Cavafy Walls

WALLS

They did not seek my permission
to brick me in, to entomb me
before they built these massive walls around me.

I brood forlornly, without hope
contemplating my ignominious fate.

I had plans, such ambitious plans.
While I crouched here intensely plotting
they were building brick on brick
and stone on stone around me.

I never heard a thing, was unaware
how quickly and how stealthily they sealed me.

...in a dark closed tunnel

Please help Hussein Karimyon (Benjamin)

Benjamin was known to many Calais Migrant Solidarity activists when he was in Calais last September / October. Benjamin was interviewed by the BBC last September.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8274508.stm

Hussein Karimyon, known as Benjamin to his friends was detained on Tuesday 2nd March 2010 whilst reporting at the Home Office in Glasgow. He was given removal directions to Greece for this coming Wednesday, 10th March.

His flight details are, 08:00 on British Airways flight BA640.

Hussein is a 37-year old man from Iran who has been in the UK since October 2009. He fled his home country after being imprisoned and tortured for 1 ½ years for being a member of the Gaben – Mali (International Front Party). Hussein could be again in serious danger if returned to Iran.

Hussein was tortured not only in Iran but also in Greece, where he was imprisoned in 2 different places for 3 months. During this time he was beaten and denied essential medication. HE HAS STATED THAT HE WOULD RATHER DIE THAN BE SENT BACK TO GREECE, WHICH IS WHERE THE HOME OFFICE ARE PLANNING TO REMOVE HIM TO ON WEDNESDAY. Hussein suffers from many health problems due to his mistreatment and is reliant on heart medication (which was previously confiscated during his time in Greece). Since being in Glasgow he has been to hospital 3 times, for treatment of spinal problems, loss of eye sight and fainting.

Hussein is challenging the removal under rule 39 of the ECtHR Rules of the Court . Recently, there has been an increase in the number of cases in which the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has, under its Rule 39, instructed State governments not to carry out Dublin transfers (1.). Greece is one of the countries to which numerous Dublin transfers have been halted by the ECtHR. Numerous concerns have been raised about the situation for asylum seekers in Greece. In December 2009, the UNCHR stated that they had ‘no choice but to continue to recommend against transfers to Greece under the Dublin II Regulation or otherwise’ until reforms were made to procedures (2.) A report by Human Rights Watch also raised concerns about the asylum procedure, and the potential human rights abuses faced by people transferred under the Dublin Regulations, concluding that ‘Greece has taken the approach of using noxious detention conditions, procedural obstacles to lodging claims, and illegal summary removals and abusive police and Coast Guard conduct to deter asylum seekers from entering Greece or, if they do succeed in entering, to dissuade them from staying or from seeking asylum there’ (3.). The report also highlighted the risk of return to countries of origin through indirect refoulement (4.).

In February 2009, a report by Human Rights Commissioner Hammarberg carried considerable weight with the Court, who made a judgment against Greece in for unlawful detention of a Turkish asylum applicant. It ruled that Greece had violated article 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights through arbitrary detention and lack of legal remedy, and article 3 in that the conditions of detention amounted to degrading treatment. (5.). Sending Hussein to Greece would mean a very real threat of human rights abuses, and of removal to Iran.

In a case heard in the House of Commons on 2nd March 2010 Mr Ivan Lewis stated that “Iranian authorities continue to suppress legitimate protest, restrict civil liberties and threaten violence, even execution, to silence dissent, but the Iranian people continue to demand their fundamental rights. We urge the authorities to respect the right of their citizens to be heard… Amnesty International says that it is the worst human rights situation for 20 years" (6.). To send Hussein back to Iran is a death sentence.

Hussein's life will be in serious danger, as will the life of his family, if he is returned to Iran.

Myself and many other activists know Hussein from his time spent sleeping rough in Calais. While in Calais, Hussein instigated a hunger strike against the level of repression he faced, and to highlight the life-threatening situation he was in. The hunger strike was violently stopped by the French riot police and Hussein was put into a detention center in Calais.

Hussein has many friends in the UK and has begun a life in Glasgow, where he is attending English classes, is a regular member of a church, and is an active member of the community. He has traveled for many years to reach the UK, being persecuted along the way, and we ask that he is given the opportunity to make his asylum claim in the UK. He came to the UK through Calais and is known well to people from the Unity Centre, the Migrant English Project and Calais Migrant Solidarity. His solicitor has been unable to visit him as he has been moved from the detention centre in Glasgow to Manchester, and is due to be moved to London today. His representatives have had little time to prepare a case.


