLACIÓN ES "COMÚN" EN NIGERIA
Asimismo, explica que "una mujer que se haya negado a contraer matrimonio o a sufrir la mutilación genital puede que no sea recibida con facilidad por sus familiares o por miembros de su comunidad en otra parte del país" y recuerda que "las mujeres que sufren violencia doméstica se enfrentan (allí) a numerosas barreras cuando buscan protección".
El Supremo, informado por los abogados de la Comisión Española de Ayuda al Refugiado (CEAR) concluyó por tanto que el relato de la nigeriana no caía en las incoherencias señaladas por Interior y tildó su relato de "verosímil". La sentencia anula por tanto la resolución del Ministerio al entender que es "contraria a derecho" y reconoce a B.O. la condición de refugiada y el derecho de asilo en España.
"CEAR considera lamentable que una mujer en estas circunstancias tenga que sufrir un periplo administrativo, legal y judicial de siete años hasta que se le reconozca su derecho a la protección internacional, y reclama que la persecución por motivos de género sea reconocida definitivamente como un motivo de concesión de asilo", explican en la organización
SENTENCIA
allAfrica.com: Libya: Catholic Agency Raps Europe for Mistreating Refugees
26 May 2009
Tripoli — Last week's immediate return to Libya of 238 immigrants including women and children rescued in international waters, without consideration of their refugee status or injuries, was a violation of their human dignity, the International Catholic commission for Immigration (ICMC) has said.
ICMC, in a statement, accused Italy and other European nations of contravening the 1951 Refugee Convention, saying that the rejection of human beings in need of basic international protection overshadows calls by these same nations to build more humane societies.
"ICMC deplores the reflex to resort to enforcement-only approaches," said a statement from the secretary general Johan Ketelers. "Such approaches do not work, and there are better alternatives within reach that are more humane and more effective in every way".
The commission added that no political or economic argument could balance or counter the value of a person. While it was fully understood that solutions require sustained and longer-term action, immediate short term responses are also needed to fully respect every human person in his or her profound dignity and rights.
ICMC said that it was not the number of people within the so-called "mixed flows" of migrants and refugees that contributed to a widespread feeling that the arrivals are high and unmanageable; rather, it was the lack of structures to adequately assist them.
In recent years, there has been an increase in numbers of illegal immigrants flocking Europe either in search of political asylum or economic survival. They mostly arrive in make-shift boats. Hundreds have reportedly died after their boats capsized or due to freezing in the high waters.
While initially the immigrants were treated as refugees and given medical attention before being returned to their countries, their influx has led most European countries to return them without any attention.
ICMC called on European government to first provide the voyagers with humanitarian assistance and, upon assessmentparticularly of the refugees, victims of torture, trafficking or trauma, and women or children among themto refer them to the professional structures and services to which their human dignity, basic human decency and international law entitle them.
"Forcibly returning them without such differentiation, assistance or process is a denial not only of their rights and human identity, but of human yearnings we all share".
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