Freitag, 31. Juli 2009

Greece: Halt Crackdown, Arrests of Migrants

Greece: Halt Crackdown, Arrests of Migrants
Moving Detained Migrants to North Raises Fears of ‘Pushbacks’ to Turkey

JULY 27, 2009

Unaccompanied Afghan migrant children sleep in a forest on the outskirts of Patras, Greece.
© 2009 Moises Saman/Panos Pictures
RELATED MATERIALS:
Left to Survive
Stuck in a Revolving Door
It appears Greece is doing everything it can to close the door on persons who seek protection in Europe, no matter how vulnerable they are. The European Union must hold Greece accountable for acts contrary to international and European human rights and refugee law, and it needs to act fast, as the lives of many are at risk

Bill Frelick, Director, Refugee Policy Program
Greek authorities are arresting large numbers of migrants and asylum seekers in the country's cities and islands and moving many of them to the north, raising fears of illegal expulsions to Turkey, Human Rights Watch said today.

Human Rights Watch received reports from a credible source that, in mid-July 2009, police transferred a group of Arabic-speaking people from Chios Island to the Evros border region, where they were secretly forced to cross the border into Turkey. On July 23, local human rights activists prevented authorities from transferring 63 migrants from Lesvos Island to the north by blocking access to the ferry. On July 25, the police took most of them to Athens under heavy police escort.

"These operations and transfers are very worrying," said Bill Frelick, refugee policy director at Human Rights Watch. "We fear that people are being prevented from seeking asylum, that children arriving alone are not being protected, and that migrants are kept in unacceptable detention conditions and possibly even being secretly expelled to Turkey."

In another recent episode, in a large-scale police operation from July 16 to 18, police in Athens surrounded what appeared to be several hundred migrants and locked them inside an abandoned courthouse. The police arrested anyone who left the building. It is feared that some of them may have needed protection and did not have a chance to file a claim for asylum, the police prevented Human Rights Watch from speaking to the people held inside, and Human Rights Watch does not know the whereabouts of those who were arrested when they tried to leave.

In a November 2008 report, "Stuck in a Revolving Door: Iraqis and Other Asylum Seekers and Migrants at the Greece/Turkey Entrance to the European Union," Human Rights Watch documented how Greek authorities have systematically expelled migrants illegally across the Greece-Turkey border, in violation of many international legal obligations. These "pushbacks" typically occur at night from detention facilities in the northern part of the country, close to the Turkish border, and they involve considerable logistical preparation. Human Rights Watch at that time interviewed 41 asylum seekers and refugees - all privately and confidentially - in various locations in both Greece and Turkey, who gave consistent accounts of Greek authorities taking them to the Evros River at night and then forcing them across.

Human Rights Watch also documented how Greek authorities miscategorize unaccompanied children as adults and detain them for prolonged periods of time in conditions that could be considered inhumane and degrading. (See the December 2008 report, "Left to Survive: Systematic Failure to Protect Unaccompanied Migrant Children in Greece.")

In yet another recent incident, on July 12, police destroyed a makeshift migrant camp in Patras, on the Peloponnese peninsula. In the days before the camp was destroyed, the police reportedly arrested large numbers of migrants there, and according to credible sources, transferred an unknown number to the northern part of the country. On July 17, Human Rights Watch met with several Afghans in Patras, including 12 unaccompanied migrant children now homeless as a result of this operation, who were in hiding in abysmal conditions out of fear of being arrested.

A 24-year-old man told Human Rights Watch: "We're living like animals in the jungle ... we can't take a shower and we don't have proper food ... before I lived in the camp, but all of my things and clothes were burned. Now I have a shirt and a pair of pants, nothing else."

A 14-year-old Afghan boy who arrived in Greece one year earlier said: "The worst situation during the past year is now, in Patras - now that I'm living in this forest .... There's not enough food and we only eat bread with water."

Human Rights Watch also observed on July 17 how more than 1,000 migrants lined up all night, largely in vain, trying to file asylum applications at Athens' main police station. Greece recognizes as few as 0.05 percent of asylum seekers as refugees at their first interview and passed a law at the end of June that abolishes a meaningful appeals procedure, making it virtually impossible for anyone to obtain refugee status. It also extended the maximum length of administrative detention for migrants to 12 months - and under certain circumstances, up to 18 months - from previously 90 days.

