UKHO CIG - Nigeria: Background information, including actors of protection, and internal relocation

1.1 Summary of Issues

In general are those at risk able to seek effective protection?

In general are those at risk able to internally relocate within Nigeria?

Published on Refworld, 11/06/2015

Ugandan Lesbian Subjected To 'Exorcism' Granted Asylum in UK
Campaigners said Judith Twiith Twikireze was forced to undergo 'a torturous exorcism' ritual in Uganda and still bears the scars of sharp lacerations on her joints and the trauma of human degradation. The African LGBTI Out & Proud Diamond Group called for Ms Twikireze's deportation to be stopped, after she was detained at Yarlswood Detention Centre. In December it had been understood she faced imminent deportation, as she was on a Detained Fast Track (DFT) order. Last year, the High Court ruled that fast track detention, a system used to process the vast majority of cases, was 'unlawful'.

In a statement to PinkNews, she said: 'Its been a struggle, but God has done it for me. I now can have the freedom that I have never had before since my childhood. I want to thank each and everyone that supported and prayed for me, the organisations that were there for me mostly Out and Proud Diamond Group, the media news that helped bring the truth to the public, plus all all the people that signed my petition to stop me from being deported. God bless you all.'
Source 'Pink News', <>09/06/2015

Early Day Motion 84: The Big Ride For Palestinian Children
That this House salutes Red Spokes for organising The Big Ride, a sponsored bicycle ride by some 1,000 cyclists from Edinburgh to London to be held from 1 to 9 August 2015 to raise money for the Middle East Children's Alliance, a non-profit organisation which is dedicated to helping deprived children who are war victims in Gaza; and hopes that not only will this venture be financially successful but will draw increased attention to the plight of Palestinian children in Gaza and the West Bank.

Sponsor: Kaufman, Gerald - House of Commons: <> 08.06.2015

Early Day Motion 95: Recognition Of Palestine
That this House notes the comments of the Israeli Prime Minister that there will be no state of Palestine on his watch and that he has repeatedly made it clear that he will never countenance a fully sovereign Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza; further notes that the continued policy of settlement building undermines a two state solution; and calls on the Government to carry out the will of the House of Commons as expressed in the motion passed on 13 October 2014 and join the 137 countries across the world by recognising the State of Palestine alongside the State of Israel so as to secure a negotiated two-state solution which is urgently needed to ensure peace in the region.

Sponsors: Morris, Grahame / M Duncan, Alan / Sheppard, Tommy / Durkan, Mark / Slaughter, Andy Kinnock, Stephen
<>House of Commons: 09.06.2015

Israeli Settlements - Demolition of Palestinian Homes
Cat Smith (Lancaster and Fleetwood) (Lab): What steps he plans to take in response to demolition of Palestinian homes to make way for Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem. [900187]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr Tobias Ellwood): Demolitions are an impediment to the two-state solution and, in all but the most limited circumstances, contrary to international humanitarian law. We have made our concerns clear to the Israeli Government, and I raised our objections with the Israeli national security adviser last week and during my visit to the occupied territories in October.

Cat Smith: I welcome those steps, but that is broadly the same answer Ministers have been giving for a number of years. The demolitions are breaches of the fourth Geneva convention on war crimes. Given that the demolitions are continuing in spite of these steps, is it not time to consider stronger action, such as the suspension of the arms trade with Israel?
Read more: House of Commons debates, 9 Jun 2015 : <> Column 1038

G4S Violating Human Rights Obligations Towards Palestinians
British security firm, G4S has been told by a UK Government trade body that it is continuing to violate human rights obligations under the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises (OECD Guidelines) .

These violations arise from G4S' business operations in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) provide guidelines for multinational enterprises for responsible business conduct which governments encourage companies to observe wherever they operate.

Following a complaint by the legal charity Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights (LPHR), represented by lawyers Leigh Day, the UK National Contact Point (NCP) accepted that further examination was required under the OECD Guidelines in relation to the activities of UK registered G4S PLC and its Israeli subsidiaries, G4S Secure Solutions (Israel) Limited and G4S Security Technologies (Israel) Limited.

Today, the UK National Contact Point (NCP) published the results of their investigation into the complaint. They found significant failures by G4S in its overarching obligations to 'respect human rights'; as well as the obligation to 'prevent or mitigate adverse human rights impacts that are directly linked to its business operations' in the region.
Read more: Leigh Day, solicitors, <> 09/06/2015

EDM 87: Detention Of Majid Ali, City Of Glasgow College Student
That this House is deeply concerned by the detention of City of Glasgow student Majid Ali, who was last week sent to Dungavel Detention Centre; notes that Majid is due to be deported to Balochistan, in Pakistan, at 11.30pm on 9 June 2015; expresses concern that Majid will be in danger of physical harm, and even death, if he is deported, evidenced by the information that two close family members of Majid were murdered due to their political activities; affirms that the UK has a responsibility as one of the world's richest nations, to open our doors and our arms to those fleeing oppression and discrimination wherever they come from; further affirms that international treaties and laws oblige the UK to be of assistance to those who are in fear of their safety and life; calls on the Home Secretary to carry out an urgent review of this case and halt deportation; and further calls on the Government to make changes to the asylum process so that this type of situation can never happen again to anyone else.

