Africa History

Wednesday, 8 July 2015

[AfricaRealities.com] 'Rwanda or Saharonim': Report slams new Israeli asylum policy.

Subject: [rwanda_revolution] 'Rwanda or Saharonim': Report slams new Israeli asylum policy.

'Rwanda or Saharonim': Report slams new Israeli asylum policy.
Israel's Ministry of Interior has begun threatening to deport Eritrean refugees to Rwanda without first hearing their asylum claims, a new report finds.
The 42-page report was released on Wednesday by Hotline for Refugees and Migrants (HRM), an Israeli group that promotes the human rights of undocumented migrants and asylum seekers.
The group interviewed detainees at Holot, a controversial Israeli detention centre for migrants and asylum seekers.
Holot is an "open" facility in southern Israel that houses upwards of 1,900 migrants, who are required to sign in at the centre twice daily, in the morning and the evening.
Detainees are allowed to leave during the day – however, the centre's location some 80 kilometres from the nearest city, Beersheba, means that many spend their day walking around the desert that surrounds the centre.
Holot was established in 2013 following an amendment to Israel's Anti-Infiltration Law, which aims to cut down the numbers of migrants, mostly from Sudan and Eritrea, residing in the small country.
Since then, there have been consistent complaints of poor treatment at the centre, where asylum seekers can be held indefinitely.
In June 2014 hundreds of detainees stormed out of the centre and headed towards the border with Egypt, demanding that they be allowed to leave Israel and be resettled elsewhere due to the poor conditions in the country.
The protest ended when Israeli police arrested the asylum seekers near the border and put them on buses back to Holot.
A year on, after several Supreme Court rulings that the centre must be closed, HRM found that services like medical provision in Holot are slowly improving.
'Multimillion dollar' deal for third-country deportations
However, a new Israeli government policy means that asylum seekers are now being asked to choose between being deported to a third country like Rwanda or being held indefinitely in the desert prison of Saharonim.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame confirmed in April that he was finalising what local papers called a "multimillion dollar" deal to accept Eritrean and Sudanese asylum seekers deported from Israel.
Officials in neighbouring Uganda have also hinted at ongoing negotiations with Israel.
Israeli politicians announced the new policy in March, saying it would "encourage infiltrators to leave ... in a safe and dignified manner" and "restore the quality of life" of Israelis living in the south of the country.
Rights groups have slammed the policy, which many have dubbed "Rwanda or Saharonim" – HRM notes that of the 43 Eritreans so far pressured to accept "voluntary return" to Rwanda, 19 had not had their asylum claims processed properly.
Most of the dozens of Eritrean asylum seekers interviewed by HRM said they would rather go to Saharonim prison, an 8,000-capacity desert facility where people can be detained indefinitely.
Many cited the case of Tesfay Kidane, a former Holot detainee who sought asylum in Israel before being persuaded to leave to a third country, believed to be Rwanda, where HRM says migrants regularly have their documents seized by authorities.
Kidane quickly left Rwanda and eventually found his way to Libya – former friends from Holot were later shocked to recognise him in a video released by Islamic State (IS) in April, being beheaded on a beach along with 29 other migrants.
One of the interviewees, named only as AMA, said Israeli immigration officers had summoned him and told him that if he did not agree to leave "voluntarily" to Rwanda, he would be moved to the closed Saharonim prison.
"I told them that I know people who left Israel to Rwanda and received no protection," AMA told HRM.
"I told them about Tesfay…[who] was murdered by ISIS. I cannot go to Rwanda. If the Israeli government wants me to move to Saharonim, I will move to Saharonim."

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Posted by: Jean Bosco Sibomana <sibomanaxyz999@gmail.com>

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The hate of men will pass, and dictators die, and the power they took from the people will return to the people. And so long as men die, liberty will never perish.
I have loved justice and hated iniquity: therefore I die in exile.
The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men.
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[AfricaRealities.com] USA: Obama Appoints Envoy Ahead of Major Elections in Great Lakes |

"His priorities will be to strive — in coordination with local officials and international partners — to spur progress towards lasting peace, stability, and development throughout the region, including the strengthening of democratic institutions and civil society and the safe and voluntary return of refugees and the internally displaced."

http://chimpreports.com/obama-appoints-envoy-ahead-of-major-elections-in-great-lakes/

Obama Appoints Envoy Ahead of Major Elections in Great Lakes

3 7 0 0

Thomas Pereillo

By: Dickens H Okello

Jul 7,2015
824 Viewed
1 Comment

The United States President, Barack Obama has appointed a new special envoy for the partially insecure Great Lakes region as almost all nations enter habitual source of violence – elections in the near future.

Mr. Thomas Pereillo, a prominent US lawyer and former Congress representative for Virginia`s 5th District was announced on Monday evening by the US Secretary of State, John Kerry as the incoming special envoy replacing Russ Feingold who has been described as indefatigable.

"I am pleased to announce the appointment of Thomas Perriello as the Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region of Africa. I have high confidence in Tom and am grateful for his recent service as Special Representative for the Department's successful Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review," part of Kerry`s statement seen by ChimpReports reads in part.

Mr. Pereillo has wealth of experience working in the most dangerous places including Afghanistan, Darfur region of Sudan and Kosovo and now getting to Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda.

"Tom served as a consultant to the International Center for Transitional Justice in Kosovo, Darfur, and Afghanistan, and was a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 2008 until 2010."

The same statement says Pereillo has strong passion for justice and human rights and familiar with Africa as he also served in the International Court for Sierra Leonethat probed the worst and typical atrocities synonymous with all wars in the Sub-Sahara.

"Tom is a person of deep convictions who is driven by a strong commitment to justice and human rights. He gained experience in Africa in his capacity as adviser to the International Court for Sierra Leone, where he delved into issues involving mass atrocities, the use of child soldiers, the reintegration of former fighters, and the plight of amputees and other victims of war."

The appointment termed as "timely" comes at the time when Burundi is conducting a controversial and already violent election that has registered loss of lives and displacement of hundreds of thousands to the neighbouring countries.

US recently withdrew support for Burundian soldiers in the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and also financial support for democracy development.

Uganda is also entering elections early next year though the last four elections didn't register violence and Rwanda is expected to hold her elections in 2017.

"This appointment is a timely one. Tom succeeds the indefatigable Russ Feingold in this important post at a critical moment," said the statement.

The stament concluded that the appointment reflects Obama`s aspirations for good governance, respect for civil and political rights among others in the Great Lakes region.

"The appointment of a Special Envoy for the Great Lakes reflects the Obama Administration's firm support for the people of that region as they attempt to build a future characterized by improved governance, an end to conflict, respect for civil and political rights, and economic opportunity for all."

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"Hate Cannot Drive Out Hate. Only Love Can Do That", Dr. Martin Luther King.

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Posted by: Nzinink <nzinink@yahoo.com>