Chile to take in Syrian Refugees

By Kaitlyn Degnan
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

SANTIAGO, Chile — Chile will take in refugees, President Michelle Bachelet announced Monday. Speaking at a religious ceremony, she said, “Throughout our history, we have always had our doors open to those, sometimes coming from far away places, bringing their history and cultural to the construction of our nation.”

Chilean President Michelle Bachelet. (Photo courtesy of the Latin Post)

The foreign ministry confirmed the statement on Tuesday, saying that the refugees would come from Syria. A statement released by Foreign Minister Heraldo Munoz stated that “it will happen as soon as possible,” and that the country could initially take in 100 families.

The plan, reportedly presented to the government by a former minister of Syrian descent, would provide shelter for 50 to 100 families, and has the support of the Chilean Arab population.

Chile is expediting the visa process for those Syrians that have requested them.

Many world leaders, including spiritual figures like Pope Francis, have called on countries and communities around the world to take in refugees.

A number of other South American countries have also agreed to take in Syrian refugees, including Argentina and Venezuela. Argentina eased entrance requirements last year, but according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, less than 100 Syrians have arrived in Argentina so far. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has announced that the country is prepared to grant asylum to 20,000 escaping the Syrian conflict.

Brazil has taken in 2,000 Syrian refugees so far, with over 1,400 granted asylum in 2014 alone.

However, not all resettlement schemes have been successful. Uruguay, who accepted a number of refugees last year as part of a resettlement program, is facing criticism from the refugees themselves. The resettled families, who have been living in Uruguay since October, have been protesting outside of the presidential offices, saying, “this is not a place for refugees.” The families say that they are “isolated and struggling,” which may be due to Uruguay’s minute Arab population and high costs of living.

 

For more information, please see:

US News & World Report – Argentina cabinet chief says the country’s doors are open to Syrian refugees fleeing war – 4 September 2015

Reuters – Chile mulls plan to take in Syrian refugees: newspaper – 6 September 2015

Latin Post – Syrian Refugee Crisis: Chile to welcome undisclosed number of refugees – 8 September 2015

Reuters – Chile government says it will take in Syrian refugees – 8 September 2015

Voice of America – Venezuela offers to take in 20,000 Syrian refugees – 8 September 2015

Yahoo News – Bachelet says Chile will welcome Syrian refugees – 8 September 2015

Yahoo News – Latin American nations offer to take in Syrian refugees – 8 September 2015

 

United Nations General Assembly Holds Successful Seventh Dialogue Marking Ten Years of the Responsibility to Protect

Curtesy of the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect 

Today the UN General Assembly held a successful seventh Informal Interactive Dialogue on the Responsibility to Protect (R2P). The Interactive Dialogue addressed the UN Secretary-General’s seventh annual report on R2P, entitled “A vital and enduring commitment: Implementing the responsibility to protect.”

During the dialogue, 69 member states and 1 regional organization delivered statements on behalf of 91 states. The 49-member Group of Friends of R2P also delivered a joint statement, read by the Netherlands. In addition to member states and the European Union, four civil society organizations, including the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, delivered statements.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon opened the dialogue stating, “For ten years, R2P has offered an alternative to indifference and fatalism. The challenges of atrocity crimes are enormous – and the human cost is staggering. That is not a reason to be overwhelmed – it is a cause for urgent action. The collective weight of international action can make a difference. I count on your leadership in making sure that R2P provides real protection for people in dire need.”

The majority of member states reaffirmed the considerable progress made in advancing the principle since the 2005 World Summit. At least 16 individual states and the Group of Friends of R2P, showed support for a UN General Assembly resolution to mark the tenth anniversary. A number of states, including the Group of Friends, also expressed their support for moving R2P onto the formal agenda of the United Nations.

Member states also expressed concern about the dire situation facing civilians around the world, including in Syria, Iraq, South Sudan, Central African Republic and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Recalling the special responsibility borne by the UN Security Council, many states raised the need for voluntary restraint on the use of the veto within the UN Security Council when dealing with situations where mass atrocity crimes are occurring. Specific attention was paid to the complementary initiatives of the Governments of France and Mexico and of the 25-member Accountability, Coherence and Transparency Group in this regard.

Recognizing the importance of intergovernmental networks for mass atrocity prevention, at least 26 speakers recalled the importance of appointing a national R2P Focal Point and participation in the Global Network of R2P Focal Points.

Dr. Simon Adams, in his statement on behalf of the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, reminded the assembled states of “the plight of those untold millions of our fellow human beings” still threatened by mass atrocity crimes in Iraq, Syria, Sudan and elsewhere.

Dr. Adams said that, “their voices will not be heard in this chamber today, but the Responsibility to Protect was created for them. The success or failure of R2P must continue to be judged on the ability of the international community to meaningfully protect the vulnerable against those who would incite, plan or perpetrate genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity.”

For the Global Centre’s statement at the interactive dialogue, please see:Statement of the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect at the 2015 UN General Assembly Informal Interactive Dialogue on the Responsibility to Protect.

To see a summary of the Secretary-General’s report and for more information about the dialogue, please see: UN General Assembly Informal Interactive Dialogue on the Responsibility to Protect: “A vital and enduring commitment: Implementing the responsibility to protect,” 2015. The Global Centre will be releasing a summary of the interactive dialogue shortly.

For more information or media inquiries please contact Evan Cinq-Mars at ecinq-mars@globalr2p.org or +1-212-817-1931.

