HRW urges Egypt to probe killing of Sudanese migrants
August 8, 2007 (WASINGTON) – Egyptian authorities should immediately investigate, with a view to prosecution, allegations that Egyptian border guards killed three Sudanese nationals trying to cross the Egypt-Israeli border, Human Rights Watch said Tuesday in a letter to the Egyptian Minister of Interior.
The Israeli media reported statements by Israeli border guards who witnessed the killing of the Sudanese refugees by Egyptian border guards beating and shooting the migrants.
Ha’aretz reported that the soldier said that he saw Egyptian border guards open fire, killing one and wounding a second. The guards then beat the wounded man and a third migrant, the soldier said: “We saw them gang up on them and beat them on the ground until they stopped moving… They killed two men with their own hands and with sticks and rocks. We heard them crying and screeching in pain until they died.” Egypt has not acknowledged that anyone was killed, according to an August 5 Associated Press report.
“The reported brutality of these killings is all the more shocking as it comes at a time when Egypt and Israel are discussing the issue of asylum seekers crossing into Israel,” said Bill Frelick, refugee policy director for Human Rights Watch.
In the June Sharm el-Sheik summit, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert reportedly spoke with President Hosni Mubarak about the issue of the increasing flow of Sudanese migrants crossing the border into Israel. Although they reached no formal agreement, according to a June 28 Ynet.com report (“Olmert, Mubarak Agree to Send Infiltrators Back to Egypt”), President Mubarak verbally agreed to accept the return of third-country nationals from Israel.
Since then, the two governments reportedly have been working out the details of an informal agreement.
Egypt is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which prohibits arbitrary killings, including those resulting from unlawful or excessive use of force, and obligates states to investigate any such alleged killings. It is also a party to the UN Convention Against Torture, which prohibits resort to force amounting to inhuman and degrading treatment or torture, and requires states to investigate and prosecute any alleged incidents.
The Human Rights Watch letter calls upon the Egyptian government to order a full investigation of the reported shootings and beatings, and to hold accountable, including where appropriate through prosecution, any Egyptian officials responsible for the injury or death of any migrants; to invite independent international investigators from the UN to examine this and any other reported incidents involving allegations of excessive force against migrants; and to provide public assurances that it will treat humanely third-country nationals apprehended at the border and not return them to any country where they might be tortured or persecuted.
To view the letter from Human Rights Watch to the Egyptian Minister of Interior, please visit:
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/08/07/egypt16600.htm
(ST)
Diin Karkarbash
HRW urges Egypt to probe killing of Sudanese migrants
It has happened several times now that Eygptians are killing Sudanese Refugees. I have been asking myself, why this neighbour is always so rude upto that extend. Is the problem which cause the killing orginated from Sudan (politic) or just within Eygpt? Eygptian should not involve with such crime while they are some time considered as members in certain parties which deals with prohibition of such crime.
Fleeting of somebody to certain Country for safety, does not come as a hobby. It is an accident rushing caused by war and other kind of thing which to lost someone’s life. If Eygptians do not want such people in their Country, then it is something simple. they can just collect all refugee around and the ones coming in and hand them to UN who is always host them (refugee)to decide where to have them to. There is no problem, if any refugee flees across a Country to other Country. This can not resault in killing but to handle such case in good way not inhuman. Refugees always innocent people who need a good care but not to get rid of.
I am asking that, human right should take measures to investigate what inhumanity is this. Eygptians have forgotten of their being a member in two parties who deal with thing involving crimes and these are International Convenant on Civil and Political Rights and UN Covenantion against torture.
let them think of who they are and Human Right must have something to talk abourt due to this continuous bad treatment, the Eygpt is doing to Sudanese refugees. Crossing of border to Israeli is not a sin while being a regugee, and because of such a bad treatment Egypt is doing to them, that is why they, who are refugees have decided to get to Israeli for their good safty. they don’t trust Egyptian.Refugees always have no good means of transport to use accept by footing or if lucky can be by any vehicle or helped by UN who is known for them.
Human Right and other bodies should involve to ask, what a crazy thinking is Eygptian play on Sudanese Refugees.