The 4th EU-Africa Summit takes place in Brussels on 2-3 April 2014. It brings together African and EU leaders, as well as the leaders of EU and African Union institutions. Under the theme ”Investing in People, Prosperity and Peace”, participants discuss topics including peace, security, investment, climate change and migration.
More than 90 countries from two continents are gathering in Brussels for the EU-Africa Summit 2014 taking place 2 – 3 April. But, rightly so, certified Human and Human Rights Abuser Eritrea Tyrant Isias Afareki is not one of them! The summit is off limts to the tyrant!
The Council of the African Union Peace and Security would invite the Heads of State and Government of the countries of the continent to boycott the summit between the European Union and Africa expected next week in Brussels , in protest against what is considered ” imposition ” of the EU who can participate or not in the meeting.
To say it was the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Zimbabwe, Simbarashe Mumbengegwi , in an interview with the pro-government newspaper in Harare ’ The Herald ’ .
According Mumbengegwi , the Council for Peace and Security would adopt this resolution following the EU ban on the participation of Eritrea and the failure to call the Saharawi Democratic Arab Republic , both full members of the AU.
The report of the Council for Peace and Security also emphasizes also the failure to invite Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir , although it points out that the Government of Sudan has been invited to participate in the summit to be held the next 2 and 3 April .
In recent days, the president of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, had invited the heads of state and government of the other African countries not to attend the summit due to the failure to grant an entry visa to Belgium with his wife Grace Mugabe ’s address as same as a European ban on travel imposed in 2002. Mugabe has however been temporarily exempted from the ban just to attend the summit in Brussels . The demand for Mugabe to attend the summit was also his wife , however, was rejected by the head of the EU mission in Zimbabwe , Aldo Dell’Ariccia , who had declared as the only establishment figures had received an invitation from Brussels.
Wednesday 12 March was Simret Wolbgeber and the children sent out from Ulsteinvik to France. Where was the government did not live in the family was so great. Thus, the 9 overnight at the airport in a whole week .
In summer came Simret Wolbgeber Ulstein together with their children . The minimum BORNET was born in Sunnmøre. The woman is so-called Dublin because she was first registered fingerprint in France before coming to Norway. Wednesday last week was the family names from Ulstein and the following day on a plane to France. But there was no ready to welcome families with small children . For eight days they have to sleep on the chairs at the airport Charles de Gaulle.
Four months old baby
– To sit as many days at an airport with eight children , is inhuman . It is outrageous , however , says Ranveig Kaldhol , deacon of Ulstein.
The youngest child is four months old days . During the second is 2.6 , 8,10,12 , 14 and 15 years. Her husband should be imprisoned in his home country, after the deacon has been informed .
Kaldhol trying now to help the family from Eritrea , which she has had much contact with the children’s choir and parish work in recent months.
Are too many
– They ask for help at the airport, but get told that Norway had not stated that there was so many , says Kaldhol.
She is critical that such is not cleared in advance and think it is wrong to send a åttebarnsmor out of the country if it is not laid a plan for every family should live . She understands that the law must be followed and that the woman is not entitled to stay in Norway.
– People who are sent out must have a worthy reception of the country they come to , and a roof over his head , says the deacon .
Getting food from the Red Cross Kaldhol is in regular contact with the Red Cross , and know that they have given the family food. She also discussed with the family every day .
– They have not done anything wrong . They have tried to come away from a country in chaos , says deacon . . The bishop responds
Also bishop of Møre , Ingeborg Midttømme , engages in the case. She think it’s strange that the Norwegian authorities do not ensure how a family with children they send out, the host received .
– It is unworthy to sit on an airport with an infant and seven other children day in and day out , says Midttømme .
She believes that Norway has a responsibility in this matter , as they will ensure the quality of the situation before they send the asylum seeker back to the first country . The bishop believes that there should be a difference between the return of a lonely person and a family of eight.
Sent back to Norway
Midttømme expect the Norwegian authorities make contact with France to find a solution .
– If they can not accommodate the family , women and children being sent back to Norway until things are clarified. There is nothing in the way that Norway can choose to process her application , even if it was first registered in France , says Midttømme.
She believes the government must take the Dublin II up to the new debate.
– France ’s responsibility
Police say Immigration Service confirms that they have deported and handed over to a family of nine persons to the French authorities and that the family was accepted by France .
– This means that the en France is in charge of the family after the chores French authorities are bound by the Dublin cooperation , says deputy director Geir Bang Danielsen .
He says that the Dublin II regulates, among other things, what countries within the Schengen agreement which is responsible for processing a person ’s application for asylum.
– The aim is to ensure that an asylum seeker get his application processed . At the same time ensure that no one travels from country to country and apply for asylum in several Schengen countries , he says.
A group of twenty Eritrean girls aged 12 to 16 years he tried to escape from the house of Don Orione acceptance of Floridia . They were still in their pajamas when they were reached by the volunteers in the countryside and the highway connecting the small town to Syracuse. Some of them are still unable to escape : ”We can not do anything about it , sometimes it’s inevitable ,” explain the volunteers who prefer to remain anonymous . ”Because ours is an emergency facility and we have no political behind . And we are also criticized by Save the Children just because this is a nursing home with elderly and disabled . ”
With the increasing number of landings of these days, more will come tomorrow at Augusta 1505 in Syracuse are several emergency facilities that house these days unaccompanied minors . Not only in Floridia , but also in Canicattini Bagni , Priolo and Pachino . The Palajonio Augusta was instead temporarily closed for pest control.
