The Nation Newspaper

Tag: MIGRANTS

  • Nigeria kicks against maltreatment of migrants

    Nigeria kicks against maltreatment of migrants

    Nigeria has kicked against the stereotype that migrants are “desperate, parasitic and less-economic value group”.

    The leader of the nation’s delegation to the 133rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Geneva, Switzerland and House of Representatives’ Deputy Speaker, Yussuff Lasun, made this known yesterday.

    Lasun, while addressing the General Assembly of IPU, noted that migrants represent an increased market size, purveyor of skill and talent, alternative sources of labour and workforce as well as reversal of population losses.

    But he warned that before granting asylum to migrants, all states must collaborate with the INTERPOL and take appropriate steps to ensure that such persons had no link with terrorism.

    The deputy speaker said the scale, scope and complexity of migration in the world were on the increase due to conflicts and terrorism, which he blamed for creating a pool of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and economic downturn, especially in Nigeria.

    He added that millions of migrants were leaving their countries in search of opportunities as well as due to social strife arising from religious fundamentalism, xenophobia, ideological intolerances, and natural disasters such as desertification, flooding, earthquake and volcanic eruptions.

    “I wish to remind us that when people migrate for any of these reasons, they carry along with them their fundamental human rights within the contest of the 1948 United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UNDHR).

    “Accordingly, whether migration within national boundaries or transnational borders, it is our responsibilities to evolve policies that respect the rights of refugees or asylum-seekers.

    “In doing so, we must recognise that all human beings are born free and it is morally and legally wrong to discriminate against any on the account of race, colour, sex, language, religion, political, national or social origin, property, birth or other status

    “It is important that we remove the stereotype of migrants as a desperate parasitic and less economic value group. In fact, if properly integrated, they will be veritable drivers of economic growth and development…

    “We accept that in the short run, they may constitute a drain of scarce natural resources and opportunities to the host country, but in the long run, migrants bring to the table all the benefits of diversity in terms of food, good, culture and services.”

    While prescribing measures that can solve the problem, Lasun urged world leaders to be mindful of the 1951 Convention that was adopted after the World War 2 and amended in 1957 to cover the whole world.

    “In the light of the foregoing, and since by definition, refugees are not protected by their own government, the international community must ensure they are safe and protected.

    “We must observe the statement of the UN High Commission for Refugee (UMHCR) that refugees deserve as a minimum the same standard of treatment enjoyed by other foreign nationals in a given country. In any case, the same treatment as nationals.”

    He availed the forum steps being taken by Nigeria to address IDPs issue.

    Lasun said: “We have established IDP camps across the country. We have persons escaping the consequences of insurgency housed on temporary basis.

    “Similarly, on July 31, 2014, a Presidential Committee on Boko Haram Victims Support Fund was established.”

    “In view of the sensitivity attached to the issue by the Nigerian parliament, the House of Representatives has established a Committee on DPs and Initiatives on Northeast.

    “In the Senate, a Bill has been introduced on the creation of Northeast Development Commission and has gone through second reading”.

    On way forward, Nigeria called on nations to deepen their democratic system by adopting inclusive practices to eliminate sources of conflicts and tensions.

  • Migrants from Nigeria, others rescued on Europe-bound boat

    Migrants from Nigeria, others rescued on Europe-bound boat

    No fewer than 500 migrants were rescued in seven operations launched at the weekend in the Mediterranean, the Italian coastguard said.

    A spokesman told French News Agency (AFP) yesterday that four of the rescue operations had already wound up but the others were ongoing.

    “Saturday was quiet on the whole but now there is further movement,” he said. “We have had several interventions — one by a ship belonging to (medical charity) MSF, two coastguard units as well as an Italian naval ship and a ship belonging to EU Navfor Med,” he said.

    The migrants mainly came from Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal and Sierra Leone and left Libya three days earlier. They were rescued about 80 kilometres off the Libyan coast.

    The EU Navfor Med is a military operation launched at the end of June to identify, capture and dispose of vessels and rescue migrants undertaking risky journeys in a desperate bid to try and get to Europe from war-ravaged Syria and other trouble spots.

    The mission is equipped with four ships, including an Italian aircraft carrier, and four planes. It is manned by 1,318 troops from 22 European countries.

    A German frigate named Werra and an MSF (Doctors Without Borders) ship rescued 140 people from a giant dinghy on Saturday afternoon, according to an AFP photographer.

    EU leaders have agreed to boost aid for Syria’s neighbours, including one billion dollars through UN agencies, in a bid to mitigate the refugee influx into Europe.

    Some 500,000 people have come to Europe so far this year, the International Organization for Migration says, many of them taking perilous journeys across the Mediterranean on inflatable dinghies.

