Green light to UNHCR, green light to the desperate!

The closure of UNHCR and the order of expulsion by the Libyan government was good reason for all the desperate asylum seekers and refugees to worry. This action also worried the EU parliament, the IOPCR, Amnesty International and other human right groups. UN Refugee Agency's spokesperson Melissa Fleming, on June 8th said "We regret this decision as we believe UNHCR has a great deal of work to do in Libya to protect, assist and find durable solutions for the refugees there," Fleming said. "This will leave a huge vacuum for the thousands of refugees and asylum-seekers who are there already and, of course, those who continue to arrive steadily on boats every week."

Later in June 19th, Italian Refugee Council (IRC) expressed its deep concern on the arbitrary expulsion of the Refugee Agency. It appealed to the Italian government to do its best in pressurizing its number one trade partner to allow UN Refugee Agency to function. IRC jointly with International Center for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) also wrote an appeal request to European commissioner for Home Affairs as so as it do its best in pressurizing Libya allow UNHCR to resume its work. From Libyan side, IOPCR- a leading Libyan NGO also expressed its deep regret on the intervention done on the activities of its partner on refugee protection.

The EU parliament in its 17th June 2010 decree, expresses deep concern at the closure of the UNHCR office in Libya and urges the Libyan authorities to ratify the Geneva Convention on Refugees without delay and to allow and facilitate the running of UNHCR's activities in Libya, including the establishment of a national asylum system.

After constructive discussion with Libyan officials at senior level, the UN Refugee Agency in Friday 25th June formally announced that the office is allowed to resume partially and handle the current caseloads at hand. But since it is good ground on which the office can negotiate more on its future existence, it can be taken as green light at this moment.

Thus, the desperate asylum seekers and refugees in Libya now expresses their happiness to the resume of HCR in Tripoli, and hopes it will be much stronger agency than before. It is good time for the agency to see deep inside itself and investigate the allegation by Libyan government for serious misconduct.

As for the partial green light, it is good offer, but not enough!!!

IOPCR concerned on UN Refugee Agency closure

The IOPCR issues a statement regarding the closing of
UNHCR's office in Libya

The IOPCR, a leading Libyan NGO well known as a number one partner to UNHCR in Libya concerned about the closure of the Refugee Agency. This Libyan humanitarian organization was doing very huge task in helping the Refugee Agency to visit detention centers and to release some asylum seekers and refugees in need of urgent medication or the alike. Now below is the official concern of the IOPCR on the closure of UN Refugee Agency in Libya.




“The international Organization for Peace, Care and Relief (IOPCR) has been working in close coordination and partnership with UNHCR Mission in the Libyan Jamahiriya for the past few years to address the challenges of migrants and displaced people in the country. The above mentioned partnership has achieved significant progress in finding appropriate solutions that would contribute to end the plight of irregular migrants and refugees.

The international organization for peace, care and relief (IOPCR) has received with regret and surprise the news on closing down the UNHCR office in Libya and the halt of its operation. IOPCR believes that such measure will have dire and negative consequences on migrants and the reception centers accommodating them that should increase the sufferings of those vulnerable people since they will be deprived from the humanitarian assistance provided by UNHCR in Libya.

It is be recalled that IOPCR has managed through its partnership and cooperation with UNHCR office to implement a number of projects and activities designed to help the migrants and refugees which have been subject to appreciation by the UN as well as several international and national NGOs.

In this regard, IOPCR would like to stress the Libyan Jamahiriya commitments towards refugees and displaced people in Africa and under its international obligations being signatory of 1969 Organization of African Unity (OAU) treaty on refugees that has been ratified by the Libyan Jamahiriya on 1981. Moreover, the IOPCR has been inspired in all its activities by the humanitarian approach and policy adopted by the Leader of the Revolution “Muammar Al-Qadaffi” towards African peoples and the need to pursue the struggle for the Continent's unity, progress and its full liberation from all forms of colonization, discrimination and awkwardness.

The International organization for peace, care and relief (IOPCR) would like to reiterate its appreciation to the role played by UNHCR office in Libya in the past few years and would like to commend all its humanitarian efforts and wish that quick and appropriate solutions could be found so that its role and humanitarian activities will be continued in the Libyan Jamahiriya”.



As IOPCR is one of the influential NGOs in Libya and Eritrean refugees are already aware of what it was trying to accomplish, they are optimistic on its influence in resuming the Refugee Agency in Tripoli.