"It appears Greece is doing everything it can to close the door on persons who seek protection in Europe, no matter how vulnerable they are," said Frelick. "The European Union must hold Greece accountable for acts contrary to international and European human rights and refugee law, and it needs to act fast, as the lives of many are at risk."

Mittwoch, 29. Juli 2009

Irakischer Flüchtling stirbt nach Misshandlung durch die griechische Hafenpolizei

PRO ASYL Bundesweite Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Flüchtlinge e.V.

Presseerklärung
28. Juli 2009


Lizenz zum Töten?

Irakischer Flüchtling stirbt nach Misshandlung durch die griechische Hafenpolizei
PRO ASYL: Weiterer Höhepunkt der Gewalt gegen Flüchtlinge


Am 27. Juli 2009 ist ein 29jähriger irakischer Kurde, der bei einem Einsatz der griechischen Hafenpolizei in Igoumenitsa am 3. April 2009 schwer verletzt worden war, gestorben. Nach massiven Misshandlungen durch die Polizei war er ins Koma gefallen und später operiert worden. Nach Augenzeugenberichten hatten Polizeibeamte in Tarnuniformen Arivan Abdullah Osman, der sich in der gesperrten Hafenzone aufhielt, verhaftet und dabei seinen Kopf mehrfach auf den Betonboden geschlagen.

Die Beileidsbekundungen des griechischen Handelsmarineministers Anastassios Papaligouras sind nach Auffassung von PRO ASYL wenig glaubwürdig. Die Hafenbehörden der griechischen Fährhäfen in Richtung Italien gehen seit langem mit Hilfe der Polizei brutal gegen Flüchtlinge vor, die verzweifelt versuchen, auf Fähren Richtung Italien zu gelangen. Sie tun dies auch, weil das faktisch kaum vorhandene griechische Asylsystem eine Kette von Völkerrechtsbrüchen ist.

Flüchtlinge haben gegenüber Nichtregierungsorganisationen häufig über Misshandlungen durch die griechische Küstenwache in den ostägäischen Gewässern berichtet. Für fast alle Flüchtlinge beginnt der Aufenthalt in Griechenland mit wochenlanger Inhaftierung. Über die verheerenden Haftbedingungen hat das Antifolterkomitee des Europarates erst vor kurzem wieder berichtet. Derselbe Bericht verurteilt brutale Übergriffe der Polizei und fordert die Einleitung wirksamer Ermittlungen. Während der zugrundeliegenden Recherchereisen hatten die Experten zahlreiche Inhaftierte interviewt, die von Brutalitäten der Polizei berichteten. Noch während der Recherchereise hatte ein Arzt der Delegation mehrfach bei Gesprächspartnern Verletzungen festgestellt, die zu ihren Aussagen passten. Grundsätzlich haben Festgenommene in Griechenland, so das Antifolterkomitee, ein beträchtliches Risiko, von der Polizei mit Schlägen, Tritten und Stockhieben eingeschüchtert zu werden.

In den letzten Wochen gingen die griechischen Behörden und die Polizei massiv gegen Flüchtlinge und Migranten vor, die notdürftig in Abbruchhäusern und hastig errichteten Behelfsunterkünften untergekommen sind. Von staatlicher Seite wird die übergroße Mehrheit der Flüchtlinge in Griechenland obdachlos gelassen, sodass sich der Druck auf die Betroffenen erhöht, die ihr Heil in einer Weiterflucht suchen.

Die Karamanlis-Regierung hat Flüchtlinge faktisch für vogelfrei erklärt. Zum Teil werden sie unter Verletzung der Genfer Flüchtlingskonvention in Nacht- und Nebelaktionen in die Türkei abgeschoben. Wo der Rechtsbruch von staatlicher Seite zum Alltag wird, da scheinen offenbar einige Polizisten bereit, dies als Lizenz zum Töten aufzufassen.


gez. Bernd Mesovic
Referent

Weiter Informationen erhalten Sie unter: www.proasyl.de/de/themen/eu-politik/detail/news/situation_von_asylsuchenden_in_griechenland_dramatisch/back/1308/

Dienstag, 28. Juli 2009

news from CHIOS and MITILINI 28 july 2009

a solidarity action that prevented the deportation of 62 refugees in Lesvos

look here (english)

http://www.occupiedlondon.org/blog/2009/07/25/63-mytilini-lesvos-solidarity-gathering-blocks-and-prevents-the-deportation-of-62-migrants/
and here
http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=1062539 (in greek but has some photos from the action)