The Eritrean girls do not just re-entered the structure they wrote on Facebook to their families. With them was the little Mamuk , 11 years old , arrived at Augusta on 30 January and again in search of a place : ” I love to play football ,” said the boy , nicknamed for its liveliness the ”Toto Riina ” the structure. Now Mamouk after having been for a month to Palajonio spends his days here . Among the disabled, elderly and young Eritrean girls who will soon leave the post to other unfortunate children .
Members of Australia’s Eritrean community claim they are being forced to pay an illegal tax, which is being used to fund al-Shabaab.
Members of Australia’s Eritrean community claim they are being forced to pay a tax which has been banned by the United Nations.
According to the federal government, if such a practice is occurring in Australia, it would be in breach of both UN sanctions and an Australian government directive.
[jqdial code=”dial20cd797d57″] [/jqdial] David (not his real name) who arrived in Australia as a skilled migrant in 2009, says he’s been forced to pay the 2 per cent tax since a visit to the Eritrean Consulate in Melbourne; the country’s only diplomatic presence in Australia.
”They get to know you or catch you when you go to the consulate,” he says.
He has shown SBS receipts that indicate the payments he’s made over the years to the consulate.
David says he is taxed based on his earnings in Australia.
He says he was asked to provide evidence of his income, such as pay slips and group certificate.
David says he was unemployed when he first arrived and was asked to pay the minimum that can be taxed, which he claims is what they ask people on Centrelink benefits to pay.
He says failure to pay the tax has repercussions.
”The problem is if I don’t pay two per cent, I’m not going to get any services either from the Consulate or the government,” he says.
David says this would make it difficult to travel back to Eritrea to visit close family members.
Eritrea gained independence in 1993 and has been governed by the People’s Front for Democracy and Justice ever since.
Munir Abdulhai is the Australian spokesman for the opposition group, the Eritrean National Council for Democratic Change.
Mr Abdulhai also claims there are serious repercussions if the tax is not paid.
”They hold ransom or they hold someone back home, anybody who has a son, child or father, they are imprisoned. I know some people who have their relatives imprisoned,” he says.
And he claims people are taxed even if they’re on Centrelink benefits.
”You tell them I’m a pensioner; I have known some people who have paid this fund, 2 per cent, they tell them, even if you don’t have nothing, they tell them alright pay this. If they say my income is so low, or this or that, they will tell them as well,” Mr Abdulhai says.
The Security Council accused the Eritrean government of undermining peace and reconciliation in the Horn of Africa, by providing support to armed groups such as al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda affiliate.
The Security Council called on all UN members, including Australia, to hold accountable, consistent with international law, any individuals acting on behalf of the Eritrean government who collect the diaspora tax.
Eritrea’s top diplomat in Australia is Yassin Omer Mahmoud.
Mr Mahmoud admits that the two per cent payment is sought from Eritreans in Australia.
”We don’t call it a tax, we call it recovery… and what’s happening is that this [tax] is a kind of gratitude towards the country, everyone will contribute towards building the country.”
Mr Mahmoud disputes the UN allegations against the Eritrean government.
He also denies that the payments are compulsory.
”Actually this is not a forced payment, it is voluntary, whenever they want any services maybe in Eritrea, that’s the time they will start paying and there is no force for that. It’s voluntary.”
In a statement to SBS, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop says the Australian Government condemns any efforts by Eritrea to impose a tax on the Eritrean diaspora, whether in Australia or internationally.
Ms Bishop says Australia formally instructed the Eritrean Consulate to suspend collection of any such tax in June 2011.
But the head of Consular Affairs at the Eritrean Consulate, Yassin Omer Mahmoud says he hasn’t seen any such communication from the Australian government.
”Until it is officially (told) to us, I’m not going to comment on that.”
In May 2013, Canada’s Foreign Minister John Baird kicked out Eritrea’s consul in Toronto after he was accused of ignoring repeated warnings to stop imposing the diaspora tax.
”I think declaring the Consul General persona non grata is a significant diplomatic step which underlines our significant concerns with the activities that were inconsistent with his diplomatic role.” Mr Baird said at the time.
David, and other members of the Eritrean community in Australia, say they would like Julie Bishop to do the same.
Ms Bishop’s statement says the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has asked federal, state and territory law enforcement authorities to inform it of any evidence that attempts have been made to collect the diaspora tax in Australia.
She says the DFAT is not aware of this practice currently occurring.
Full statement from Foreign Affairs Minister
The Australian Government condemns any efforts by Eritrea to impose a tax on the Eritrean diaspora, whether in Australia or internationally, and particularly measures to collect such a tax by way of extortion, threats of violence, fraud and other illicit means. Such a tax is in clear violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2023 (2011).
In 2013, Australia co-sponsored a resolution of the UN Human Rights Council which strongly condemned “any violation by the Government of Eritrea of its international human rights obligations in the connection with the collection of taxes outside Eritrea from its nationals.
On 6 June 2011, Australia formally instructed the Eritrean Consulate to suspend collection of any such tax. While the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is not aware of this practice occurring currently within Australian jurisdiction, DFAT consults with Federal, State and Territory law enforcement agencies, the Attorney-General’s Department and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship on this issue and has requested these agencies to inform DFAT of any evidence that attempts have been made to collect the tax in Australian jurisdiction. DFAT also works closely with the Monitoring Group supporting the UN Security Council Somalia/Eritrea Sanctions Committee that investigates this issue.
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