ILLEGAL MASSIVE DEPORTATION ATTEMPTS TO SUDAN: Francken persists in his manner
CALL TO RALLY THIS THURSDAY 12 OCTOBER 2017 at 5.30 pm in front of the Office des étrangers: FREE THEM ALL, DEPORT FRANCKEN AND MICHEL!
Hour after hour, news that we get from the closed centres are more and more worrying : although they know that repatriations to Sudan are illegal (as the Court of first instance of Liège stated on October 9, see https://www.liguedh.be/espace-presse/138-communiques-de-presse-2017/2908-le-rapatriement-des-soudanais-est-un-acte-illegal ), the Belgian government multiplies the deportation attempts of people identified as Sudanese.
This Saturday 7th October, we heard from reliable sources that deportations have been planned every day of the week : 2 on the 7th October, 4 the day after, etc. In total, the Sudanese delegation « welcomed » in September delivered 43 laissez-passer to Khartoum ! The fundamental rights of the Sudanese retained in our closed centres are violated : the staff of the centres is telling them that they will not be allowed a phone, a lawyer, which is false, or more ingeniously, they tell them that they will not need it.
One solution against the deportation would be to introduce an asylum request, but most of them do not trust the Belgian authorities and refuse to introduce an asylum request from a closed centre.
The Foreigners Office policy is the following : if a person is not requesting asylum, it means they are ready to go back to their country. Let’s quote the spokesperson of the Foreigners Office : ‘If they request asylum or introduce an appeal, it is their choice and freedom. If they have the least fear for their freedom, they may request asylum in Belgium and their requests will be dealt with. If they do not, we assume that they do not fear for their life. However, since they are in closed centres, that they have been identified and got a let pass, our objective is to repatriate them and not to retain them eternally in closed centres.’ This summary is an interpretation of law that is more than discutable.
The law is very clear, confrontation with the native country is only authorised after an asylum request has been refused ultimately. Even the members of the governement who are in favour of ‘voluntary’ return to the countries of origin severely call into question this way of applying the law.
We are clearly opposed to these return policies, but we underline here that even in the logic of the policy in place, procedures are not being respected.
‘Since Theo Francken realises very well that by doing so he violates the European Convention on Human Rights, art. 3- as already mentioned by the Litigation Council- he does so ‘like a bandit’, said the President of the Human Rights League Alexis Deswaef.
‘They gave me an order to leave the territory, then they put me in jail. What does that mean ? They prevent me from leaving the territory. Never in my life will I stay in Belgiqum. I WANT TO leave this fucking territory and they are preventing me from doing so’ (testimony by a Sudanese detainee).
We are talking of dozens and dozens of people (at least 26 only in the closed centre in Vottem, and 27 in Merksplas!), among whom minors. Lawyers and militants are trying to enter in contact with these detainees but it is not always obvious : after being subjects to raids in the Maximilien Park or at the North Station in Brussels, questioned by Sudanese secret agents, they mistrust everything and everyone.
Some detainees who did not meet the Sudanese delegation are still being brought to the Embassy of Sudan these days to be identified and delivered a laissez-passer. This means that, besides the 43 people identified by the delegation, others will be identified by the Embassy in view of a deportation.
Violating the international obligations and the judgements of Belgian courts, Michel’s government only has one goal : that Belgium looks as a country hostile to migration and discourages the arrival of other refugees on its territory, without considering the future of the repatriated people.
Following the decision of the Court in Liège, Francken has declared that we will appeal against the decision but that in the meantime he will keep deporting the Sudanese detained in the other closed centers that are not affected by this decision.
We clearly know now who are the ‘illegal’, the ‘criminals’ : Michel, Francken and their clan, who abuse their powers to send dozens of refugees to distress and death.
CALL TO RALLY THIS THURSDAY 12 OCTOBER 2017 at 5.30 pm in front of the Office des étrangers – Chaussée d’Anvers 59B (Gare du Nord)
FREE THEM ALL, DEPORT FRANCKEN AND MICHEL!
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW :
– If you have direct or indrect contacts with Sudanese migrants, share this information and insist on the fact that they may refuse the first deportation attempt. At least four of them did so. But how many know that they have this right ? And what is going to happen during the second deportation attempt ‘by force’, and often without police escort ?
– Through a lawyer, they may introduce an appeal against their retention at the Aliens Litigation Council within 10 days after their arrest, and they should be released.
– If lawyers manage to get in touch with them, they are currently appealing for their release, the only solution to finally get them free.
WHAT YOU CAN DO :
– Participate in big numbers in the rally of the 12th of October to denounce the criminal acts of the government
– Write, call, send faxes to the Embassy of Sudan to denounce the fact that they are providing laissez-passer to their citizens
AMBASSADE SOUDAN
Avenue F. D. Roosevelt 124
1050 IXELLES
AMBASSADEUR Mutrif SIDDIG ALI NIMMERY
+32 2 647 51 59
+32 2 647 94 94
fax +32 2 648 34 99
sudanbx@yahoo.com
http://www.sudanmfa.com
– Write to Egyptair, SN Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, who organise these repatrations through Cairo, Istanbul, Doha, to denounce their complicity in these illegal deportations (contact details below)
– Go to the airport to talk to passengers (calls are posted via Getting the voice out and the Facebook page “Stop Deportations Info&Actions”) : people have the right to refuse the first deportation attempt, but the second time they will be put on the plane by force and with a police escort. That’s when we should be at the airport!
