November 2021 - Press Review
NATIONAL COVERAGE
Home Affairs to only reopen Cape Town refugee office in September 2022 - 10 years since its closure
Daily Maverick - 15/11/21
After years of closure of the Refugee Reception Office in Cape Town, it seems that a reopening of this service is planned for the second half of 2022. The closure of this resource was widely criticised and led to a long legal battle that resulted in High Court and then Supreme Court of Appeal rulings ordering the reopening of the service back in 2018. Several associations such as the Scalabrini Centre and the Somali Association of South Africa unsuccessfully requested through the Legal Resources Centre that asylum seekers and refugees be cared for at the Cape Town centre while this matter was being resolved in order to avoid leaving unattended all the people who needed to complete the administrative processes and were forced to move to Durban or Pretoria to be able to continue with their applications. After several attempts by Home Affairs to appeal against the rulings requiring them to restore service in Cape Town, the high court ordered them to report progress on a monthly basis to assess progress in the process of restoring service. While still pending, it appears that the reopening of a vital service to serve part of the migrant population located in the Western Cape is closer.
Read the full article at:
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2021-11-15-home-affairs-to-only-reopen-cape-town-refugee-office-in-september-2022-10-years-since-its-closure/
LGBT migrants in South Africa: religion can be a blessing, and a curse
Daily Maverick - 19/11/21
Religion and the relationship between sexual and gender rights? Many people feel panicked when determining the morality of their sexual and gender rights determined by religious beliefs. Many people come to South Africa with the intention of feeling protected in terms of LGBT rights because in their home countries they are persecuted and punished for it because in their countries, political leaders use the rhetoric of religion to determine what practices are right and LGBT people are excluded. By politicising religion in Africa, the idea that heterosexuality is the only natural and normal expression of human desire has been maintained, leaving many groups in Africa outside the system. But it is true that the Catholic Church plays an important role in the fight against homophobia, transphobia and xenophobia. The Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Johannesburg has, since 2009, welcomed migrants, refugees and asylum seekers with the intention of supporting them and defending their rights. South Africa is a host country for LGBT people fleeing persecution, violence and criminal sanctions in their home countries. There are countries where homophobic and transphobic attitudes are still widespread among the population. LGBT migrants, refugees and asylum seekers find it difficult to live freely in South Africa and to live their lives in a 'normal' way, i.e. have a home, a job etc. People who come to South Africa expect their lives to change, they expect to be able to be more free, these people are fleeing situations of basic rights violations and human rights violations but when they arrive in South Africa they realise that these discriminations are not over as they are still being suffered at the hands of government officials, police personnel and health personnel. These people should be provided with care and support, not more discrimination. Religion pushes many African LGBT people to leave their countries. Even in some cases, being religious and homosexual may not help the asylum claim. For instance one Zambian man was refused asylum for this reason as the asylum determination officer did not consider it compatible to be gay and Christian at the same time. On the other hand, religion is also seen as a source of identity and rights for migrants. A project was carried out where thirty people from different African countries were interviewed who identified with different religions and had lived traumatic experiences in relation to religion and homosexuality, despite these traumatic experiences, religion was positive, none of them framed religion as something negative, but as a source of energy and positivity. Furthermore, the interviewees did not see a contradiction between their religious beliefs and sexual or gender identity.
Read the full article at:
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2021-11-19-lgbt-migrants-in-south-africa-religion-can-be-a-blessing-and-a-curse/
South Africa tells 200 000 Zimbabweans to go home
News 24 - 26/11/21
Since 2008 in South Africa there has been xenophobic violence towards migrants. Migrants are often accused of taking jobs away from South Africans and anti-immigration political parties promote these thoughts. Herman Mashaba, a former mayor of Johannesburg from the ActionSA party, calls for the deportation of undocumented migrants.South Africa has a population of about 60 million people, approximately 3 million of whom are migrants, many of them from Zimbabwe. South Africa has an 'Exemption Permit' that allowed Zimbabweans to live and work in South Africa. This permit is due to expire at the end of this year and these people will either be deported or will have to apply for another type of permit to be able to stay legally in South Africa, the problem is that there are few permits that can be applied for in order to be able to stay in the country on a regular basis. If these people do not get another visa, the deportation system will be applied. The Refugee and Migrant Rights Programme of Lawyers for Human Rights in Johannesburg states that this decision 'is going to be a humanitarian disaster'.
