20/04 We are expecting news from the deported. It was a “joint flight” organised by Frontex.
Mainstream media com: http://www.sudinfo.be/1828519/article/2017-04-19/dix-neuf-congolais-et-guineens-expulses-par-vol-militarise-depuis-la-belgique
Nineteen Congolese and Guineans deported from Belgium on a military flight.
Eleven Congolese and eight Guineans were smoothly deported on Wednesday morning to their countries of origin from Melsbroek airport. It was a joint flight organised with Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, Romania and the Czech Republic who each deported one Congolese or Guinean national. The flight will have a first stop early evening in Conakry before landing in Kinshasa, as reported by the Foreigners Office on Wednesday.
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Update 18/04
They are currently being retained at the 127bis centre without phone: 4 women and a few men from the DRC and Guinea; approximately 20 people.
Among them is a man from the DRC opponent to the regime who already had been through a very violent deportation attempt and whose testimony had been published. http://www.gettingthevoiceout.org/arrest-and-deportationattempt/
A woman from the DRC who has been living in Belgium for 10 years.
A woman for which the 9ter regularisation is under way.
A woman who has been living in France since she was 8 years old, who has 3 children living with their father in France.
Two Guineans who were in confinement cells in Vottem were transferred yesterday night to the 127bis but in complete chaos! In Vottem, they refused to enter the van, a fight followed during two hours according to the retainees of the centre, blood, head injuries etc. The police put a helmet to one of them and, according a retainee of the 127bis, the man arrived with that helmet at the centre and was directly placed in confinement cell.
“They come to pick us up as if we were livestock to be taken to the slaughter house”.
“I don’t understand. My name is in all the social media and in the media in Congo, they know me as an opponent, and they want to send me back there.”
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Update of 17 April 10 p.m.
Some had received their ticket for the group deportation last week, but other Congolese or Guineans are taken by surprise and driven to the 127bis centre.
Bruges : a man and a woman were transferred from Bruges to the 127bis closed centre this morning and placed into confinement cells on 17 April. This evening 10 p.m., 2 women who did not receive tickets were asked to prepare their luggage so as to be transferred to the 127bis. There are still women from the DRC and Guinea who fear being taken by surprise tomorrow.
127 bis : 5 men (2 from Guinea and 3 from the DRC) have been asked to prepare their luggage tonight.
Vottem : 2 other Guineans were brought by surprise to the 127bis and have been placed into confinement cells.
Also, there is some confusion about the let passes: international let pass, let pass delivered by the secret services in Kinshasa, visit of a member of the DRC embassy in Bruges with a long list of Congolese? For the moment we know about 4 men from Guinea, 4 or 5 men from the DRC and 4 women from the DRC. They will probably be joined by other travellers from other Schengen countries tomorrow.
Testimony:
“ I have been here since 2010. I was told to integrate, I learnt Dutch and followed many courses during 7 years. I started a family, I am integrated and now they want to send me back!”
« Please do something for us! Do you want us to get killed?”
« This is crazy, she has marks on the whole body which prove what she went through. Beligum is very close, everybody knows what is going on in Congo, there are observers, etc; it is asolute nonsense to send people back there!
« They are not respecting laws, we are just a drop in the ocean.”
” Why do they give us an international let-pass?”
“There are troubles everywhere in Congo, and they are sending us back there?”
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SPECIAL FLIGHT to the DRC and Guinea on 19 April 2017
We’ve heard that a FRONTEX (most likely) flight might be organised to Guinea and the DRC this Wednesday 19 April 2017 from Melsbroek’s military airport.
Several Congolese and Guineans, detained for several months in our closed centres received their tickets for this group flight.
Flight itinerary:
Departure Wednesday 19 April, Melsbroek airport, 10 a.m. — Conakry 5.10 p.m. —- Arrival in Kinshasa during the night.
Transfer of the detainees from Bruges to 127bis/Caricole on Tuesday.
Among the people who will be deported, several women who have been living in Belgium sometimes for more than 10 years, and several DRC opponents.
http://www.gettingthevoiceout.org/collective-flights/
We will regularly update this post.
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