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toubab1020
12306 Posts |
 Posted - 16 Mar 2018 : 00:27:28
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The return to Gambia by those who have travelled by "The Back Way" to other countries is a big problem,these people have no papers at all how can it be that they should be admitted as Gambians ?,who will be able to verify their identity with paper records? for all that is known it MAY WELL BE that these people are from countries other than Gambia.When the returnees are interviewed what steps are taken to verify their true identities if they have no hard copy papers to support what they say ?
I am only a simple man and not born Gambian ,perhaps I do not understand what is happening Can someone, a reader maybe post something clear to tidy up this posting of mine .
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By Awa B. Bah
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad, Mr. Ousainou Darboe, has told deputies that Government is fully aware of the scale of Gambian immigrants returning home especially from Libya, as emerging statistics of returning migrants through the International Organization for Migration, indicate that from March to 7th December 2017, a total of one thousand, six hundred and fifty seven returnees were registered.
Darboe gave this response to the question raised by deputies at the National Assembly (NA), on the status of Gambian migrants returning home.
According to Darboe, a large number of Gambians have returned home from their irregular migration and the number is on the increase. Fatoumata K. Jawara, the Member for Tallinding Constituency asked the Minister about the plans available to engage these young returnees into meaning development initiatives for them to reintegrate into society.
In his response, Mr. Darboe said Government has made the tackling of irregular migrants a top priority of its administration and has engaged various partners to deal with the emerging challenges and the re-integration process.
‘‘During the recent African Union- European Union summit held in Ivory Coast, it was agreed that three thousand eight hundred African migrants will be airlifted and this number will be from forty detention centers inside Libya. As a result, Government is expecting more returnees and will take the necessary steps towards their re-integration,’’ he told deputies.
At the summit, he said a task force was launched to coordinate with the recognized Libyan authorities, the main goal of dismantling irregular migration and the trafficking of human beings and other criminal networks; that it will seek to help countries of origin of the migrants and their transit points, to tackle the root cause of migration.
Dardoe said his Ministry, being the primary institution responsible for the welfare of Gambians abroad, is re-engaging relevant international organizations and friendly countries, in not only reversing the situation but also ensuring that the welfare of Gambians wherever they are, is adequately addressed.
He said Government, the European Union and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), have recently launched a joint initiative for migrant protection and reintegration; that the three year project amounting to 3.9 million euro, is funded by the European Union Emergency Trust Fund (EUETF), signed on the 3rd of November 2017; that his Ministry is working closely with other Ministries concerned, to lead on migration, governance, implementation and management in the country.
See the next edition for the full coverage of the supplementary questions and answers from the Minister relating to the pertinent questions posed to him by deputies.
http://foroyaa.gm/government-fully-aware-of-scale-of-migrant-returneesousainou-darboe/
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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toubab1020
12306 Posts |
Posted - 20 Mar 2018 : 11:21:58
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Further news coverage on this topic from: The secretary general of The Gambia Moral Congress (GMC) Mai Ahmad Fatty
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Monday, March 19, 2018
The secretary general of The Gambia Moral Congress (GMC) Mai Ahmad Fatty said the deportation of Gambians from the United States was not created by the Barrow led government because it’s an inherited problem.
Mr. Mai in a press conference organised by his party at its political bureau along Kairaba Avenue on Sunday said it will therefore be unfair to blame the Barrow led government for the deportation of Gambians, saying the problem started since the previous government. He, however, stated that it is the responsibility of this government to act swiftly in a diplomatic manner to advocate the interest of the deportees.
He said it is to the public knowledge that in 2016 alone, the U.S. deported an excess of about four hundred and fifty thousand people from their country amongst which over 2000 Gambians are due back home. This he said is a serious issue and GMC as a political party is sharing with the challenges some of these Gambian deportees are experiencing.
The issue according Mr. Fatty, is not just about deportation; because as a sovereign country, the Gambia also deports other citizens and every state deports other nationals based on law. He said when Gambian citizens in other countries are also deported subject to law; The Gambia should not have a problem with that, nothing some of them are convicts and others had stayed beyond their time.