Refugee day in Libya remembered in the absence of UNHCR

World Refugee Day 2010

"This year's World Refugee Day on June 20 has as its theme, "Home," in recognition of the plight of more than 40 million uprooted people around the world. Around 10 million of them are refugees of special concern to UNHCR.

At UNHCR we help people find new homes and new futures through resettlement, through voluntary repatriation and through local integration. Most of the time, and where it's possible, refugees prefer to return to their home countries. Nonetheless, and with conflict continuing or escalating in many countries, finding new homes and allowing people to restart their lives is increasingly difficult.

This year, for World Refugee Day, we are planning events around the world to highlight the plight of refugees under our care and to advocate on their behalf for the help they need. We will be asking you to think about what it means to be one of those millions of individual human beings. And we will ask you to contribute in whatever way you can to helping them rebuild their lives".

This is the word of UNHCR to the refugee day, June 20. The day is remembered all over the world for the sake of refugees, all in the presence of UNHCR. In Libya refugees this year are remembering this day in the absence of UN Refugee Agency, and they do not know their fate... Yet long live UNHCR, for its global work to help refugees get their future who already loss their homes!!!

European Business; at cost of immigration

The issue of immigration and influx of immigrants from Africa have been headache to Europe for the last decades. The EU has been looking down to Libya both for business partnership and cooperation to combat the flow of immigrants from Africa. As business by nature is bilateral, EU is making the bilateral relationship with Libya at the expense of immigrants. This is clearly seen than, EU needs more oil from Libya and less immigrants.

Starting from June 7th, 2010 EU has been in hot debate with Tripoli as so as end with stable agreement that should create sustainable cooperation expected to be signed by the end of this fiscal year. It is good to hear such huge agreement, but as it excluded the issue of mixed migration, it should be condemned. Libya at the same time terminated the presence of UN Refugee Agency in its territory by criticizing its activity is illegal. At the time of its closure, media expressed its concern and the Refugee Agency also expressed its fear of the future of asylum seekers and refugees in Libya left without any help. If concern with words are not followed by some critical step in pressurizing Libya either to sign refugee convention 1951 or allow UNHCR to operate as before, all the official press release will remain as normal word.

It is clear now that, EU firms who are getting much of their revenues from great oil exporter Libya, the issue of immigration at this moment is good most for EU countries. Italy, as the first place where immigrants and potential refugees arrive has already assured its push-back policy and the country is continuing to dump intercepted refugees to Libyan detentions. Last weeks, more than 20 refugees and potential refugee we intercepted and pushed back for detention, UNHCR is already closed- NO MORE PROTECTION!!!

The case of Eritreans and Somalis remain highly volatile and they are always the first to be risked. Eritreans at any moment can’t return to their country due to the threat at home. Yet Somalis are stateless, and they cannot be repatriated back. The only option is to allow UNHCR to function and bring some durable solutions in future.

But, the EU’s step to sign its bilateral relation with Libya should not undermine the case of asylum seekers and refugees in Libya. They either should stop push back or pressurize Libya to allow UNHCR to resume its work in Tripoli. Stop looking revenues at the expense of the life of asylum seekers and refugees!!!

Del Grande and Fortress Europe: Good job on immigrants

Gabriele Del Grande, Fortress Europe

It is the issue of hard work that was done by Fortress Europe. Since this blog is founded, it has been doing great job to explore the situation of all immigrants trying to arrive Europe. It discovered from different direction and made a concrete site where the EU in general and Italy in particular can be informed. It is not only matter of journalism, but also humanitarian issue the site has been accomplishing.
Since the founding of Fortress Europe in 2006, Gabriele Del Grande wrote about the victims of illegal immigration towards Europe, much of his report includes eye witness. He visited most of the departure places in Africa from which immigrants bounce to Europe and observed what exactly is happening over there. According to many observers of what he accomplished, he is one of the great journalists of these decades as his reports are solid and concrete. He at the same time looks it from humanitarian perspective and he tried to help the victims in many ways.

On his visit to Libya in November 2008, he managed to visit Misurata detention center where around 600 Eritreans were held for about two years without trial. He interviewed the detainees and he reported in Fortress Europe. The titles given to his report are very appropriate and self explanatory. His blog is language-rich, and it is available in majority of European languages and other world languages as so as it can be wildly red.