    More than 2,800 people have died or disappeared making the crossing since January.

    Up to 20,000 people demonstrated in the Belgian capital yesterday in support of refugees, demanding they be welcomed and treated properly.

    The organisers, a collection of local and international rights groups, said there were “20,000 people in Brussels to say welcome to refugees.”

    [ad id=”403656″]“Thanks for this fantastic effort,” the ‘Citizens Platform for support of refugees in Brussels’ said on Facebook.

    “Standing behind us are all the European citizens who are working to help the refugees,” Elodie Francart of the Citizens’ Platform group was quoted as saying by the Belga news agency.

    The marchers carried banners reading “Refugees Welcome” while many tweeted messages of support and encouragement.

    Police said some 15,000 people took part, gathering near the Gare du Nord train station close to what is known as the “Foreigners Office” where migrants must submit their papers and applications for asylum.

    In a nearby park, local people have built a tent village in recent weeks to offer food, clothing and shelter for the many migrants fleeing conflict and upheaval in Iraq, Syria, Somalia, Eritrea and Afghanistan.

    Belgium has a large immigrant community and the recent influx has largely been tolerated but the centre-right government has faced criticism that it has not done enough.

    The authorities say they are doing everything possible given the numbers involved but insist the rules on asylum must be followed.

  • Merkel pleads for migrants

    German Chancellor Angela Merkel yesterday said that all EU countries should help to accommodate the human tide of Arabs, Asians and Africans seeking refuge from war and poverty.

    French President Francois Hollande announced…

  • Germany to free funds for migrants

    Germany’s coalition government has agreed to spend 6billion euros (£4.4billion) to support record numbers of migrants and other measures to deal with the influx.

    Critics at home have accused Chancellor Angela Merkel of creating a dangerous precedent by opening Germany’s borders, the BBC reports.

    About 18,000 migrants arrived over the weekend after an agreement with Austria and Hungary to relax asylum rules.

    But Austria’s Chancellor Werner Faymann has said the emergency measures must come to an end.

    He said they would move step by step “towards normality,” after speaking to Chancellor Merkel and the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Sunday.

    Hungary had previously blocked migrants travelling to Western Europe, but dropped restrictions on Friday and shuttled people to the Austrian border.

    Meanwhile migrants are continuing to arrive at Munich station.

    Germany’s announcement of extra funds came after talks on Sunday night between the two parties which make up Chancellor Merkel’s coalition.

    The government has agreed to give €3billion ($3.3bn; £2.2bn) to the federal states and local councils, with a further €3billion to fund federal programmes such as benefit payments.

     

  • Pope urges European churches to host migrants’ families

    Pope Francis called on Sunday on every European parish and religious community to take in one migrant family each in a gesture of solidarity expected to start in the tiny Vatican state where he lives.

    “I appeal to the parishes, the religious communities, the monasteries and sanctuaries of all Europe to take in one family of refugees,” Reuters quoted the Pope as saying after his Sunday address in the Vatican.

    His call goes out to tens of thousands of Catholic parishes in Europe as the number of refugees arriving over land through the Balkans and across the Mediterranean to Italy and Greece hits record levels.

    There are more than 25,000 parishes in Italy alone, and more than 12,000 in Germany, where many of the Syrians fleeing civil war and people trying to escape poverty and hardship in other countries say they want to end up.

    The crowd in St. Peter’s Square applauded as the pontiff, himself the grandson of Italian emigrants to Argentina, said: “Every parish, every religious community, every monastery, every sanctuary of Europe, take in one family.”

    The Vatican’s two parishes will take in a family of refugees each in the coming days, said Francis, whose first trip after his election was to the Italian island of Lampedusa, halfway between Sicily and Tunisia, where many migrants arrive by boat.

    The Italian coast guard said on Saturday it had coordinated the rescue of 329 migrants who made distress calls from their rubber boats.

    Francis said taking in migrant families was a “concrete gesture” to prepare for the extraordinary Holy Year on the theme of mercy which is due to begin on December 8.

  • Austria, Germany await more migrants

    Austria and Germany are expecting more migrants to arrive from Hungary after Budapest eased restrictions on their travel.

    Throughout Saturday, by bus, train and on foot, people travelled to the Austrian border before moving on to Vienna and Munich, the BBC reports.

    German Chancellor Angela Merkel is to hold talks with her coalition partners on a crisis that has divided the European Union.

    After days of confrontation and chaos, Hungary opened its borders with Austria and transported thousands of migrants to the frontier.

    Up to 10,000 arrived at the border, according to the Austrian authorities, who have said they do not plan to limit the numbers crossing into the country.

    Many travelled straight on to Munich, southern Germany, where locals greeted them with applause, giving sweets to the children among the new arrivals.