The problem he said is the manner of the deportation; the manner in which the deportations are conducted. He expressed his displease in the manner they are brought back home describing it as “they are just raided back like animals back to our country”.
“What should be our response as a responsible government is the issue at stake. We should be very concern with the matter,” he said. “We have no qualms with the U.S. deporting other citizens but we have great objection in the manner in which our citizens were kicked out of the U.S.”
He continued: “They have spent years of their lives there, some of them have spent 30 years in the U.S. and they have been paying taxes and contributed to the U.S. economy and they have contributed to making lives better in the U.S.,” he highlighted. “It will be wrong to disconnect their entire lives earnings and their affiliate connections back to The Gambia. This is not an issue to be quiet about.”
The former Interior minister urged the government of The Gambia to engage the U.S. to make sure that the assets of Gambians who were repatriated back are carefully accounted for and are given to them so that it can benefit them back in their country here. He also said Gambian children who have affinity in the U.S. be given active consideration.
He praised the government’s Foreign Affairs Ministry for its diplomatic efforts, saying the Gambia is no more isolated.
Author: Sankulleh Gibril Janko
http://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/article/deportation-of-gambians-from-us-not-barrows-govt-fault-mai-fatty |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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toubab1020
12306 Posts |
Posted - 21 Mar 2018 : 11:05:58
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And still more may arrive in Gambia:
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Tuesday, March 20, 2018
Over 200-member police-troop descended on Donauworth town, in the Bayerische region (Munich) of Germany, where more than 300 Gambian migrants reside, conducting arrests and taking at least 30 into custody.
According to eyewitnesses, the “unfriendly police action” included assaults, when hound dogs and riot gear police raided the community on Tuesday afternoon in an operation that lasted hours into the evening last week.
Described by pro-migration advocates as a “massive intimidation attempt” to the over 300-young asylum seekers from The Gambia, the over 200 police officers were all dressed in riot gears, including helmets and truncheons.
“Some refugees from The Gambia hid in their rooms, behind locked doors,” an eyewitness said.
“The police then searched rooms with dogs identifying some migrants who failed in securing asylum in Germany, mostly with a duldung (red line) on their passports,” eye witnesses added.
Of the 30 arrested and detained, some were later released and resettled in various asylum camps. Others are either at the detention hub or under police custody, awaiting deportation to Italy, and most precisely to The Gambia, a Gambian resident confirmed to The Point over the weekend.
Speaking to one of the inhabitants in Donauwört camp (name withheld), the action of the police was a totally “unnecessary attempt.”
“It came as a result of an attempt to deport one of our brothers to Italy last (Monday) night at about 3.30 a.m. We protested him from being taken away because it was not the right time for him to be sent away to Italy, according to a letter sent to him from the Foreign Office in Augsburg,” he explained.
Due to that protest incident that led to cancellation of the said deportation, the police reacted with massive raids the next afternoon, taking into custody at least 30.
Author: Sanna Camara
http://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/article/30-gambian-migrants-rounded-up-in-germany |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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toubab1020
12306 Posts |
Posted - 21 Mar 2018 : 22:13:05
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Re the above posting it MAYBE that there are other Gambians who are living in Germany who travelled by the backway in addition to those found in Donauworth in which case they may well get a visit from the German Police,here is a report on a speech made by the new German Interior Minister Mr. Horst Lorenz Seehofer:
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Wednesday, March 21, 2018
The new German Interior Minister Mr. Horst Lorenz Seehofer has vowed that his office will increase deportations of rejected asylum-seekers from Germany.
Mr. Seehofer was speaking to the press after a visit to the Donauwört concentration [asylum] camp, a day after the incident which saw over 30 Gambian asylum seekers being detained over their immigration statuses.
Over 200-member police-troop descended on Donauworth town, in the Bayerische region (Munich) of Germany, where more than 300 Gambian migrants reside, conducting arrests and taking at least 30 into custody.