As for Eritrean refugees in Libya, it was and is their window to connect to the outside world as it reported their hardship at very appropriate time. It gives big coverage to Eritreans in detention centers of Libya and the rest brethrens in the way to reach Israel. This blog also writes many news and articles about the new Italian push-back policy that endangers asylum seekers and refugees. Gabriele Del Grande did his best to tell the EU/Italian community about the truth on ground,that all the victims of the push-back policy was endangering their life in detention centers.

Now, UNHCR in Libya is kicked out and at the same time the push-back policy is continuing. Fortress Europe is always there and the great journalist- Del Grande is in his great position,the blog is informing the EU population about the situation and dangers of asylum/refugees in Libya.

Else, Gabriele Del Grande, the founder and the Author of Fortress Europe is one of the greatest journalists of these decades. Eritreans in Libya appreciates his restless efforts of informing all the misinformed once about the realities of immigration, rights abuse and death of refugees when trying to reach Europe. Long live fortress Europe, good job Gabriele Del Grande!!!

UNHCR mandate terminated, Danger shadowing refugees in Libya

As a northern African nation and as strategic location to bounce to Europe, Libya has been hosting some thousands of immigrants. It has got low records of human rights and people have been facing too much abuse in detention centers. Since long time, the UN refugee agency has been trying to address the need of asylum seekers and refugees, below the threshold level that can be considered as a contribution.

The office was there fore the only hope to those in desperate of its umbrella; even though little is done by the office. Everybody is aware of all the dilemmas the office to tackle with, but the office was highly expected to act with in the problems more that what it has been doing. People have been really tired visiting the office that hosts few staff and very large work load. RSD interviews have been scheduled for more than four times and there are a lot of people who do not get the interview yet since 2008. Even those who got the RSD, the result for decision is delayed and many of the clients have been visiting the office every Thursday. Issuing asylum and refugee certificate is the other problem; people have been visiting the office for more than four months as no certificate is given to all new applicants who register in 2010.

People are also desperately looking aid in detention centers. Yes, this is off course difficult for the office it needs some assistance from the government. Thus, people will face extreme situation if this little responsibility of UNHCR totally terminated. All the asylum seekers who do not yet got opportunity to registration, all the asylum seekers registered for asylum but waiting for RSD, all asylum seekers who have done RSD interview but waiting the final decision on their refugee status are the first hand. Yet there are a lot of recognized refugees who desperately look for durable solutions and there are other groups who are already referred for resettlement to voluntary countries and finish interviews with IOM for final resettlement. Other groups fall to family sponsorship to Canada and EU countries. Every body will be risked with the new decision of Libya to terminate the work of the UN refugee agency.

The Italian push back policy is also there. People can not go to Italy and apply for asylum. Now, the tactic of the Italian government to deceive the EU by convincing about the welcoming of returnees, now every thing becomes clear. All the pushed back are yet in detention centers and all the rest are risking of deportation back to their home country if UN refugee agency terminate in Tripoli. Where is the sense of globalization and civilization, EU in general and Italy in particular advocates?

Thus, Eritrean asylum seekers and refugees are center for the risk and are extremely concerned. Now they are urging the international community to convince Libya allow the agency to function and we also urge to the developed countries that are part to refugee protocols of 1951 to look for durable solutions of the desperate refugees in Libya

UN refugee agency says it is being expelled from Libya without explanation

By ELIANE ENGELER , Associated Press

GENEVA - The U.N. refugee agency said Tuesday it is being expelled from Libya without explanation despite being responsible for thousands of refugees in the North African country.

The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees received a note from Libyan authorities last week ordering it to cease its work and leave the country, said the agency's spokeswoman Melissa Fleming.

"We very much regret this decision," she said. "We have not been given any reason by the Libyan authorities for why we should leave the country."

Libya's Foreign Ministry accused the agency of operating illegally in the country.

Fleming said the refugee agency is trying to negotiate with Libya and hopes the expulsion is only temporary. The agency, which has been working in Libya since 1991, screens people fleeing to Libya because the country has no procedure for registering asylum seekers or refugees.

Many desperate Africans come to Libya to try to sneak into the European Union by getting on a rickety boat headed for Malta or Italy.



UNHCR spokeswoman, Melissa Fleming

"UNHCR is the asylum system in Libya and this will leave a huge vacuum for the thousands of refugees and asylum seekers who are there already and of course those who continue to arrive steadily on boats," said Fleming.