Please help by contacting the Home Secretary asking that Hussein’s flight be stopped and that he be released from detention immediately.

What can you do?
1) Contact British Airways to stop the flight. Please quote flight number BA640 to Athens , Greece, on Wednesday 10th March 08.00.

Email/Phone Willie Walsh, Chief Executive Officer British Airways and urge him not to carry out deportation flights, including the forced removal of Hussein Karimyon.
Please do not remove Hussein Karimyon Ref K1307066/2, due to be forcibly removed from the UK on Wednesday 8 March 2010 @ 08:00 on British Airways flight BA640.
Email: willie.walsh@ba.com

Customer Relations phone: 0844 493 0 787 Monday-Friday 08:00-18:30 (hold line till operator answers)
2) Contact Alan Johnson, Home Secretary, asking him to exercise his discretionary powers to stop the flight, to release Hussein Karimyon from detention and to grant him protection in the UK. A letter is attached If you are writing your own letter or email, please include Home Office Reference number: K1307066/2
Phone: +44 (0)20 7035 4848 or 0870 606 7766
Fax: + 44 (0)20 7219 5856 and (0)20 8760 3132
By Email : johnsona@parliament.uk
Or: public.enquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Privateoffice.external@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
UKBApublicenquiries@UKBA.gsi.gov.uk


References:
1. ECtHR Interim Measures (Rule 39) to stop Dublin transfers 19 Jun 2009 http://cmr.jur.ru.nl/cmr/docs/ecre.rule39.pdf
2. UNCHR ‘Observations on Greece as a country of asylum’ December 2009 http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/refworld/rwmain?docid=4b4b3fc82&page=search.
3. Stuck in a Revolving Door, Human Rights Watch, November 2008 http://www.hrw.org/en/node/76211/section/1
4. Stuck in a Revolving Door, Human Rights Watch, November 2008 http://www.hrw.org/en/node/76211/section/14
5. http://www.ecre.org/files/ECRE_Weekly_Bulletin_19_June_2009.pdf
6.http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmhansrd/cm100302/debtext/100302-0002.htm#10030263000022

Greece: Initial steps to improve refugee policy, police conduct and minority rights, says Commisioner for Human Rights

Strasbourg, 11.02.2010 – The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg, concluded yesterday a three-day visit to Greece during which he held discussions with a number of authorities including the Vice-President of the Government, the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Citizen Protection. He also met with national, international and non-governmental organizations.

The Commissioner welcomed the willingness of the Greek government to tackle long-standing, structural problems in the field of asylum and police misconduct. “If implemented rigorously, systematically and in conformity with international standards, the planned changes have the potential of coping successfully with serious human rights challenges in Greece”, Commissioner Hammarberg said.

The Commissioner noted with deep concern that asylum seekers in Greece continue to face enormous difficulties trying to gain access to the asylum procedure, and do not always enjoy basic safeguards such as interpretation and legal aid. He welcomed the current plans to proceed with an overhaul of the system and move towards a fair, accessible and swift asylum procedure. This includes in particular the establishment of an independent asylum agency and screening centers at entry points. During the visit, the Commissioner stressed that asylum and immigration are issues that can only be tackled effectively by a concerted effort at European level and that solidarity by other EU countries must therefore be increased.

The Commissioner was pleased to note the ongoing reform of nationality legislation, which aims to facilitate acquisition of Greek citizenship, inter alia, by children born in Greece to non-Greek parents. The reform will also grant long term residents the right to vote in local elections. “In this way, Greece will move towards greater compliance with European standards, and benefit from enhanced participation of people of migrant background to society”, Commissioner Hammarberg stated.

As regards police misconduct, the Commissioner welcomed current plans to establish an office to deal with police complaints. He appreciated the openness of the Minister of Citizen Protection to draw on the expertise of other European countries and the guidance of the Commissioner himself, reflected notably in his Opinion concerning determination of complaints against the police.