Australia to Reconsider Syrian Refugee Intake

By Samuel Miller
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America and Oceania

CANBERRA, Australia — Prime Minister Tony Abbott has told Parliament the government will announce its response to the Syrian refugee crisis by the end of the day. On Sunday Prime Minister Abbott said the government would consider increasing the number of Syrians and Iraqis it would take as part of the humanitarian resettlement quota, but ruled out an overall increase in numbers.

Syrian Refugees Crossing the Border Between Greece and Macedonia. (Photo Courtesy of The Guardian)

Prime Minister Abbott has said more Syrian asylum seekers would be let into the country, but has stopped short of boosting overall refugee numbers. The increase would not mean Australia’s overall yearly intake of refugees would go up.

“Our focus will be on families and women and children, especially of persecuted minorities, who have sought refuge in camps neighboring Syria and Iraq,” the Prime Minister said.

Currently, Australia has set a quota for accepting refugees from around the world, which stands at 13,750 people. Last financial year, Australia settled more than 4,400 people from Syria and Iraq, Prime Minister Abbott said. The overall refugee intake will increase to 18,750 by 2018.

However, some within the Australian government are urging the Prime Minister and Australia to do more.

On Monday, Assistant Treasurer Josh Frydenberg called for temporary housing of Syrian and Iraqi asylum seekers. Mr. Frydenberg said there was a good case for a Kosovo-type solution that would see Syrian and Iraqi refugees housed in Australia, then returned home once the countries were safe.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said Australia was mostly looking at the plight of those minorities who wanted to flee Syria permanently. However, echoing Mr. Frydenberg, Ms. Bishop said there were a number of people currently fleeing Syria that would want to return home once the conflict was over.

“When the conflict is over people will want to return to Syria and Iraq. But there are some persecuted ethnic and religious minorities who will not want to go home so they are the ones we are focusing on as other countries are as well,” she said.

Ms. Bishop also said the government was still considering its options, including agreeing to an emergency Syrian intake as suggested by Labor yesterday.

“On a per capita basis we take in more refugees than any other country throughout the world,” she said. “When we see the photos, yes our hearts go out to these people, but let’s step back and ask where is the money coming from?”

Prime Minister Abbott has been urged to increase Australia’s refugee intake after photos of a drowned Syrian toddler on a Turkish beach shocked the world and put a human face to the dangers refugees risk trying to reach safety.

For more information, please see:

AU News — Julie Bishop says Australia will decide on upping the Syrian refugee intake in days – 8 September 2015

BBC News — Australia under pressure to boost total refugee intake – 7 September 2015

ABC News — Tony Abbott says Australia will accept more Syria refugees but within current intake, Peter Dutton to travel to Geneva for UN talks on crisis – 6 September 2015

The Guardian — Ministers press Tony Abbott for increase in refugee intake over Syria crisis – 6 September 2015

Voices for Sudan Condemns Arrest & Planned Deportation of El Doud

Voices for Sudan Condemns the Arrest & Planned Deportation of El Doud 
September 7th 2015, Washington DC. Voices for Sudan strongly condemns the arrest and planned deportation of El Doud as a disrespect for, and violation of his fundamental human rights. On 23rd July 2015, a Sudanese journalist Alwaleed El Doud was arrested at his home in Saudi Arabia by Saudi security forces, and later transferred to Ma’aloumat Prison in Dammam, the seat of the judicial and administrative bodies of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. This transfer was confirmed by Journalists for Human Rights (“JHR”), an international organization that reports on human rights violations. Jimmy Mulla, President & Co-founder of Voices for Sudan, says VFS is deeply concerned about the hardship that El Doud is likely to be subjected to if deported to Sudan (as desired of the Sudanese security agencies). Mr. Mulla states that VFS has taken steps to create public awareness of this issue, and has reached out to the U. S. Department of State, Human Rights Watch & international human rights organizations with the hope that immediate action will be taken to free Alwaleed El Doud. It is believed that the Saudi government plans to deport El Doud to Sudan because of the recent improvement in diplomatic relations between the two countries. This creates great anxiety among El Doud’s family, friends, and public interest groups because a deportation exposes him to the risk of arrest and abuse by the Sudanese government. Prior to his arrest, Alwaleed had received many threats of torture and death from Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS). In a press statement, the JHR asserted that based on its confirmed reports, El Doud is the target of the NISS and is to be arrested for administering the website www.alrakoba.net. Hanadi Elhadi, VFS communications & outreach coordinator spoke with the wife of the Alwaleed El Doud who confirmed that there seems to be no movement as to the fate of her husband. VFS is in contact with family members, relatives and friends of the journalist. While El Doud continues to be held behind bars, he is yet to be charged with any offense. The crime committed? Not stated. His laptop computer and international passport were also said to have been confiscated. El Doud has lived in Saudi Arabia for over 10 years and he confirmed that his immigration status is not in question. Alrakoba, an independent news website administered by Alwaleed Ed Doud, was created as a dialogue forum in 2005. The forum transformed into a news website in 2006 the site exposed various cases of human rights abuses, corruption and bad governance of the government of Sudan. Daring to expose and condemn the ills of the government of Sudan seems to be the “wrong” which has been committed by El Doud. Voices for Sudan further uses this medium to request private individuals, businesses, civil society organizations, and national governments to condemn this continued abuse of state power and gain freedom for Alwaleed El Doud. For any clarification and more information, please contact Voices For Sudan Communications & Outreach Coordinator, Hanadi Elhadi at: ehanadi@voicesforsudan.org