AYS News Digest 2/6/23: IRC Report on Afghanistan two years on — case studies, shocking statistics, and a call for a more humane asylum process for all
Italy and Frontex lied about their knowledge of a boat in distress that sank in February, drowning 94 people//Over 100 refugees have been flown out of Libya to be resettled in Norway//Utopia 56 report on the removal of migrant tents by local authorities in Calais//The Immigration Bill will prevent asylum seeking children from being given protection and safety in the UK…
FEATURE:
IRC Afghanistan Report — An urgent need to expand safe pathways, and develop an inclusive and welcoming asylum procedure
IRC have released a report — ‘Two years on: Afghans still lack pathways to safety in the EU’ — highlighting the failings in the support and protection of Afghan refugees since 2021.
The conditions in Afghanistan are still very bleak. Almost 20 million Afghans are acutely food insecure, the rights of women and girls are highly limited, and due to socio-economic collapse those who remain in the country are living in extreme conditions. Afghan refugees are now the third largest refugee population, with over 1.6 million Afghans fleeing to neighbouring countries since 2021.
Neighbouring countries where Afghans have fled to, such as Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan are also struggling with political, economic, and environmental issues that are leaving vulnerable communities, such as Afghan refugees, in precarious circumstances. In addition, in Turkey, for instance, AYS have previously reported on the limited access to healthcare, education, legal support and welfare for Afghan refugees. Some neighbouring countries have also increased security at their borders to prevent Afghans from entering the country, as well as forcibly returning them.
European countries responded to the Taliban takeover by establishing initiatives, schemes and pathways to support Afghans in fleeing Afghanistan and seeking protection. Whilst there was a welcoming intention, many of these schemes have failed miserably, with a very low proportion of Afghans being resettled in the EU. Many remain in temporary accommodation, with limited access to support and often experiencing discrimination and poverty, whilst others are still stranded in transit due to the lack of safe pathways.
These challenges do not end once Afghans reach Europe in search of safety. Asylum seekers and refugees often face the threat of pushbacks or forcible returns — with Afghan nationals most commonly reporting these violent practices; barriers to fair and full asylum procedures; and long periods in undignified, detention-like centres upon arrival. These policies of containment have devastating effects: 92% of Afghans supported by the IRC’s mental health teams in Greece experienced symptoms of anxiety, and 86% of depression, in the year up to March 2023
Differing asylum procedures have resulted in inconsistencies in the implementation of protection. InfoMigrants reports on the fact that in Belgium, there is now very little protection for Afghan minors. Unlike in many other European countries, minors arriving in Belgium go through the exact same asylum process as an adult. If their asylum application is not accepted, they are not deported (as children cannot be deported in Europe) but they are not provided with any guaranteed support or shelter. For Afghans, this is particularly concerning, as Afghanistan is now no longer seen as a country in war, so Afghans are less likely to have their asylum application accepted.
“From now on, asylum is only granted to a small category of unaccompanied minors from Afghanistan: Those who arrived at a very young age in Belgium or those suffering from serious trauma,”
— Clément Valentin, advocacy officer at CIRÉ (Coordination et initiatives pour réfugiés et étrangers, Coordination and initiatives for refugees and foreigners)
The IRC calls for:
- An urgent expansion of safe pathways to Europe
- Access to asylum, dignified reception, and lasting inclusion in the EU
- A better system for all
You can read the full report here: P&A2305_Safe pathways for Afghans_Report Final_web.pdf (rescue.org)
Only 271 Afghan refugees resettled in Europe last year (newarab.com)
TURKEY
According to ERT Orestiada, 50 men, 32 women and 53 children crossed the river Evros from Turkey
They were then transferred to the Orestiada border guard department based in Chimonio, for identifiction and registration of their details. The group were initially left on a Turkish islet off Nea Vyssa by army guards and then, because of the low water level, walked towards Greek territory.
According to their statement, they are of Syrian origin. Because of their large numbers, the registration process will take time, so tomorrow, Friday, they should be transferred to Fylaki prison.
ITALY
Lighthouse Reports prove Italy and Frontex lied about their knowledge of a boat in distress that sank in February, drowning 94 people
In February, a boat carrying 200 individuals, mainly from Afghanistan, sank off the coast of Italy, with 94 people drowning, including 35 children. Frontex had become aware of the boat six hours before the shipwreck, stating it showed ‘no sign of distress’. They therefore left it to Italian authorities to decide whether to launch a rescue operation or not. However, the Italian authorities stated that because Frontex did not warn them of the risk to this boat, they then did not send a rescue operation.
Since then, Lighthouse Reports has published damning evidence showing that both Italy and Frontex were aware that the boat was in distress. They used leaked Frontex calls and reports, as well as testimonies from survivors of the shipwreck to piece the truth together.
Full report here: The Crotone Cover Up — Lighthouse Reports
NORWAY
Over 100 refugees have been flown out of Libya to be resettled in Norway
The evacuated refugees included individuals from Sudan, Eritrea, Syria, South Sudan, Somalia and Yemen. The UNHCR has called for other countries to establish similar safe pathways for refugees.
Over 100 refugees flown out of Libya for resettlement in Norway — Investing.com India
FRANCE
Utopia 56 continue to report on the removal of migrant tents by local authorities in Calais
They have also reported on the case of an asylum seeker who died after being hit by a van while she was trying to reach the UK
UK
The Immigration Bill will prevent asylum seeking children from being given protection and safety in the UK
The FT calls on the government to exempt children from the discriminatory and inhumane policies that are included in the Immigration Bill: Refugee children must be exempted from cruel and punitive ban | Financial Times (ft.com)
Protests against the barge!!
WORTH READING:
- Chad: Scores of wounded in Adré as conflict in Sudan surges | MSF
- Balkan Route: “Upgraded” Agreement Between EU and Montenegro in Border Management, Persecuted Minority Faith Group Denied Asylum at Bulgarian Border, NGO Calls for Investigation of Killing of Asylum Seeker at North Macedonian-Greek Border | European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE)
- After IS and bombs, refugee sisters sing of Kurdish sorrow (yahoo.com)
- New round on EU migration plan, Visegrad group pushes back — InfoMigrants
- Afghan women and girls tune into Hawa radio station as one of their only ways of accessing education —
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