According to eyewitnesses, the “unfriendly police action” included assaults, when hound dogs and riot gear police raided the community on Tuesday afternoon in an operation that lasted hours into the evening last week.
In a statement released from the Bayerische state police after their operation in Donauwörth, they claimed the arrested individuals are being investigated for “breach of the peace, resistance to law enforcement officers, attempted dangerous assault and insults.”
“It came as a result of an attempt to deport one of our brothers to Italy last (Monday) night at about 3.30 a.m. We protested his taking away because it was not the right time for him to be sent away to Italy, according to a letter sent to him from the Foreign Office in Augsburg,” a resident there explained.
Due to that protest incident, the deportation effort of the Gambian migrant was postponed. However, the police reacted with massive raids the next afternoon, taking into custody at least 30.
Donauwört city has recently become a hot spot for West African migrants. Several attempts were reportedly made by the migrants to negotiate for better conditions of living just as other states in that country. The last of that was meeting held on Feb. 28, 2018.
In reaction to their demands, the state instead issued a directive, announcing further cuts to social benefits for the asylum seekers, including transportation to school and monthly allowances (pocket money).
Early this month, the city of Donauwört also became the scene of mass protests by asylum seekers, marching out of their asylum camp and dispersing into the city and elsewhere.
“We march out for a better place… that might be better than living without life and peace in Donauwört,” a protestor was quoted as saying, upon receiving the news about cuts on their benefits in that city.
“In Donauwört, we lack almost all the opportunities that other refugees in Germany enjoy as entitlements,” he added.
The marching refugees headed towards the train station. Upon their arrival there, they were stopped by police. Roads were blocked for some time, before trains were allowed to depart on a normal routine.
Meanwhile, the refugee crisis has become a big issue for the city residents at Donauworth; their Social Court has intervened in the crisis through the Refugee Council of Bayern, promising that the Social Welfare Office has reconsidered some refugees to reapply for their social benefits.
The fear factors for the high presence of refugees from West Africa, according to some analysts, are also related to the spread of the Islamic religion by the migrants.
The new Interior minister, a politician of the Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU) and the chairman of his party was also quoted as saying that Islam does not belong to Germany. “Germany is shaped by Christianity,” he stated.
From 2008 to 2018, Horst Lorenz Seehofer was minister president of Bavaria, and now serves as the German minister of Interior.
The Bavarian Refugee Council also views the police action against refugees as “massive intimidation attempt by the residents of Donauwörth.”
“The intervention of the police is a lack of real sense,” criticized Stephan Dünnwald, spokesman for the Bavarian Refugee Council.
Author: Sanna Camara
Source: Picture: The new German Interior Minister Mr. Horst Lorenz Seehofer
http://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/article/german-minister-vows-to-increase-deportations |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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toubab1020
12306 Posts |
Posted - 23 Mar 2018 : 19:26:03
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The US gives clarification of misunderstandings.
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Friday, March 23, 2018
Over the past several days, I have read with concern some of the stories about Gambian deportees returning from the United States. I would like to clear up some misunderstandings and provide more information about this process, and about the important partnership between the United States and The Gambia.
It is important to remember that the United States is a nation built on respect for the rule of law, and this includes our immigration law. Just as The Gambia has the right to determine who may or may not stay in The Gambia, the United States also determines who is allowed to visit the United States, for how long, and under what conditions. When non-citizens are convicted of crimes in the United States, or when they have overstayed their allowed time in the country, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Department (ICE) is responsible for returning them to their home countries, when ordered to do so by a U.S. immigration judge. Since 2015, ICE has repatriated Gambians in the United States via commercial and charter flights, including the 36 Gambian deportees returned to The Gambia on a charter flight in early March.
An immigration judge presides over full and fair immigration proceedings for each individual. Individuals who have exhausted all their legal options and are found ineligible to remain in the United States are ordered removed to their country of origin. Conversations between various entities within the United States Government and the Government of The Gambia to repatriate Gambian citizens who are in violation of U.S. laws have been ongoing for over a year with the objective of coordinating lawful repatriations by commercial and/or charter flights as appropriate.