Read the full article at:
https://www.news24.com/fin24/economy/africa/south-africa-tells-200-000-zimbabweans-to-go-home-20211125
No extension to expiring Zimbabwean exemption permits
Mail & Guardian - 25/11/2021
The South African government has decided not to extend exemption permits for Zimbabweans. The exemption permit that allowed Zimbabweans to live and work will expire in December. People have a period of 12 months to apply for another permit or visa to be able to stay in South Africa on a regular basis. If after 12 months this permit has not been obtained, the person will be forced to leave South Africa themselves or face deportation proceedings by the South African authorities. Mondli Gungubele, current Minister of the Presidency and member of the National Assembly of South Africa for the African National Congress, says that all these measures taken by the South African government help and protect the Republic in relation to the current situation with the COVID-19 problem. Gungubele declined to comment on whether this decision on the exemption permit was taken alone or whether the Zimbabwean government is aware of the non-extension of this visa.
Read the full article at:
https://mg.co.za/news/2021-11-25-no-extension-to-expiring-zimbabwean-exemption-permits-cabinet/
Covid-19 - Challenges in vaccinating undocumented migrants - ANALYSIS | Tawanda Matema, Paul Kariuki
News24 – 30/11/2021
Migrants, undocumented people in general and the homeless continue to be excluded from the access to covid-19 vaccines in South Africa. By early October, some provincial pilot programmes had been implemented to vaccinate this part of the population, but the results continue to have a small impact. In addition, information on other pilot programmes is difficult to access. The main problems that the goverment is facing to extend vaccinations to people without documentation are several. Firstly, the process of identifying these communities is difficult because generally located at the periphery, far from socio-economic centres. Moreover, migrants traditionally experienced medical xenophobia and encountered difficulties in accessing adequate healthcare services. Secondly, they mistrust government initiatives and fear retribution from immigration authorities during vaccination events. Thirdly, the Electronic Vaccination Data System (EVDS) requires people to register on the system with a valid identity document, excluding those without documentation. Furthermore, this system discriminates against people who do not have access to electronic devices and who do not have technical know-how. In addition, there are no guarantees for people with irregular status registered in the system to be protected from deportation in cases where immigration authorities access their information through health providers. Lastly, many migrants fear being vaccinated because of misinformation, due mostly to the lack of linguistically and culturally appropriate channels of information. The partnership between the government and civil society organisations (CSOs) could increase the trust of undocumented migrants for participation in vaccination events. The exclusion of undocumented people is a public health concern. The government has to find a response to the above-mentioned issues to enlarge the effectiveness of the vaccination campaign and also to help excluded people to access health care.
You can read the full article at the following link:
https://www.news24.com/news24/analysis/analysis-tawanda-matema-paul-kariuki-covid-19-challenges-in-vaccinating-undocumented-migrants-20211130
REGIONAL COVERAGE
“Nigeria: High Unemployment Forcing Educated Nigerian Youths to Migrate - World Bank“
AllAfrica – 04/11/2021
Nigeria has a high unemployment rate that is forcing educated Nigerian youth to emigrate, stated the World Bank economist, Mr. Samik Adhikari. Between 2014 and 2020 unemployment has increased in the country and a growth of 133 million people of working age is estimated between 2020 and 2050. These leads to migration pressure for educated Nigerian youth who don’t have many opportunities in the country’s labour market. According to Mr. Samik Adhikari, many are not able to access migration opportunities because of the costs which a migration process entails, the lack of channels of regular migration and the lack of a mature labour migration system consolidated by government agreements with stakeholders. The World Bank Country Director in Nigeria suggested that a key factor to address the high unemployment rate could be managed-migration, reducing the suffering of irregular migration processes and increasing the economic opportunties in the countries of destination. Governor Godwin Obaseiki of Edo state said: “there are agencies of government who are actively collaborating with the private sector”. The government has created an institution to train people in order to people for emigration and others who remain in order to expand the economy. Godwin Obaseiki also thinks that one of the problems for emigration from Edo State is the type of education provided. That’s the reason why they are investing in training youth in getting the necessary skills they require to emigrate.