16.07.2009 chios

30 refugees transported on the ferry THEOFILOS to KAVALA.
the information from the prison was that they will be brought to a
"better" refugee welcome center in Kavala.but even the police officials
assured in kavala that such a center does not exist.

the refugees have been braught from kavala to the river EVROS and been
forced to enter with 10 poeple a small boat and return to turkei.
the greek military that forced them has shoots in the air probably to
inform the turkish side.

this happend many times till all people had left on small boats.at night.
some where immediatly caught on the turkish side some managed to run away.
in istanbul they got in contact with ngos that gave this informations.

-----------------------------

23.07.2009 mitilini

62 refugees are brought with a bus at 1 o clock at nicht in the harbour
of mitlini to be transported with the THEOFILOS to kavala. suposetly to
be brought also in a better prison and to make space in the prison of
pagani/mitlini which is full with around 500 refugees.

the refugees are escorted from 3 police cars 3 security cars are atached
with handschellen each two together and amog them is one minor and many
who have a pink card (have asked for asylum).

as the THEOFILOS is aproaching the police officers desimbark the
refugees from the bus put them in rows and scream NOW so that they
immediatly start walking to to ship.

a group of 50 people concerned about the deportsation are faster than
the police allows
and stand blocking the refugees from entering the ship.

since a third group is also about to run into the ship:the traveling
people,the police immediatly returns the refugees in the bus.

untill 3 o clock the bus is standing int the harbour the refugees stand
in it screaming answering back the loud calls NO BORDER.

then they are brought back to the prison PAGANI.
the ship doesn´t leave,instead turns of the motor so that there is the
fear that they just wait the the
solidar people go away to bring the bus back.
but nobody moves from there.

at 4 o clock the ship leaves without the refugees.

two days later,and after the minor and the people having made
requests for asylum where kept in mitlini,the refugees are brought htis
time with police prison cars and straight in the ship that is better garded.

they are since then in athens in the central refugee prison ALODAPON and
say they did not even get something to drink or to eat.

----------------------------------------
26.07.2009 chios- 2 deportation

2 buses transport 60 refugees from the prison to the harbour again to
embark them on the THEFILOS to kavala.this time a group of 100 people is
there and sits infront of the buses
blocking their way to the ship-
for 1 and a half hours.
then the police brutaly attacks the solidarity people.
one man jumps into the sea infront of the ship to try to block the
departure -

the flase information that the refugees are brought to a better prison
in north greece is said again from the officials.

the ship arived then in the harbour of mitilini where solidarity groups
where giving flyers to travelling people to inform about the deportation.

the two buses with their drivers that could not get out of the ship
before departure in chios because of the blockade desimbarked in mitlini.

the ship continued to thessaloniki where also groups of solidarity to
the refugees waited for the arival-

among the refugees are 2 minors one of which has been separed from his
mother which stayed in the prison in chios.

the greek UNHCR has informed that the 2 minors have to stay in greece

yeastarday at noon the bus with the 60 refugees was on its way to
ALEXANDROUPOLIS a town near the border to turkey.

here follows a translation of the flyer given in mitlini to inform :


A DIFFERENT JOURNEY

THIS EVENING, BETWEEN THE PEOPLE TRAVELLING VOLUNTARILY WITH THE NEL
FERRY BOAT, THERE ARE MORE THAN 50 PEOPLE WHO DO NOT AT ALL WANT TO MAKE
THE „RETURN“ JOURNEY.
THEY HAVE COME FROM AREAS IN THE WORLD THAT ARE AT WAR SUCH AS
AFGHANISTAN, PALESTINE, SOMALIA.
IN EUROPE THEY ARE SEARCHING FOR THE RIGHTS TO WHICH THEY ARE ENTITLED
UNDER INTERNATIONAL TREATIES. THE GREEK AUTHORITIES ANSWER TO THEIR
DESPERATION BY PUTTING THEM IN THE PRISON OF PAGANI IN MYTILINI UNDER
INHUMANE CIRCUMSTANCES AND BY LEGALLY AND PRACTICALLY IGNORING THEIR
RIGHT TO ASYLUM.

THEIR TRANSPORTATION TODAY TO AN UNKNOWN DESTINATION IS TAKING PLACE IN
THE CONTEXT OF AN OVERALL „CLEANING“ OF THE COUNTRY AND OF EUROPE OF
PEOPLE WHICH THE STATE HAS MARKED AS BEING „DANGEROUS“, „DIFFERENT“ AND
„UNWANTED“. THE THREAT OF IMMEDIATE DEPORTATION PUTS THEIR LIFE IN
DANGER IN A WAY WE ARE UNABLE TO IMAGINE.

THE GREEK STATE PARTICIPATES IN THE MAKING OF NEW EUROPEAN LEGISLATION
which virtually abolishes people’s right to asylum AND THAT IS THE
REASON WHY THESE PEOPLE ARE SENT AWAY BEFORE EVEN HAVING BEEN HEARD.

THIS EVENT IS PART OF THE CONTINUOUS PROGROM DIRECTED AGAINST REFUGEES
WITH OR WITHOUT PAPERS IN GREECE TODAY. WE HAVE BEEN WARNED THAT THIS
WILL BE A „HOT“ SUMMER AND INDEED WE SEE EVERY DAY: AGIOS PANDELEIMONA
IN ATHENS WHERE THE STATE AND GROUPS OF FASCHISTS COLLABORATE AGAINST
THE PRESENCE OF REFUGEES, OR THE EFETIO BUILDING IN ATHENS WHERE MANY
REFUGEES HAD FOUND A HOME WHCH WAS BRUTALLY DISMANTLED, THE CITY OF
PATRAS WHERE A REFUGEE CAMP WAS EMPTIED AND THAN BURNT DOWN BY SPECIAL
POLICE UNITS.

FINALLY WE SEE IT AT THE HARBOURS OF THE GREEK FRONTIER ISLANDS WHERE
THE CONTINUOUS PRESENCE OF FRONTEX IN CLOSE COOPERATION WITH THE GREEK
COASTAL AUTHORITIES TAKE CARE OF THE REFOULEMENT OF REFUGEES WHO HAVE
TRIED TO ENTER THE „PARADISE“ WHICH THE MEDIA SAID THEY WOULD FIND IN
EUROPE.

NO ONE IS ILLEGAL

DEPORTATION IS NOT A PLEASURE TRIP

DEPORTATION CAN MEAN DEATH

Freitag, 3. Juli 2009

Congolese Social Forum and greetings to Lesvos Noborder



Victor NZUZI from Congolese Social Forum

Photograph of the demonstration in the streets of Lubumbashi on June 26, 2009 to say no

to the plundering of the resources of Congo. The demonstration took place on the occasion of the Second Congolese Social Forum, which was held from June 26 to June 29 in Lubumbashi, in the province of Katanga (towards Zambia). The first edition of the forum was held in Kinshasa in 2007.

The topics of the forum were: our natural resources, our rights, our dignity, let us liberate the word and build the Democratic Republic of Congo with our natural resources.

We organized the forum in this city and this area, because there are many mineral resources

-mainly copper, cobalt, uranium and coltan- which are currently being exploited by more than 200 enterprises. But the population remains very poor.

Large trucks are coming to get the raw minerals, to bring them to South Africa and from there to Asia (China, India), Europe and the USA.

ECOLOGICAL AND MEDICAL CONSEQUENCES

One finds in this area persons suffering from radioactivity and lung diseases. Because of the radioactivity children are born with deformations (two heads, three legs... monsters) and the children are in the mines with all the risks involved. Especially the women are getting raped.

MIGRATION

Because of poverty, the young people of this city go to South Africa, where they are hunted in an atrocious way. Some go to Europe, China, India; there is a lot of migration. In this city there are many young people who have been expelled from South Africa and Angola. You should know that this area is the richest of Congo, but there is incredible poverty. Many multinationals come to exploit the minerals here.

That is the reason why I had the paintings with the boat of Frontex and that with the map of Congo and on the map, a computer, a camera, a telephone and a soldier who shoots a man to rape his wife or his sister.

This means that the war in Congo -with 5 million deceased- is conducted because of the mineral resources that are used to manufacture telephones, cameras and because of this violence and poverty, the young people leave the country, migrate.

THEY ALSO WANT TO GO SEE THE COUNTRIES WHERE THE COPPER AND COBALT ARE GOING AND TO ENJOY A GOOD LIFE.

that was it

victorPO