When individuals refuse to return home on a commercial flight, sometimes after causing a disturbance at the airport, ICE Air Operations conducts special charter flights. In accordance with ICE policy, individuals on removal flights are restrained for the duration of the flight for safety reasons. ICE personnel take every precaution to ensure the safety and welfare of those in their custody, as well as the crew and other personnel on each removal flight. As with all removal flights, on the March charter medical personnel from the ICE Health Service Corps assessed each individual and determined all were properly fit to travel. ICE also provided a nutritionally balanced diet, prepared and presented in a sanitary and hygienic food service operation during the flight. Well in advance, the United States Government advised the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the charter flight that garnered recent attention, and the Gambian government authorized the flight’s landing clearance and arranged for the appropriate personnel to be on hand for its arrival.
Prior to departure from the United States, each deportee has the opportunity to sell or otherwise dispose of his or her personal items in the United States. He or she can also sign a power of attorney while in custody to allow a friend or family member to handle his or her affairs if necessary. Deportees are allowed to bring personal items back with them on the flight, subject to a weight restriction. The United States Government does not, however, provide deportees with funds to resettle in their home country. Instead, in The Gambia we work closely with the Barrow administration to strengthen governance, public service delivery, and the economy so that all Gambians, including those returning home, will have the opportunity to thrive.
For example, in October, the U.S. government funded a capacity-building project for Gambian National Assembly Members to promote good governance, transparency, and the rule of law. We are also building the government’s capacity to investigate and prosecute the financial crimes of the previous administration, and are assisting the government with developing a broad framework for security-sector reform. We have provided funding to the International Republican Institute (IRI) to conduct trainings, guided discussions, and awareness campaigns to deepen community understanding of democracy, peaceful co-existence, and conflict mitigation.
We are also working to promote economic development and advance health in The Gambia. USAID has committed to providing technical assistance on debt management and the U.S. Treasury Department has committed to providing revenue administration assistance to the Ministry of Finance. USAID is also helping the government evaluate the entire health care sector and provide guidance on improving the delivery of health services to all Gambian citizens.
President Trump just recently reinstated The Gambia for trade benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The main benefit of AGOA is that it enhances duty-free access to the U.S. market for certain goods, which allows Gambian producers to sell their products to American consumers. African countries participating in AGOA have seen growth in their textile and apparel markets, and are beginning to export new products such as cut flowers, horticultural products, automotive components, and steel.
The U.S. government’s Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) strives to reduce poverty in developing nations through economic growth. At the end of 2017, The MCC Board of Directors selected The Gambia for a threshold program. This grant program focuses on policy and institutional reform. MCC has already begun engaging with Gambian leaders on needed reforms as the country continues its democratic transition. This development recognizes The Gambia as an important partner in West Africa, where MCC already has a strong presence.
My staff and I at the U.S. Embassy in The Gambia are committed to strengthening the partnership between the United States and The Gambia. We continue to look for ways that we can assist The Gambia’s democratic transition, support its economic growth, and stabilize its security sector. I want all Gambians to benefit from the country’s new freedoms, and will continue working hard every day to advance our countries’ shared priorities.
Source: Picture: Ambassador C. Patricia Alsup
http://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/article/op-ed-on-gambian-deportees-from-the-united-states
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Momodou
Denmark
11634 Posts |
Posted - 27 Mar 2018 : 13:33:34
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Op-Ed on Gambian Deportees from the United States
The Point: Friday, March 23, 2018
http://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/article/op-ed-on-gambian-deportees-from-the-united-states
Over the past several days, I have read with concern some of the stories about Gambian deportees returning from the United States. I would like to clear up some misunderstandings and provide more information about this process, and about the important partnership between the United States and The Gambia.