    They have been sent on to reception centres to be registered and receive food and clothing.

  • Migrants reach Austria

    Thousands of migrants have crossed into Austria, after Hungary’s surprise decision to provide buses to take them to the border overnight.

    For days, the Hungarian government had blocked them from travelling by train to northern and Western Europe, the BBC reports.

    About 4,000 exhausted people, many of whom had initially fled Syria, crossed the Austrian border and are being received in a Red Cross Centre.

    Austria said they can claim asylum or carry on to Germany if they wish.

    The move comes as European Union countries are struggling to agree on how to deal with an unprecedented surge of asylum seekers.

    Hungary’s government eased restrictions on transit after many migrants overwhelmed police cordons and set off towards the border on foot on Friday.

    When the buses arrived, some of the migrants argued with officials, fearful they would be arrested rather than sent to Germany, the BBC says..

    But early on Saturday, groups began crossing the border on foot. Some Austrians displayed welcome signs.

    Austrian Red Cross workers at a makeshift centre greeted them with blankets and tea.

    “I feel [at] home,” said Ayaz Morad, one of the first to arrive. “This is a great land – nice people, nice government.”

    The migrants are now being taken by train from the Austrian border town of Nickelsdorf to the capital Vienna.

  • WorldRemit celebrates migrants in new campaign

    Migrant workers have taken the centre stage in a new ad cam-paign by online money transfer service WorldRemit.

    In a statement, the firm explained that the campaign, “Because of Them” highlights the personal and economic contributions of people who have moved abroad but continue to support family overseas.

    The short films tell the story of Alma, David and Miguel – a doctor, teacher and dockhand. Their long, hard work days allow them to send money back to help their relatives.

    “We wanted to celebrate the people who use WorldRemit – dedicated, family-loving migrants who don’t often get the recognition they deserve,” Luciana Telles, WorldRemit’s Vice President, Marketing, said.

    “So much is written in the media about migrants and their role in the economy and it’s not always positive. Yet, every day we see people who are making a valuable contribution to both their adopted countries and their homelands.”

    Global remittance payments were $583 billion in 2014, data from the World Bank said. Also, $440 billion was sent to people in developing countries alone. At the same time, migrant workers made a positive economic contribution to their adopted nations, according to research by the OECD.

    The campaign is supported by a special website worldremit-stories.com, where people can view  migrant experiences. It will be primarily online to reach migrants in more than 50 countries and their families and friends in over 120 receive countries.

    “Because of Them” was created for WorldRemit by Bravespark and directed by Chris Gaffey. The original score was composed by Felix Erskine whose recent work includes teaser trailers for Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

     

  • ’40 migrants drowned off Libyan coast’

    Up to 40 African migrants were feared drowned after their inflatable boat sank near the Libyan coast, survivors told the United Nations refugee agency on Thursday after reaching Italy.

    “They said between 35 and 40 people died on Wednesday morning,” said Carlotta Sami, the UNHCR spokeswoman for southern Europe. All the dead came from sub-Saharan countries such as Senegal, Mali and Benin.

    A team from the Save the Children charity that interviewed some of the survivors said up to seven children, aged about 15 or 16, were also believed to have died in the incident, Reuters says.

    Sami said the boat they were travelling in started to disintegrate shortly after it put to sea from the Tripoli area.

    “Unfortunately the rubber was of a very bad quality,” she said, speaking by telephone from Sicily, where the survivors had come ashore after being rescued by a German navy vessel.

  • APC’s deluge of migrants

    SIR: Some years ago, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) claimed to be the largest and biggest political party in Africa. This self-acclaimed mega party was spreading its tentacles to all geo-political regions with a loud noise. As the reigning party, all the members were prince and princess, eating fat undisturbed. Under its watch, impunity and abuse of power and office were the order of the day. Members could not be nailed even when they soiled their hands and tampered with the nation’s wealth as all the institutions were established and constituted by them.

    While the kings, prince and princess were swimming in the ocean of corruption and sheltered themselves under the umbrella, the rest of us were exposed to sun and rain and were struggling to eke out a living. They even claimed that they will rule for as many years as possible before any party could take over. They failed to appreciate that no condition is permanent.

    Today, change is here. However, my big worry is that the big names who fed fat in the mega party are gradually finding their ways into where things are happening now – the APC. The same individuals who contributed in one way or the other to the collapse of the mighty PDP are now trooping to APC and are being received with warm embrace. They should be kept in close watch lest the old corrupt the new wine. They are nothing but sheep in a wolves garments.

    Let the fathers of the All Progressive Congress (APC) watch the activities of the migrants before the thorns outgrow the crops. The expectations of Nigerians from this administration are huge. If by oversight the migrants are not checked, they will spell doom for the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

     

    • Eddy Johnson,