Finally, as concerns the protection of the human rights of minorities, Commissioner Hammarberg stressed that the Greek authorities need “to show greater receptiveness to diversity in their society and to take further measures that would allow minority groups to express their identity on the basis of self identification”. To this end, full and effective implementation of the relevant judgments of the European Court of Human Rights and the ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities are particularly important measures.

Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights
Communication Unit
Tel: +33 (0)3 88 41 35 38
Fax:+33 (0)3 90 21 50 53

European Court of Human Rights

Press release issued by the Registrar

                                        Chamber judgment concerning Greece                26.11.2009

Tabesh v. Greece (no. 8256/07)*

The applicant, Rafk Tabesh, is an Afghan national who was born in 1986. His current place of abode is unknown. Relying on Article 3 (prohibition of inhuman or degrading treatment), he complained about the conditions of his detention pending deportation. Relying in particular on Article 5 (right to liberty and security), he further complained that his placement in detention had been unlawful, the reasoning of the administrative and judicial decisions having been insufficient in this connection, and that when he had been arrested he had been informed of the reasons for his arrest in a language that he had not understood.

Violation of Article 3 (treatment)

Violation of Article 5 §§ 1 and 4

Just satisfaction: EUR 8,000 (non-pecuniary damage) and EUR 3,500 (costs and expenses)

a protest letter from british academic members regarding the recent attack on refugee camp in Patras Greece

We are concerned about the British media silence regarding the recent attack on a refugee camp in Patras Greece as a reflection of the idea of Fortress Europe.

As trade unionists and academics who research issues of human rights and social inequality we strongly condemn the recent use of violence against migrants in Patras, Greece.

Greece has been repeatedly condemned by international organisations over maltreatment of migrants and asylum seekers. In recent weeks we have witnessed further demonisation and victimisation of migrants and asylum seekers. Punitive police operations are presented as the answer and the authorities fuel the media with xenophobic rhetoric and images. As a result there is a dramatic increase in cases of brutality against migrants. The authorities not only seem to tolerate attacks of fascist groups on individuals and families, but also orchestrated a brutal and unlawful operation against the refugee camp in Patras.

Thousands of migrants have been living in this makeshift camp for over the last eight years without any support and protection from the Greek state. The Greek authorities made it impossible for most of them even to apply for asylum, by not providing access to the necessary services. During this period the migrants were systematically harassed by the police and coast guard and were labeled as “clandestines”. Nevertheless, nothing could prepare the local community of Parts and the groups of citizens who voluntarily support the migrants, for what was about to happen last week.

In the early hours of Sunday 12/7/2009 and without any previous warning, hundreds of fully armed riot police engaged in an inhuman and appalling operation. As the UNHCR, International Human Rights Organsations and local support groups highlight, major streets were blocked and access to the area was banned. The state authorities, arrested hundreds of migrants, demolished and burned down the makeshift accommodation, including personal belongings, travel documents and the camp mosque. The migrants who had travel documents were temporarily directed to a local hotel. The rest of them were arrested and there seems to be no further information concerning their whereabouts. It is highly likely that a number of unaccompanied minors were among the group, as the decision on who was minor solely lied upon the “judgment” of riot police during this inhuman operation. We also express our concern about the possibility of forcible repatriation of the migrants to Afghanistan.

For the lucky ones who escaped arrest things are not any better. Without any facilities to offer protection and support, hundreds of migrants live dispersed and terrorized in the city centre without being able to meet their very basic human needs.

We demand answers to the following questions:

• The operation lacked any legal, ethical and moral basis. Who decided it?
• Why did the operation take place without any previous warning and most importantly without ensuring that access to other reception facilities would be available?
• How many migrants were arrested and where exactly are they being detained?
• How did they ensure that unaccompanied minors were not maltreated and abused?
• Why migrants were not offered an opportunity to apply for asylum?
• Are there plans to forcibly repatriate them without any prior access to the asylum process?
• Will Greece keep tolerating the racist and xenophobic attacks against migrants and their families?

In the absence of an official answer we reserve our right to visit the area and make use of any means at our disposal to ensure that the authorities and individuals involved will be held accountable of their actions.

Prof. Alex Callinicos, Kings College London

Dr. Karen Evans, University of Liverpool

Dr. Iain Ferguson, University of Stirling

Prof. Emer. Chris Jones, University of Liverpool

Dr. Vasilios Ioakimidis, Liverpool Hope University

Dr. Michael Lavalette, Liverpool Hope University

Mr. Peter Marsden Blackpool Local Government Unison (personal capacity)

Mrs. Julia Orry, Blackpool Branch Secretary (personal capacity).