The agency has already registered about 9,000 refugees from the Palestinian territories, Iraq, Sudan, Somalia and other African countries. In addition, there are about 3,700 asylum seekers in Libya, mostly from Eritrea, some of whom are being held in detention centers, she said.

UNHCR also provides refugees and asylum seekers with shelter, medical care and other aid. It has 26 staff members in the country, mostly local employees.

The agency tries to find new homes in other countries for all the refugees because it says staying in Libya is not an option. Libya has not signed the global refugee convention, which forbids nations to deport refugees to countries where they may face persecution.

UNHCR appealed for help to the Libyan President of the U.N. General Assembly, Ali Abdessalam Treki.

His spokesman, Jean-Victor Nkolo said Treki received a letter from UNHCR chief Antonio Guterres regarding the agency's situation in Libya. But he declined to comment on the content.

Libya has significantly increased its presence at the U.N. in recent years and held the presidency of the Security Council in January 2008 and in March 2009.

Last year, Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's speech before the General Assembly, his first there in 40 years, was a diatribe lasting more than an hour and a half.

He compared the U.N.'s most powerful arm, the Security Council, to a 'Terror Council', protesting its domination by five permanent members. He also offered a number of conspiracy theories regarding matters ranging from swine flu to the assassinations of former President John F. Kennedy and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

In a separate statement, UNHCR said it was worried about some 20 Eritreans who were rescued at sea trying to reach Malta from Libya. The passengers made distress calls Sunday and were finally rescued late Monday by Libyan authorities.

Fleming said Maltese and Italian maritime authorities ignored the distress calls and relied on Libya to rescue the people.

Also Tuesday, the UNHCR urged four European governments to reconsider deporting Iraqi citizens to Baghdad, citing ongoing turmoil in the city. The agency said it believes that Britain, Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands are planning deportations for later this week. It did not say how many people were facing deportation.

The agency said people from several areas in Iraq, including Baghdad, should continue to be protected by refugee status because of "the volatile security situation and the still high level of prevailing violence, security incidents, and human rights violations taking place."

Matthew Coats, head of immigration at the U.K. Border Agency, said Britain only deports people that both the government and the courts are satisfied do not need protection but who also refuse to leave voluntarily.

The security situation in Iraq is "significantly better" than it was in 2008, and voluntary returns to the country have been increasing, he said in a statement.

__

AP writers Jennifer Quinn in London and Khaled al-Deeb in Tripoli contributed to this report.

Eritreans immersed in endless dilemma all the way

Many things have been said about migration and migrants, and much has been said about Eritrean migrants. Since long, the numbers of Eritreans diverge to all direction hypothetically increased. From Eritrea, the majority cross westward to Sudan and the rest southward to Ethiopia. Small proportion of the immigrant population cross the red sea and arrive the Arabian Peninsula. Out of the population that moved south, majority continue west ward and converge to their brethren in Shegerab Camp of Eastern Sudan. The rest resides in Ethiopian camps under the surveillance of UNHCR and ARRA, and small proportion migrates to south or southeast. Now, the target will be those who face many difficulties before they reached their destination… the Sudan-Libya-Italy route.
Eritreans who decide to take risk to reach Italy for an asylum claim must therefore be smuggled to Khartoum from shegreab with about $150. The rout is very risky and it took the life of many youth. Many died crossing the dam near the camp with manual boats. The lucky once that arrive Khartoum under great security fear and desperately fall under the mercy of Eritrean intermediates (delalo) that have got hotels to sleep in. Thus, the intermediates without letting the new arrivals to see the situation and by threatening them of detention, they send many Eritreans to the Sahara desert in a matter of weeks or days. Any one is much concerned not return back to Eritrea and nobody seems to fear about the risks that will be faced when crossing the Sahara and the Mediterranean Sea. Thus, the lucky once who managed to accumulate around $1000 on average have to leave and start the most terrific and life threatening journey. Ohh God receive the soul of those we leave them in the open Sahara, every trip was at the expense of innocents. Very expensive journey, just paying lives. They get the informal funeral if and only if the cruel smugglers allow and friends onboard can step down and do their mandate of funeral. At this point, it is not fair to speak about the violation of rights in the mid of Sahara, as many of us are not lucky to be with us until Tripoli.

