Belgium: collectif flight‏ : Another mass expulsion to the Congo is imminent on 03/12/2013

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Come to the 127bis detention centre at 18.00 this Monday, 12/02/2013, to protest against this organised crime !

Tervuursesteenweg 300 1820 Steenokkerzeel

Train to Leuven, get off at Nossegem

South Station 17.18, Gare Central 17.21, Gare du Nord 17.25.

There is widespread indifference in Belgium about the expulsion of foreign asylum seekers, which has now reached proportions rarely seen before. Following the mass expulsion of Congolese nationals on 27 October 27, a new deportation to the Congo has been arranged and will probably take place this Tuesday, 3 December.

A representative of the Embassy of the DRC visited the 127bis detention 7 November to identify people threatened with deportation. He was accompanied by representatives of the Office des Etrangers and the CGRA. Detainees interviewed by them have told us they were shocked and outraged to realise that embassy staff had their asylum applications in their possession. Let’s remember that legally, no part of this file can be given or disclosed to representatives of a refugee’s country of origin.

According to our information, a list of Congolese nationals has already been drawn up for an upcoming flight to Kinshasa – probably a military flight from Melsbroek.

Let’s also recall that the European Convention on Human Rights prohibits collective expulsions “except in cases where such action is taken after and on the basis of a reasonable and objective examination of the particular situation of each individual alien in the group” and that Belgium has already been convicted in the past for contravening this rule (see in particular the judgment Čonka February 2002).

Militants, opponents of the Kabila regime, and human rights activists are affected by this new decision by the Office des Etrangers which once again puts the asylum seekers in question in mortal danger. According to several witnesses, deportees are met on arrival by the infamous ANR (the National Intelligence Agency) and are systematically arrested and interrogated. If they are believed to be political opponents, they are imprisoned and tortured. All-powerful in the country, the ANR reports directly to the President of the Republic, is not subject to any parliamentary control, and is heavily criticised for its repeated violations of Human Rights by the UN as well as by numerous associations.

Confirming their gnawing anxiety, associations active in the defense of the Congolese expelled on 27 October have had no further news of their many contacts. But they have received confirmation that at least four have been imprisoned in Kinshasa since their arrival.

Once again the Office des Etrangers and the Belgian government are not hesitating to deport refugees doomed to arbitrary detention at best, and at worst imprisonment, torture and even death.

Once again our government plays the innocent, closing its eyes while its administration delivers opponents to their executioners.

They killed Aref, but they still do not understand. How many deaths does it take for our ministers to put an end to this macabre hypocrisy, this pretence that they do not know what is clear to everyone?

Each expulsion is an expulsion too many. Each expulsion is a crime.

Let’s destroy this deportation machine.

 CRER, CRACPE, and all the anonyms

http://www.gettingthevoiceout.org/another-mass-expulsion-to-the-congo-is-imminent-on-03122013/