You can read the full article at the following link:
https://allafrica.com/stories/202111040005.html
Congo-Kinshasa: New Crisis Looms as DRC Refugees Flee to Uganda
All Africa - 09/11/21
The escalation of the situation between armed groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo has renewed the displacement of thousands of people seeking to cross the border to escape the violence. The danger faced by the Congolese population is leading these people to endure extremely harsh conditions and humanitarian aid services at the borders report the need to structure means of assistance as quickly as possible. Information from the Uganda Red Cross and the UNHCR, records the displacement of thousands of people who have far exceeded the existing resources in the border areas. In a country like Uganda, which is the main refugee receiving country in the African context, asylum seekers are being relocated to transit centres such as Nyakabande, which can accommodate up to 1,500 people. In order to continue to provide a dignified and efficient response to this situation, the inter-agency work of the Ugandan government and humanitarian response organisations is vital to cover not only the basic needs of the newly arrived, but also the protection of separated children in the midst of this emergency scenario.
Read the full article at:
https://allafrica.com/stories/202111100040.html
Read more about this issue here:
Fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo forces 11,000 to flee to Uganda
UNHCR Press Release - 09/11/2021
https://www.unhcr.org/news/briefing/2021/11/618a2e134/fighting-eastern-democratic-republic-congo-forces-11000-flee-uganda.html
Nigeria: Unodc Trains Naptip, Immigration on Human Trafficking Data Analysis
All Africa - 19/11/21
In Nigeria, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has strengthened the skills of its officers through a training offered by The United Nations Offices on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC). The training, focused on the analysis of data and statistics, was an opportunity to deepen their understanding of specific issues concerning the migrant population that is most vulnerable to being trafficked. An in-depth understanding of the different forms of trafficking and the methodologies of trafficking organisations is vital to improve the responses to this phenomenon and to combat it efficiently. The training programme has been funded by the Government of Canada and has hosted as many as 120 officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and NAPTIP in up to 6 strategic areas of the country.
Read the full article at:
https://allafrica.com/stories/202111190501.html
UNHCR appalled by killings of dozens of displaced people by armed groups in eastern DRC
UNHCR - 30/11/21
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR needs more financial assistance to help and support displaced people in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC. 5.6 million people have been forced to flee in the DRC, which is an increase of 400,000 people compared to the beginning of 2021. 26 people have been killed in Ndjala in the Ituri province, including ten women and nine children. Also in Mikenge in South Kivu, this armed group killed six children and a pregnant woman, eight people were wounded and their shelters were destroyed. Armed groups have used weapons such as guns, machetes and knives to carry out these attacks on civilians. In Drodro, another IDP site, 44 people have been killed in an attack by a militia group. 20,000 refugees fled to Rhoe to seek safety near the UN Stabilisation Mission. Rhoe started with 21,000 people which increased to 40,500 people and now we are talking about a figure of more than 70,000 displaced people. These people are in need of food assistance, shelter, health and psychosocial support. The last families to arrive had to sleep in the open air.
Read the full article at:
https://www.unhcr.org/afr/news/briefing/2021/11/61a5efe54/unhcr-appalled-killings-dozens-displaced-people-armed-groups-eastern-drc.html
INTERNATIONAL COVERAGE
ʻLife, death and limbo in the Calais ‘Jungle’ – five years after its demolitionʼ
The Guardian – 02/11/2021
“The Jungle” is the so called refugee camp located in Calais, in the north of France, that in 2015, according to UNHCR data, hosted 1 million people fleeing from war and danger, becoming a symbol of Europe’s migration crisis. Although years later the camp was demolished, a report from Human Rights Watch estimates about 2,000 migrants are still stuck there, living in wooded areas, in disused warehouses, under bridges and isolated from the cities where people have access to running water and electricity. Two factors are worsening the situation of the people living in the refugee camp in Calais: police evictions and the politics’ played between Great Britain and France. According to the organisation “Human Rights Observers”, police conducted more than 950 eviction operations in Calais in 2020, taking away all the belongings of residents and destroying the camp. On the other side, the UK introduced plans to discourage the cross of the Channel in small boats, imposing a jail sentence and a ban on receiving state funds. People in these camps remain stuck without the option to go back nor to go forward. Every night they try to cross the channel. A 16-year-old died on 28 September on the attempt to board a truck at Calais. A friend of his said: “He was so small. Like the rest of us, all he wanted was to live in a safe place”.
