April 2022 - Press Review
NATIONAL COVERAGE
Asylum seeker’s bribery case highlights plight of refugees
Eye Witness News, 04 April 2022
As the head of Advocacy of Scalabrini Center James Chapman highlighted, refugees and asylum seekers should not be mislabelled with unfavourable terms, considering that it only helps rising the already existent xenophobic rhetoric.
Read the full article at: https://ewn.co.za/2022/04/05/asylum-seeker-s-bribery-case-highlights-plight-of-refugees
Zimbabwean violently murdered by mob in South Africa
Zim Live, 07 April 2022
Elvis Nyathi, a Zimbabwean citizen, was brutally killed by a mob in the Gauteng township of Diepsloot. According to the witnesses, the mob went knocking on doors demanding to see passports and documentation from foreign nationals. When Elvis tried to run away they chased him down and brutally killed him. Police Minister Bheki Cele was visiting the area just few hours before, following many complaints of the rising of crime rates.
Read the full article at: https://www.zimlive.com/2022/04/07/zimbabwean-stoned-set-alight-by-mob-in-south-africa-violence/
Home Affairs to open refugee offices after two-year closure
News24, 21 April 2022
The Department of Home Affairs announced the reopening of the Refugee Reception Offices (RRO) for the 3rd of May. Since the 26th March 2020 RROs have been closed due to the pandemic measures making it impossible to apply for any new asylum application and complicating the process for the ones who have documentation.
Read the full article at: https://www.news24.com/citypress/news/home-affairs-to-open-refugee-offices-after-two-year-closure-20220421
South Africa’s COVID relief measures mostly excluded refugees: a neglect of duty
The Conversation, 27 April 2022
Despite the government’s responsibility to protect refugees and asylum seekers, many were excluded from their socio-economic rights during the pandemic. For instance refugees and asylum seekers were excluded from food aid and were only allowed to get the unemployment relief after litigation by the Scalabrini Centre.
Read the full article at: https://theconversation.com/south-africas-covid-relief-measures-mostly-excluded-refugees-a-neglect-of-duty-178538
REGIONAL COVERAGE
Congolese refugees in Uganda afraid to move back to their villages
Africa News, 04 April 2022
According to UN’s statistics 10.000 DRC nationals have fled to Uganda because of the ongoing conflicts in the Northern East region. The Congolese government is asking its citizens to regain their villages but many refugees are reluctant fearing for their lives.
Read the full article at: https://www.africanews.com/2022/04/03/north-kivu-conflict-congolese-refugees-reluctant-to-move-back-to-their-villages/
25 migrants, abandoned in the Niger desert by smuggler, rescued
Africa News, 05 April 2022
25 migrants were rescued after a smuggler abandoned them in the middle of the Sahara desert. After leaving from Agadez in northern Niger, the survivors remained without food or water for three days in the desert.
Read the full article at: https://www.africanews.com/2022/04/05/25-migrants-abandoned-in-the-niger-desert-by-smuggler-rescued/
West Africa is facing its worst food crisis in a decade
Africa News, 06 April 2022
Many international organizations are warning the public on the alerting situation that many regions in West Africa are facing. With the drought, the increase of food prices and reduction of food sources this decade has been hit by the worst food crisis.
Read the full article at: https://www.africanews.com/2022/04/06/west-africa-is-facing-its-worst-food-crisis-in-a-decade-organisations-say/
Egypt: UN experts condemn expulsions of Eritrean asylum seekers despite risks of torture, arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance
OHCHR, 13 April 2022
UN experts deplored Egypt’s recent ongoing collective expulsions of Eritrean asylum seekers, and called on the authorities to immediately halt any further forced returns. They also reminded that collective expulsion is prohibited by International Human Rights law.
Read the full article at: https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2022/04/egypt-un-experts-condemn-expulsions-eritrean-asylum-seekers-despite-risks
African refugees in Tunisia demand evacuation to different countries
Africa News, 19 April 2022
Many refugees protested in front of the UNCHR office in Tunis demanding to be evacuated and denouncing the precarious situation they live in. Migrants and refugees are often subjected to racism and xenophobia resulting in verbal and physical abuse.
Read the full article at: https://www.africanews.com/2022/04/19/african-refugees-in-tunisia-demand-evacuation-to-different-countries/
INTERNATIONAL COVERAGE
UK plan to ship asylum seekers to Rwanda is cruelty itself
HRW, 14 April 2022
The British Government signed an agreement with the Rwandan Government to send back the asylum seekers to their home country during the claim process. With this new Asylum Partnership Arrangement, all asylum seekers who entered irregularly in the UK could be returned to Rwanda while their case is being processed and only if recognized as refugee, they will able to go back to the UK.
Read the full article at: https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/04/14/uk-plan-ship-asylum-seekers-rwanda-cruelty-itself
US: Secretary Mayorkas designates Cameroon for TPS
DHS Government, 15 April 2022
The U.S.’ Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that Cameroonians already residing the country will be granted a Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for the next 18 months. This permit will protect them from deportation and will also allow them to work.
Read the full article at: https://www.dhs.gov/news/2022/04/15/secretary-mayorkas-designates-cameroon-temporary-protected-status-18-months
Unaccompanied minors face neglect in UK refugee accommodation
Infomigrants, 19 April 2022
NGOs are warning about the conditions in which unaccompanied minors are living in the UK. Many have reported inadequate health and hygiene standards, as well as insufficient food. Various charity workers reported that 16 unaccompanied refugee minors went missing from these inappropriate accommodation.
Read the full article at: https://www.infomigrants.net/en/post/39951/unaccompanied-minors-face-neglect-in-uk-refugee-accommodation
US detention of asylum seekers ‘inhumane and wasteful’
Aljazeera, 21 April 2022
According to a report from the Human Rights First NGO, thousands of asylum seekers in the United States are jailed unlawfully violating international human rights. The report showed that thousands of them were held in custody when they had the right to live in the U.S. according to their asylum decision.
Read the full article at: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/4/21/us-detention-of-asylum-seekers-inhumane-and-wasteful-report
Poland’s resources running dry as Ukrainian refugee crisis continues
NBC News, 30 April 2022
As the number of Ukrainian refugees continue to rise, Poland is struggling to keep up with the continuous flows. The material and human resources and starting to recede, as the country is hosting around 3 million refugees.
Read the full article at: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/polands-resources-running-dry-ukrainian-refugee-crisis-continues-rcna25991
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