It is important to remember that the United States is a nation built on respect for the rule of law, and this includes our immigration law. Just as The Gambia has the right to determine who may or may not stay in The Gambia, the United States also determines who is allowed to visit the United States, for how long, and under what conditions. When non-citizens are convicted of crimes in the United States, or when they have overstayed their allowed time in the country, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Department (ICE) is responsible for returning them to their home countries, when ordered to do so by a U.S. immigration judge. Since 2015, ICE has repatriated Gambians in the United States via commercial and charter flights, including the 36 Gambian deportees returned to The Gambia on a charter flight in early March.
An immigration judge presides over full and fair immigration proceedings for each individual. Individuals who have exhausted all their legal options and are found ineligible to remain in the United States are ordered removed to their country of origin. Conversations between various entities within the United States Government and the Government of The Gambia to repatriate Gambian citizens who are in violation of U.S. laws have been ongoing for over a year with the objective of coordinating lawful repatriations by commercial and/or charter flights as appropriate.
When individuals refuse to return home on a commercial flight, sometimes after causing a disturbance at the airport, ICE Air Operations conducts special charter flights. In accordance with ICE policy, individuals on removal flights are restrained for the duration of the flight for safety reasons. ICE personnel take every precaution to ensure the safety and welfare of those in their custody, as well as the crew and other personnel on each removal flight. As with all removal flights, on the March charter medical personnel from the ICE Health Service Corps assessed each individual and determined all were properly fit to travel. ICE also provided a nutritionally balanced diet, prepared and presented in a sanitary and hygienic food service operation during the flight. Well in advance, the United States Government advised the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the charter flight that garnered recent attention, and the Gambian government authorized the flight’s landing clearance and arranged for the appropriate personnel to be on hand for its arrival.
Prior to departure from the United States, each deportee has the opportunity to sell or otherwise dispose of his or her personal items in the United States. He or she can also sign a power of attorney while in custody to allow a friend or family member to handle his or her affairs if necessary. Deportees are allowed to bring personal items back with them on the flight, subject to a weight restriction. The United States Government does not, however, provide deportees with funds to resettle in their home country. Instead, in The Gambia we work closely with the Barrow administration to strengthen governance, public service delivery, and the economy so that all Gambians, including those returning home, will have the opportunity to thrive.
For example, in October, the U.S. government funded a capacity-building project for Gambian National Assembly Members to promote good governance, transparency, and the rule of law. We are also building the government’s capacity to investigate and prosecute the financial crimes of the previous administration, and are assisting the government with developing a broad framework for security-sector reform. We have provided funding to the International Republican Institute (IRI) to conduct trainings, guided discussions, and awareness campaigns to deepen community understanding of democracy, peaceful co-existence, and conflict mitigation.
We are also working to promote economic development and advance health in The Gambia. USAID has committed to providing technical assistance on debt management and the U.S. Treasury Department has committed to providing revenue administration assistance to the Ministry of Finance. USAID is also helping the government evaluate the entire health care sector and provide guidance on improving the delivery of health services to all Gambian citizens.
President Trump just recently reinstated The Gambia for trade benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The main benefit of AGOA is that it enhances duty-free access to the U.S. market for certain goods, which allows Gambian producers to sell their products to American consumers. African countries participating in AGOA have seen growth in their textile and apparel markets, and are beginning to export new products such as cut flowers, horticultural products, automotive components, and steel.
The U.S. government’s Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) strives to reduce poverty in developing nations through economic growth. At the end of 2017, The MCC Board of Directors selected The Gambia for a threshold program. This grant program focuses on policy and institutional reform. MCC has already begun engaging with Gambian leaders on needed reforms as the country continues its democratic transition. This development recognizes The Gambia as an important partner in West Africa, where MCC already has a strong presence.
My staff and I at the U.S. Embassy in The Gambia are committed to strengthening the partnership between the United States and The Gambia. We continue to look for ways that we can assist The Gambia’s democratic transition, support its economic growth, and stabilize its security sector. I want all Gambians to benefit from the country’s new freedoms, and will continue working hard every day to advance our countries’ shared priorities.
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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| Bantaba in Cyberspace |
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Migrant Returnees’Ousainou Darboe.