You can read the full article at the following link:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/02/life-death-and-limbo-in-the-calais-jungle-five-years-after-its-demolition
‘Please save us’: Refugees face death at Poland-Belarus border
Al Jazeera – 14/11/2021
Thousands of migrants and refugees are stuck at the Belarusian border, some of them are dying of hunger and cold. Poland denied them entry and they are now in a standoff at the Belarusian border. Nidal Ibrahim, a refugee coming from Syria, blocked at the border, tells Al Jazeera the conditions suffered by him and many other refugees stranded in the woods at the border. Nidal and his family started a new life in Turkey after losing some of their relatives because of the conflict in Syria, but, when Nidal lost his job, he thought to search for better opportunities in Europe. At first, he tried to reach Europe from Syria through the Mediterranean route without success. Secondly, he heard that the route to Europe through Belarus would become open. When he arrived with a friend and his four children at the border, trying to enter Poland, he’s tragedy began. Nidal Ibrahim tells that people are dying of hunger, thirst and cold there. They are stuck in the woods without food, water, medical care and primary supplies. They are drinking from swamps and making fire, when it doesn‘t rain, to recover from the cold winter’s temperatures outside. Nidal tells that the Polish authorities took their SIM cards away from them and that there is no way for them to get out of the border region. He said to Al Jaazera: “Right now, I can only think about my children, and how I must stay alive … Either someone takes pity on us, or we die.”
You can read the full article at the following link:
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/11/14/please-save-us-refugees-face-death-at-poland-belarus-border
Haiti opens consulate in southern Mexico to address migration rise
Reuters - 20/11/21
Due to the increase in Haitian migration to Mexico, Haiti has opened a consulate in Tapachula, a city in the south of Mexico, with the intention of dealing with and managing this increase in migration from Haiti. This new consulate is located near the border with Guatemala, and the Mexican and Haitian governments have worked together to open this consulate to serve Haitian migrants in Mexico. Many Haitians have been trying to cross the US-Mexico border this year. These displacements to the US are being seen as a crisis for the US - Biden government, as some 3,000 migrants, including a large number of people of Haitian origin, left for the US-Mexico border. Haiti is witnessing an economic downturn accompanied by an earthquake and a complicated political environment with the assassination of President Jovenel Moise. The Haitian population is leaving the country in search of a stable refuge due to the current situation of crisis, unrest, worry and desolation.
Read the full article at:
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/haiti-opens-consulate-southern-mexico-address-migration-rise-2021-11-20/
EU border agency deported record number of people in first half of 2021
The Guardian - 29/11/21
The publication of a leaked report on the number of people deported during the first half of the year has heightened concerns about procedures amid the highly tense migration situation on the European continent. The return of migrants to their countries of origin, even in cases where the displaced people were fleeing war and/or persecution, has raised serious questions about the ways in which the European agency Frontex manages migration. Faced with this documentary leak, the agency's official response points to the compliance with the orders of the other member states and European laws. Although the legal framework establishes the right to return people who have been denied the refugee status, some actors point to the deficiencies of the asylum procedure and the lack of certainty regarding the safety of those who are returned to their countries of origin. For this reason, and in order to avoid violations of the fundamental rights of these people seeking refuge on the European continent, some political actors in the European framework advocate for ensuring the presence of human rights monitors during these procedures and guaranteeing the right to appeal against the denial of refugee status to applicants before refoulement is carried out.
Read the full article at:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/29/eu-border-agency-frontex-deportation-record-number
Read more about this issue here:
What is Frontex?
TRT WORLD - 30/11/2021
https://www.trtworld.com/magazine/what-is-frontex-52141
Categories:
Tags: