Fra Politiken:

Politikerne kan forsøge at skræmme, hetze og fordømme deres egne befolkninger, men i et demokrati er det altså flertallet, som bestemmer.

Selv om EU om-afholder folkeafstemninger, indtil de giver det ønskede resultat.

Stå fast, Schweitzere!

Schweizerne ønsker ikke at se minareter på toppen af landets moskeer.

De foreløbige opgørelser fra dagens folkeafstemning peger tydeligt på, at et nyt lovforslag om minaret-forbud vil blive vedtaget, skriver den schweiziske netavis nzz.online.

Det stærkt omdiskuterede forslag stammer fra det højreradikale parti SVP, Schweizisk Folkeparti.

Ja’et en stor overraskelse
»Initiativet ser ud til at blive accepteret. Det er en enorm overraskelse«, lyder det fra det fransksprogede schweiziske tv-selskab en halv time efter at afstemningsstederne var lukket ved frokosttid.

SVP er det største parti i Schweiz. Men alligevel har det op til folkeafstemningen ikke skortet på advarsler mod at sige ja til SVP’s forslag.

Advarsler mod et ja
Både den schweiziske regering og parlamentet har forkastet forslaget. Man mener, at det strider imod landets forfatning, religionsfriheden og landets højt skattede tradition for tolerance.

De har endnu ikke fattet, hvad de har lukket ind.

Også fra FNs organisation til overvågning af menneskerettigheder har der lydt bekymring.

Ja, fra den samling islamiske og kommunistiske despoter, som sidder i OIC/UNHCR, SKAL der jo komme klynk og offer-flæb.

Security Council Renews Arms Embargo, Diamond Trade Ban in Côte d’Ivoire

Security Council Expresses Concern at Delay in Publication of Provisional

Secretary-General Welcomes Provisional Voters List in Côte d’Ivoire, Encourages All Parties to Build on This Critical Milestone, Determine New Election Date

     Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on 24th November on all parties in Côte d’Ivoire to fix a new date as soon as possible for their much-delayed elections, now postponed yet again from their latest deadline of this month.

    Welcoming 23rd November publication of the provisional voter list in the West African country, split by civil war in 2002 into a Government-ruled south and a rebel-controlled north, he assured all parties that the UN would continue to provide the necessary financial, technical and logistical aid to help them organize and conduct open, free, fair and transparent elections.

    The elections, originally scheduled for as far back as 2005, were planned for 29 November after repeated postponements.

    “The Secretary-General believes that with this important development [the provisional list], the Ivorian parties and institutions have made significant progress towards the establishment of a consensual and transparent voters list,” a statement issued by Mr. Ban’s spokesperson said.

    “The Secretary-General now encourages all the Ivorian parties to build further on this critical milestone in order to prepare the final voters list and move forward in determining a new election date as soon as possible.”

    A UN peacekeeping mission, known as UNOCI, has been stationed in Côte d’Ivoire since 2004 to help ensure a ceasefire and pave the way for permanent peace and democratic elections. Reauthorized repeatedly since then, most recently until 31 January 2010, it currently comprises nearly 8,400 uniformed personnel, as well as 407 international civilian staff.

Côte d’Ivoire Country Operations Profile

UNHCR Maps – Côte d’Ivoire

    A peace agreement between the Government and the rebel Forces Nouvelles (FN) in March 2007 resulted in the appointment of FN leader Guillaume Soro as prime minister. This event marked a turning point in the peace process in Côte d’Ivoire. All the signatories to the accord, signed in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, confirmed their commitment to peace and stability, a development welcomed by the international community.

    The Ouagadougou Agreement included provisions for a joint military command, a new government, the disbanding of militias and armed groups, assisted returns of internally displaced persons (IDPs), and elections within 10 months. The agreement also included the gradual removal of the zone de confiance, a buffer strip set up by international peacekeepers to separate government troops in the south from the FN in the north, and the resumption of the audiences foraines, or public hearings related to the granting of birth certificates, identity papers and settlement of nationality issues.

    Notwithstanding the delay in implementing some of the major aspects of the agreement, including the disarmament and demobilization of armed factions, key groups in the country have agreed that the first round of presidential elections should be held on 30 November 2008.

The needs

    Self-reliance projects are required for the remaining Liberian refugees in Côte d’Ivoire to help with their local integration. Persons with specific needs who do not benefit from local services need assistance. Urban refugees, who are affected by the current economic crisis in the country, need help to maintain minimum living standards. Women and children at risk need educational programmes and income-generating activities. Ivorian refugees in neighbouring countries require assistance to return to Côte d’Ivoire and to reintegrate into their areas of origin.

Main objectives

• Promote the voluntary repatriation and reintegration of Ivorian refugees.
• Protect and assist urban refugees in Abidjan.
• Facilitate the local integration of some 24,000 Liberian refugees through self-reliance projects, support local structures and help individuals with specific needs.
• Provide community-based assistance in the health, education, social services, sanitation and water supply sectors.
• Prevent and respond to sexual and gender-based violence.
• Pursue third-country resettlement for eligible cases.

UNHCR Statistical Yearbook Country Data Sheet – Côte d’Ivoire

• 2005 UNHCR Statistical Yearbook Country Data Sheet – Côte d’Ivoire

• 2004 UNHCR Statistical Yearbook Country Data Sheet – Côte d’Ivoire

• 2003 UNHCR Statistical Yearbook Country Data Sheet – Côte d’Ivoire

• 2002 UNHCR Statistical Yearbook Country Data Sheet – Côte d’Ivoire

Per Milanoincontemporanea si profila  un periodo davvero entusiasmante in quanto a eventi e manifestazioni.

Per darvi il tempo di segnare in agenda tutte le novità  più interessanti, oggi mi “porto avanti con i lavori” e vi segnalo l’asta di arte moderna e contemporanea di Sotheby’s (via Broggi 19) del prossimo mercoledì 25 dicembre, facente parte del progetto ”Arte contemporanea per i Rifugiati” . Si comincia alle ore 20.30.

Oltre a sperare che qualcuno di voi possa concorrere alla gara aggiudicandosi qualcuno dei pezzi in catalogo – siamo un po’ tutti aspiranti collezionisti, no? – ci tengo a indicarvi questa serata per due motivi molto semplici: si tratta di un’asta a scopo benefico e credo rappresenti una buona occasione per scoprire un mondo davvero eccitante.

Molti non lo sanno, ma è quasi sempre possibile visitare gratuitamente le opere messe all’incanto anche dalle grandi case come Sotheby’s e Christie’s, oltre che partecipare alla serata.

Mi raccomando, però, non fate gesti, altrimenti all’uscita vi toccherà firmare un assegnino niente male…

L’asta di Sotheby’s in questione riguarda l’annuale inziativa dell’ “Arte Contemporanea per i Rifugiati“, sostenuta dall’Alto Commissariato delle Nazioni Unite per i Rifugiati (UNHCR) proprio per i rifugiati.

Molti artisti contemporanei hanno partecipato attivamente all’idea mettendo a disposizione delle opere a tema. Tra tutte quelle in catalogo (ve ne ho esposta qualcuna, virtualmente, nella gallery) mi è piaciuta un sacco la soluzione di Alfredo Jarr, Silence (2001) – una romantica finestra con le tende mosse dal vento per nascondere, o stare per svelare, chissà quale novità; e il cinema-teatro vuoto di Kim Sooja – la sua opera è del 2007 e si initola Invisible needle invisible mirror.

Oltre a partecipare all’asta e fare del bene, sappiate che l’esposizione delle opere è gratuita fino a domani, 24 novembre, dalle 10 alle 13 e dalle 14 alle 19: vi troverete tutte le crezioni degli artisti per il progetto “Water for Refugees“, a favore dei rifugiati della Repubblica Democratica del Congo e del Burundi attualmente ospitati in tre campi UNHCR in Tanzania.

Un’ occasione speciale per conoscere un mondo, quello delle aste, poco noto e ancora un po’ di nicchia – ma vi assicuro elettrizzante –  nonchè per apprezzare da vicino opere contemporanee di artisti molto quotati.

Qualche nome? Alfredo Jaar, Tomas Saraceno, Kimsooja, Lucy + Jorge Orta, Grazia Toderi, Marcello Maloberti, Gea Casolaro, A12, Moira Ricci.

Asta di arte moderna e contemporanea
Sotheby’s
via Broggi 19
Esposizione: fino a martedì 24 novembre 2009, ore 10-13; 14-19
Asta:   mercoledì 25 novembre 2009, ore 20.3o

The Angola Field Group invites you to: ‘UNHCR in Angola, past achievements and current challenges‘, at the Viking Club, Thursday, November 26, 8:00 PM.  The UNHCR – the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, has been operating in Angola since 1976.  As a leading UN operational humanitarian agency, it has assisted Angola to meet the challenges of mass displacement, emergency humanitarian situations, the repatriation of hundreds of thousands of refugees, the establishment of a functioning national asylum system, and the need to develop a modern migration management system. Today, UNHCR is also playing its role in the emergency response to the recent mass expulsion of Angolan refugees from the DRC and helping the Government prepare an operational plan to bring home the tens of thousands of Angolan refugees that still remain in the DRC and other neighbouring countries. The presentation will  illustrate the above and how UNHCR works with refugees, asylum seekers and other vulnerable displaced people not only in theory but in practice.

Bohdan Nahajlo has been the UNHCR Representative in Angola since September 2008.  Previously he was UNHCR’s Representative in Azerbaijan and Belarus and worked extensively on forced displacement challenges in the countries of the former Soviet Union.  British born and educated, before he joined UNHCR in 1994 he was a writer and a journalist.  The author of two books and numerous articles and reports, he was a regular contributor to the Spectator, New Statesman and The Times.  He began his professional career after postgraduate studies at the London School of Economics as a Researcher on the USSR for Amnesty International.

Everybody is welcome to attend this presentation. In close cooperation with the Viking Club, this event is offered free of charge. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are sold at the bar, $3.00 each. For sale, books about Angola, in English and just in time for Christmas, Huambo Dolls will be on sale. For a location map of the Viking Club visit our Join Us page. The club is on the main floor of the ‘Predio Maianga’ formerly known as the Swedish Building, at Rua Marien N”Guabi, No 118 in Maianga, across the street from the new Panela de Barra restaurant.

Angolan refugees continue to flee from the DRC. Photo courtesy Yolande Ditewig.

Quando si dice una campagna che parla da sola.

La nuova campagna di UNHCR per sensibilizzare alla condizione dei rifugiati.

Per sostenere l’agenzia ONU per i Rifugiati trovate info qui

Agenzia Young & Rubicam

Sunglasses@night

Field Report

—————

The UN and the government of Pakistan believe that 2.4 million civilians were displaced over the past year by the violence. According to OCHA, around 1.7 million have returned, leaving approximately 700,000 still displaced. On October 16th, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported in its humanitarian update that there were still 12 camps operating and many displaced were still being hosted by relatives in safer communities. The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) is currently undertaking an assessment to determine how many people are still displaced, and what their needs are.

With humanitarian organizations under siege, donor governments have repeatedly failed to provide them the requisite political support. To avoid further disrupting relations with a key ally in the war on terror, the U.S. and the European Union have not insisted that humanitarian aid be provided to the most vulnerable and they have remained silent in the face of discrimination in the provision of assistance and reports of human rights abuses by the Pakistani military. If the goal is to earn the allegiance of the population, this is a mistake. Enabling humanitarian organizations to provide relief impartially is not only principled, but may prove to be good politics as well.

(c) Refugees International, 2009

• Santos wants continuation of war on drugs [Colombia Reports]
• Chavez once again asks Obama to give up Nobel [Beunos Aires Herald]
• Peru takes arms reduction proposal to governments in the region [Peruvian Times]
• Algiers rocked by second day of marches [World News Network]
• Nigeria’s crude oil production hits 2.4 million bpd [Vanguard]
• CNDP Chief Kamanzi resigns [All Africa News]
• Monuc accused of sharing intelligence with FDLR leaders [The New Times]
• Record high Somali refugees land on Yemeni shores [IRIN]
• World hunger increases despite growth in food production [FAO]
• AIDS commission takes new direction in prevention [Plus News]
• Burundians hand in thousands of weapons [IRIN]
• Guinea – Humanitarian Update [IRIN]
• In Afghanistan, over 2,000 civilians killed in first 10 months of 2009 [Various]
• Car suicide attack kills four, injures 26 in Badhaber, Pakistan [Dawn]

This a translation of this Nov 11, Avgi article, about this recent case of immigrant abuse in Pagani and the legal developments on Kamran Atif’s death .  Thanks to Efi for her work.

stapsa for clandestinenglish

The assault on the 17-year- old refugee is a “cold case”.

The assault on the 17-year-old refugee Mr. Mohamed Hussein Khantar by police guards in the Pagani refugee camp last October is considered a “cold case”. The same applies for the case of the death of the Pakistani immigrant Mohamed Kamran- who had been allegedly tortured in the police department of Nikea in Athens

According to newspaper Avgi’s sources, during the preliminary investigations conducted with regards to the assault case, Mytilene’s state attorney could not find sufficient evidence leading to possible prosecutions of police guards in the Pagani refugee camp. Thus, the case is considered cold, and all preliminary investigations regarding police officials are going to be archived.

The manner in which the case is concluded, confirms the fears of various bodies and organizations that an abuse case would be covered- up by the police forces. It is claimed that witnesses in the Pagani camp were offered “pink cards” in return for their silence, and were sent to Athens, where it is impossible to be traced.

Moreover, questions arise with regards to the contradictory conclusions after Mr. Khantar’s examination. According to his attending physician’s statement, injuries and traumatic lesions were found on his head, back area and hands; however, the medical examiner concluded that his injuries were older than the day of the alleged police assault.

The police assault has allegedly taken place in the afternoon of October 22nd, in the Pagani refugee camp, just a few hours after Mr. Spyros Vougias, who is the undersecretary of the Ministry of Citizen Protection, visited the camp. After the event was made public, the Ministry of Citizen Protection ordered a preliminary investigation of the case, which was conducted by Mytilene’s state attorney.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has made an announcement, pleading for an in-depth investigation of the case and a subsequent prosecution of the people involved. The Greek political party SYRIZA is planning to bring the topic in parliamentary discussion.

Kamran’s case

With regards to Mohamed Kamran’s case, leaked information from the Ministry of Citizen Protection reveal that toxicology tests show Kamran intoxicated; according to the same leak, the post mortem toxicology investigation found Kamran using alcohol and other substances before his death.

However, Mr. Fragiskos Ragoussis, Kamran family’s attorney stated that there are no official toxicology test results yet, and that in any case his clients are going to ask for a test re-run, since according to the Greek law the family has the right to appoint an external medical examiner during the autopsy.

On 19 and 20 November 2009, the “Regional Conference on Refugee Protection and International Migration in the Americas – Protection Considerations in the Context of Mixed Migration” will take place in San José, Costa Rica. The conference, which has been made possible through funding provided by the European Commission and the US State Department’ Bureau on Population, Refugees and Migration, is convened jointly by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the Organisation of American States (OAS) in cooperation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The Conference will primarily focus on mixed migratory movements in the Americas. Participants will exchange information, experiences and views on mixed migration issues in the continent and shall particularly discuss protection considerations arising with respect to asylum-seekers and refugees, victims of human trafficking, unaccompanied children and victims of physical or sexual violence or trauma as well as with view to general human rights of people on the move.

The Conference, which will be conducted only in Spanish and English, will bring together representatives of 20 States from all over the Americas, interested donor countries, international and regional organizations, national institutions for the promotion of human rights, the academia, representatives of civil society organizations as well as other stakeholders directly involved in addressing mixed migratory movements in the region.

Source: ACNUR

Eritrean refugees in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, have urged the international community to denounce a recent statement by their home government concerning their situation and instead listen to their plights.

Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, the Organising Committee of Eritrean Refugees said the world should strongly condemn the recent attempt by Eritrea’s government which they said is meant to deceive the UNCHR Executive Committee about their situation.

According to the committee, the press conference, attended by representatives of UNHCR, the Administration for Refugee and Returnee Affairs (ARRA) and Eritrean refugees in the Ethiopia’s capital was to echo ‘the plights of the refugees to the international community.’

Eritrea’s delegation, led by its Ambassador to Geneva, Girma Asmerom, submitted testimonial to UNHCR Executive Committee during its meeting held from 28 September to 2 October, indicating that there were no Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia.

The testimonial, which the refugees labeled ‘irresponsible, malicious, false and ridiculous,’ stated that the refugees in Ethiopia are ‘victims of human trafficking that is coordinated and financed by the Ethiopian military and security. They are Eritreans incarcerated in deplorable camps controlled and managed by the Ethiopian army.’

However, the organising committee said the refugees were ‘victims of the oppressive autocratic regimentation of the Eritrean government.’

The refugee camps in Ethiopia are administered by UNHCR and ARRA, according to Samuel Ande, a member of the committee and one of the Eritrean refugees in Addis.

According to the committee, the testimonial was meant to cover the continuation of inhuman actions committed by the Eritrean government.

People in Eritrea suffer arbitrary arrest, torture and extra judicial killings if they are suspected of having dissenting opinion from the government, the committee said.

‘The regime oppresses and imposes unlimited pressures on all religious institutions,’ it alleged.

In the area of education, the committee said students are forced to attend classes in military camps.

‘The government of Eritrea closed the sole university in the country and forced college and secondary school students to attend classes inside military camp under the barrel of the gun,’ the committee claimed in its statement.

All Eritrean youth, men and women, above the age of 18 years have to undergo a mandatory national military training service of six to 18 months duration.

In addition to being a country with no independent or semi-independent press, Eritreans are indiscriminately and aggressively driven into forced labour, the committee said.

‘What is going on in Eritrea, in this regard, is nothing but outright practicing of slavery in disguise,’ it lamented.

Due to such political oppression, many young Eritreans die and get thrown into the Red or Mediterranean seas while attempting ‘to reach safety in western democ racies’, according to the committee.

Hence, the committee said, the situation of Eritrean refugees in neighboring countries, including Ethiopia, Sudan and Yemen, needs more attention from the international community ‘than ever before’.

Source: Afrique en Ligne