Mrs. Laura Penkenth, University of Manchester

France: UNHCR draws road map to help asylum seekers in Calais

CALAIS, France, July 17 (UNHCR) – Locals call it, "The Jungle" – a squalid warren of shanties made out of cardboard, plywood and bits of plastic that has mushroomed among the sand dunes and brambles outside Calais. Hundreds of migrants and asylum seekers, including children, live there or in derelict buildings closer to the center of this port city in northern France.

They come from far away: Afghanistan, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Somalia and even Vietnam. Some have been on the move for months, crossing mountain ranges and deserts. They are reluctant to talk to outsiders.

The last hurdle in their dream of a new life in the United Kingdom is the 34-kilometer stretch of sea that separates Calais from the white cliffs of Dover, clearly visible from here on a clear day.

Their motives for making such an arduous journey and for roughing it in Calais vary. Some have relatives in the UK. Others have heard that it is easy to get a good job there. Some want to study. Yet others have been forced to flee their countries because of political, religious or ethnic persecution, and may be entitled to refugee status if they are given the opportunity to apply for asylum.

"There is no general situation, each individual case is different," explained UNHCR's Marie-Ange Lescure. Since early June, the UN refugee agency and its local partner, France Terre d'Asile, have been present in Calais, informing and counseling hundreds of people about asylum systems and procedures to apply for asylum in France and the UK.

Last week, the two organizations presented the French authorities with a road map aimed at helping to resolve some of the problems posed by the complex situation in Calais and other towns in northern France, and to assist those who may have a legitimate fear of persecution in their countries of origin.

The road map gives details of UNHCR's mission and activities in Calais and makes a series of proposals on how to deal with cases falling under the Dublin II regulation, under which asylum claims are normally handled by the country where the applicant first entered the EU. It also makes concrete suggestions on how to install mechanisms to protect children and minors.

Meanwhile, finding accurate information and impartial advice for each individual case is not easy. Migrants and potential asylum-seekers can easily lose their way in a tangle of rumours, wilful misinformation and bureaucratic regulations which can be as bewildering and intimidating as a real jungle.

For those who may have a need for international protection, the local authorities have taken important steps to facilitate the procedure to apply for asylum. Since last April, the municipal authorities have made it possible for asylum claims to be lodged in Calais. Before, prospective asylum seekers had to go to Lille, 100 kilometers away.

Since then, more than 120 people have come forward to the special counter set up at the sub-prefecture in Calais. But, despite the cooperation from the local authorities, potential asylum-seekers still face considerable administrative and bureaucratic obstacles.

For example, the Dublin II rules about where asylum claims should be processed affects many of the people living rough in Calais. Most entered Europe through Greece, a country where asylum-seekers continue to face serious difficulties in accessing an effective asylum procedure.

To avoid being sent back to Greece or elsewhere, some migrants and asylum-seekers have gone to the extreme of burning their fingertips with red-hot nails or sulphuric acid so that they cannot be identified .

People smugglers, who make money by helping migrants and asylum-seekers reach their destination, often feed false information to their clients. Some asylum-seekers have said that they have been threatened by smugglers after making an application and have had to leave the "jungle."

"The jungles are controlled by smugglers," said a local humanitarian aid volunteer, who has been working in Calais for years. "They control access to the trucks and trains. A week ago a young man was stabbed in the hip for trying to climb onto a truck without paying the smuggler his fee."

Another issue of particular concern to UNHCR is the situation of children, some as young as three, who have arrived here with a parent or relative or, in some cases, on their own. They are extremely vulnerable and need special protection.

"Children are usually accompanied by a smuggler who claims to be an older brother or uncle. They use the children as bargaining chips to get more money from their families," said Jean-François Roger from France Terre d'Asile.

UNHCR hopes that by working closely with the British, French and EU authorities as well as other relevant organizations and civil society, a solution can be found for at least some of those currently living in unsanitary and dangerous conditions in Calais.

By William Spindler in Calais, France UNHCR News Stories

Misery meets Greece's migrants - 22 May 09

just one day before refugees start protesting in the city center. the protests started after a policeman tore a copy of Koran that a refugee kept.