To be captured by Libyan police in the mid Sahara is blessing like what we are looking in the photo, because you at least think you will not die for hunger and dehydration. But, your fate is to be dumped to endless and inhuman detention all the way. Libya is a country which has got private detention centers owned by the smugglers, off course they are the military/police officials at the same time. You are sold and resold before you arrive Tripoli.
With all these difficulties, you arrive Tripoli City, very energetic and hopeful to reach Italy. Even though it is not more than 400km on average, Italy seems much further than all the way accomplished so far. People get detained and face too much abuse than ever in their way. The way you have to arrange to cross the Mediterranean is very dangerous and less than half of the trials win. Many others are captured when setting from the sea shore and many others manage to depart, but very unfortunately they sunk in the deep seas.

Now, after Tripoli and Rome did their deal at the expense of the rights of asylum, Italy is allowed to dump any intercepted immigrant back to Libya. The most surprising thing is, Italy managed to convince its people that the pushed back are welcomed when they return back to Libya. Yes, they are welcomed but they are detained inhumanly for undetermined time and always in risk of going back to their countries. Yes welcomed to be detained!!!

Eritrean Refugees Situation is Late to Attract Attention!

This was first posted in mid July 2009, at a time when the pushing back of asylum seekers and/or refugees started.

Nowadays the issue of asylum seekers and refugees in relation to the new push back policy is dominating the media.

We are the eyewitness of every development on ground and sometimes we found that the explanation of Italian government is really amazing. They tried to convince us, we do not have problems accessing UNHCR and getting asylum ... yet it is not true.

Our status as political refugees is invalid here and we are continuously picked up by security at every raid. All the pushed back once are in detention centers and our rights are haltered both by the Italian navy (Orion) and the Libyans.

Eritreans pushed back on July first are evident for this ... they are beaten harshly by Italian navy after they tried to tell them they are asylum seekers and are at risk if pushed back to Libya. These acts are clear abuses to their human rights as political refugees. Who is there to hold responsible of such human dilemma?

Yet, Eritreans in Tripoli are the eye witness for everything happening on ground and do not accept all the things the Italian government is trying to tell the international community or those human rights authorities.

Blind world around the European frontiers

Blind world around the European frontiers
Original post in August 2009, by Selamawi

We have seen great tragedy these days where around 80 Eritrean asylum seekers who departed to claim asylum in Italy, perished in the sea. Only five of them survived to tell the tragedy. They floated on the deep seas for more than 20 days on 12-meter rubber boat yet no rescue.

Is there any body who can believe that the eagle eyes of the sea patrol did not notice them?

It can never ever happen. Many boats pass near them and ignored their crying out for help and left them to die except one boat that gave them food and water. This act only increased their sufferance on the sea, although it helped them stay alive for a while. Their rights to live here in this world with us are clearly, haltered. Their fate becomes just death. It is terrific, really.

Where is the sense of civilization and globalization?

UNHCR is also enable to provide urgent solution for the needy ones. they do not have any guarantee to stay in Libya. UNHCR papers do not help them to stay in Libya. They help them wait to see their fate, where they are hunted everywhere. All these cumulative issues push them to enter the sea and perish. This issue needs global solidarity as it is a little bit, beyond what UNHCR alone can accomplish.

However, as for the blind eyes around the European frontiers it is really, shameful to talk about it. They let all the innocents see their fate and be dead instead of giving them protection. It is shameful.

The Untold Threats and Sufferance of Eritreans in Libya!

Why those threats and sufferance of Eritreans in Libya were not told on time like other stories?

Nothing is told about how much sufferance Eritreans are getting over here in Libya. Either nobody is aware or no body is able to tell those kinds of tortures. However, Eritreans who have been in need of international protection detained for long time and maltreated in Libyan prisons.

The case of the Eritrean refugees is clearly different from other cases other people have. The authorities should differentiate between illegal migrants and refugees.

The current inhuman Italian policy that enables to push back immigrants intercepted in the international waters endangered around 74 Eritreans and they are victims of the dirty deal.

Thanks to the Eritrean community in Tripoli, a complete name list and appeal letter is sent to all humanitarian organizations on time and this brings little change.

The UNHCR gets access to interview the returnees. One-step foreword, but not enough and it needs some more attention to protect them from the Italian government and its plan to continue this illegal and immoral action against potential refugees.

I will continuously write a comment on the untold sufferance here in Libya and I will be hoping that every influential person or organization that informed by my stories to cry loud on behalf of Eritreans immersed in a great fear here in Libya.

This was a report released in July 2009 after 74 Eritreans were pushed back by the Orion, the Italian navy. It appeared in HoA Political scene and fortress Europe.

Selamawi