– Gather in front of the closed centres to support the detainees and call all the centres to warn them of the presence of Sudanese people and express your indignation at these arrests and deportations (contact details below)
– Send tons of protest messages to the criminal members of this governement (contact details below)
AIRLINES
Egyptair Airlines Brussels National Airport PO Box 115 1930 Zaventem
customeraff@egyptair.com
Phone
Reservation:
+32 (0) 2 219 16 14
Airport:
+32 2 753 2270
Fax
Reservation:
+32 2 219 36 81
Airport:
+32 2 725 42 68
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/EGYPTAIR
Twittre @EGYPTAIR
Brussels Airlines
Email :customer.relations@brusselsairlines.com
Fax= 027233599 / 02/7238496 / 027534931
Tél 078 188889 / 027232345 /027232362
https://www.facebook.com/brusselsairlines
Leur contacts presse
Vice Président External Communication – Porte-parole
Email: geert.sciot@brusselsairlines.com
Tél: +32 (0)2 723 84 00
Mobile: +32 (0)477 77 49 11
Vice Président Corporate Communications – Porte-parole
Email: wencke.lemmes@brusselsairlines.com
Tél: +32 (0)2 723 85 11
Mobile: +32 (0)477 61 86 45
Media Relations Manager – Porte-parole + médias sociaux
Email: kim.daenen@brusselsairlines.com
Tél: +32 (0) 2 723 84 55
Mobile: +32 (0) 479 69 36 48
Turkish Airlines
Avenue du Boulevard 21, 1210 Bruxelles, Belgique
+32 2 620 08 49
0032(0) 27203468
0032(0)5001939
Fax 0032(0)27532670
bru.airport@thy.com
bru.sales@thy.com
Ethiopian airlines
Belgium +32 289 483 03
For Reservations, Sales, arrival/departure, ShebaMiles, and other enquiries
Toll free: 3228948303
General Sales Agent
Address: Kales Airline Services, Park Hill, J.E. Mommaertslaan 18A, 1831 Diegem
E-mail:et.be@kales.com
Phone:0032 2 716 0060
Fax:
+32 2 716 0086
Brussels Airlines
Email :customer.relations@brusselsairlines.com
Fax= 027233599 / 02/7238496 / 027534931
Tél 078 188889 / 027232345 /027232362
https://www.facebook.com/brusselsairlines
Leur contacts presse
Vice Président External Communication – Porte-parole
Email: geert.sciot@brusselsairlines.com
Tél: +32 (0)2 723 84 00
Mobile: +32 (0)477 77 49 11
Vice Président Corporate Communications – Porte-parole
Email: wencke.lemmes@brusselsairlines.com
Tél: +32 (0)2 723 85 11
Mobile: +32 (0)477 61 86 45
Media Relations Manager – Porte-parole + médias sociaux
Email: kim.daenen@brusselsairlines.com
Tél: +32 (0) 2 723 84 55
Mobile: +32 (0) 479 69 36 48
Turkish Airlines
Avenue du Boulevard 21, 1210 Bruxelles, Belgique
+32 2 620 08 49
0032(0) 27203468
0032(0)5001939
Fax 0032(0)27532670
bru.airport@thy.com
bru.sales@thy.com
Ethiopian airlines
Belgium +32 289 483 03
For Reservations, Sales, arrival/departure, ShebaMiles, and other enquiries
Toll free: 3228948303
General Sales Agent
Address: Kales Airline Services, Park Hill, J.E. Mommaertslaan 18A, 1831 Diegem
E-mail:et.be@kales.com
Phone:0032 2 716 0060
Fax:
+32 2 716 0086
THE CLOSED CENTRES
Le caricole :
Chaussée de Tervuren 302, 1820 Steenokkerzeel
TEL: 027197110/09
FAX/ 02/759.81.68
Le Centre pour Illégaux de Vottem (CIV)
Visé Voie 1, 4041 Vottem
tel. +32 4 228 89 00
fax. +32 4 228 89 13
Le Centre pour Illégaux de Merksplas (CIM)
Steenweg op Wortel 1 /A, 2330 Merksplas
tel. +32 14 63 91 10
fax. +32 14 63 91 20
Le Centre pour Illégaux de Bruges (CIB)
Zandstraat 150, B-8200 Bruges
Tél. +32 50451040
Fax. +32 50315956
Le centre de retour 127 bis à Steenokkerzeel
Tervuursesteenweg 300, 1820 Steenokkerzeel
Tel. +32 2 7550000
MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNMENT
F.Roosemont
Directeur de l’Office des Etrangers
Bur_Presse@dofi.fgov.be T02 793 80 31 (NL – EN) – 02 79380 30 (FR), Fax 02 274 66 40
Charles Michel
Premier Ministre
Tél: 02 501 02 11 Fax: 02512 69 52 e-mail:charles.michel@premier.fed.be
Jan Jambon
Vice Premier Ministre et Ministre del’Intérieur
tél: 02 504 85 13 Fax:02 504 85 00 email:kabinet.jambon@ibz.fgov.be
Theo Francken
Secrétaire d’Etat à l’Asile etla Migration
Tél: 02 206 14 21– theo.francken@n-va.be kab.francken@ibz.fgov.be
Didier Reynders
Téléphone : 02 501 85 91 E-mailcontact.reynders@diplobel.fed.be
