UK sending Darfur asylum seekers back to Sudan – Aegis
The Aegis Trust
Home Office sending Darfur survivors to face torture in Khartoum
March 26, 2007 — The Home Office is working closely with the Sudanese authorities to send Darfuri asylum seekers to Khartoum. A concerted round-up now appears to be underway.
The Home Office continues to insist that Khartoum is not dangerous for Darfuris, despite all the evidence to the contrary (including that contained in Aegis’ 2006 report ‘Khartoum: Safe as Ghost Houses’), despite UNHCR recommendations against deportation and despite serious concerns expressed in the House of Lords.
The Aegis Trust has recently obtained strong new evidence of the torture that Darfuris removed to Khartoum can expect to face. A national television report, and a national print report, are expected before the end of the week (most likely Thursday).
THE ROUND-UP
According to information gathered from members of the Darfuri community in the UK, dozens of Darfuri Africans have been detained in the past week with a view to deportation.
The Aegis Trust has the names of sixteen of these individuals.
They include three due to be deported to Khartoum on Wednesday 28 March and two due to be deported on Tuesday 3 April.
Towns where this has taken place include London, Leicester, Birmingham, Swansea, Newport, Nottingham and Loughborough.
Over 60 Darfuri Africans – some failed asylum seekers, but the majority with fresh claims outstanding – have been given dates in the next 10 days to report en masse to UK immigration services.
On the basis of the experience of those detained in the past week, it is expected that many of these will, on reporting, be told that their claims have been refused. They can expect to be confronted with a Sudanese Embassy official, with a view to verifying that they are Sudanese and with a view to organising smooth deportation back to face the regime responsible for burning their villages, killing their families, and in some cases previously imprisoning and torturing them.
HOME OFFICE LOSING IN COURT
The picture is changing on a daily basis. The Home Office is clearly in a sudden hurry to get rid of as many Darfuris as possible.
All this in the context of difficulties for the Home Office in the Court of Appeal, where in the past few days, it has become clear that the Government is very likely to lose the argument that internal flight from Darfur to Khartoum is a viable option.
VIOLENCE IN KHARTOUM
The day before yesterday, several officers loyal to Minni Minawi (leader of a faction of the Sudan Liberation Army, the only Darfuri rebel leader to sign the May 2006 Darfur Peace Agreement) were killed in Khartoum, up to 20 were injured and many were arrested. The same day, Minawi’s second-in-command was killed in Nyala.
Minawi is supposed to have a position in the current government, but this is clearly tenuous given the violence. Yesterday, fighting was reported in south Khartoum between Minawi’s men and Government forces.
With Darfuris being killed in Khartoum, it hardly suggests an environment sufficiently stable for the removal of Darfuri asylum seekers to the city.
COMMENT
Dr James Smith, Chief Executive of the Aegis Trust, stated: “The unseemly scramble to send these survivors of ethnic cleansing in Darfur packing to the butchers of Khartoum is a disgrace to this country and should be stopped immediately. By sending them back, we put their lives in certain danger. ”
Ishag Mekki, Chairman of the Darfur Union, who yesterday raised the Darfur crisis face to face with Tony Blair, stated: “While Mr Blair talks tough on Darfur, his Home Secretary is busy kicking Darfuris back to Khartoum. This is a complete contradiction. Sending my people back to face torture makes a mockery of Britain’s claim that it cares.”
ENDS
For more information, contact Media Officer David Brown, mob: +44 (0)7812 640873, tel: +44 (0)1623 836627
Almamy taal
UK sending Darfur asylum seekers back to Sudan – Aegis
“OUT OF THE FRYING PAN, INTO THE FIRE” would be appropriate to describe the terrible situations that face asylum seekers the day they set foot in the UK. The whole Immigration system is set to thwart asylum applicants, forcing vulnerable people into destitution, prostitution and humiliating conditions. It could not be a surprise when the UK asylum Law is draft with a criminal framework. People seeking asylum are less treated than a dog at a time when desperate asylum seekers though they would fairly be treated and protected in this country. Unfortunately, they found themselves in the heart of a burning fire that the British government keeps alive and increase its deadly temperature. I.e., Seven pieces of legislation in Nine years with the same inhuman aims, which are forcing people into destitution (sec55), whisking children away from their parents to force parents to leave the UK (Sec 9), reducing people’s chance of appeal (NAM), etc.
I do not want to make a plea for Sudanese only, because it is amidst an unlawful plan to send people back to persecution, torture and execution. It is a coward attitude and pure Hypocrisy to sign on to, on one hand the 1950 European Convention and the 1951 Human rights declaration, and on the other hand, create a state of destitution, unlawful methods to sentence people to death by forcibly sending them back to where they have fled for fear for their lives. A single live lost is a great lost for the whole humanity. What is wrong by treating people right?