Sponsors: 44 Scottish National Party MPS + 2 others
House of Commons: 08.06.2015

700 Protesters Demand Closure Of Yarl's Wood Refugee Prison
"Detention centres will fall, brick by brick, wall by wall" - Sections of the outer fence of Yarl's Wood immigration detention centre were torn down on Saturday 6th June 2015, as some 700 people protested outside to demand its closure. They had gathered at the gate and marched around the perimeter of the centre, located near Bedford, to a place where the detained women could hear them chanting. Many shook the outer fence until sections of it came down. Activists, politicians and actors were joined by women who had spent time at the notorious Bedfordshire centre, where foreign nationals are detained before their removal from the UK.

"Detention Centres are poisonous institutions so they should shut. It's a cross-party issue and I think if people came and saw what went on inside them, most people in this country would probably feel the same way," Juliet Stevenson

Early Day Motion 112: Human Rights in Eritrea
That this House strongly condemns the serious and systematic human rights violations committed by the Eritrean government, as detailed by the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in Eritrea, which published a hard-hitting report last week; expresses its concern that the Eritrean government has created a pervasive climate of fear, causing hundreds of thousands of refugees to flee the country; deplores the evidence of Eritrea's use of compulsory, slavery-like national service, adoption of a shoot-to-kill policy at its borders, systematic stifling of dissent and complete failure to uphold the rule of law; notes that some of the violations found by the Commission may amount to crimes against humanity; is dismayed that it appears to have taken the recent migrant crisis in the Mediterranean for the international community to acknowledge the terrible suffering of the Eritrean people; and calls on the Government to condemn these violations in the strongest possible terms, to observe the Commission's request for the international community to offer protection to Eritreans fleeing the country and to work with the international community to address the appalling human rights situation in Eritrea.

Sponsors: Clwyd, Ann / Corbyn, Jeremy / Durkan, Mark
House of Commons: 10.06.2015

Yarl's Wood IRC Holding Vulnerable Women For Too Long
The centre is officially an immigration removal centre, designed to hold people for a short period before they leave the UK. However, many stay much longer, even though two-thirds of detainees are eventually released rather than deported, the report said. It expressed grave worries about deteriorating physical and mental health services at the Bedfordshire facility, saying many detainees found medical staff ÒdismissiveÓ and unwilling to take their concerns seriously. Families including young children were left distressed at being separated and the health service has Òseriously deterioratedÓ, it says.
Read more: Peter Walker, Guardian, 09/06/2015

Immigration: Battening Down the Hatches
According to an investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, in just the ten years to 2013, 3.4 million people were displaced by World Bank-funded projects around the globe: land grabs, dam projects, mines, power plants which leave a trail of broken livelihoods and broken promises of resettlement. These refugees of globalisation, along with refugees from war and persecution, make up the hundreds of thousands who, denied visas, denied boarding on any safe or legal means of transport, are risking their lives on the migrant boats in the Mediterranean in search of security and dignity in Europe. Verified deaths in the Mediterranean went from 600 in 2013 to 3,419 in 2014 and over 1,800 so far this year.

European leaders need imagination and compassion to deal with the worst crisis of forced displacement the continent has faced for seventy years. Those who have made epic journeys in flight from persecution, war, oppression or destitution deserve no less. But our government is in the forefront of efforts to block such a response. After a month of shipwrecks which claimed hundreds of lives, home secretary Theresa May called for the immediate return of survivors who were 'economic migrants from Eritrea, Somalia and Nigeria'. Her characterisation of Eritreans fleeing dictatorship as 'economic migrants', when the Home Office itself recognises over three-quarters of Eritreans as refugees from persecution, should disqualify her from leading that department. She showed a similar casual disregard for Somalis leaving a state marked by two decades of civil war aggravated by famine, and neglected to mention the Syrian refugees who make a large proportion of the smugglers' passengers. At the same time, she rejected as 'inconceivable' the proposal to create legal, safe routes for migrants to get to Europe in the longer term.
Read more: Frances Webber, <> IRR News

UK Short of 24,000 Nurses due to Cuts and Immigration Rules
High quality global journalism requires investment. Please share this article with others using the link below, do not cut & paste the article. See our Ts&Cs and Copyright Policy for more detail. Email ftsales.support@ft.com to buy additional rights. Despite a strong rise in EU immigration, 7,000 fewer nurses came to the UK in 2014-15 compared with 2003-04, according to Christie & Co, a consultancy. Spanish nurses were the most likely to come here in 2015, followed by nurses from Portugal and Italy.

The decline in overseas nurses was due in part to tougher immigration rules that mean they require pre-arranged sponsorship from an employer in the UK. In addition, they have to leave the country after a maximum of six years. Pete Calveley, chief executive of Barchester Healthcare, the third-biggest operator of care homes in the UK and a contributor to the report, said: ÒWe want to recruit from India, South Africa and the Philippines as these nurses are a very high calibre generally. But we cannot. We hope that with the completion of the election, the political climate will be a better one to discuss immigration policy regarding nurses. It is critical.Ó

Read more: Financial Times, 07/06/2015

Zacharie Must Stay! - Emergency Phone Block

Stop Forced Removal Of Paralympic Coach Zacharie Ayard-Nzapadjiman

Actions You Can Take
Please call Royal Air Maroc and exlpain to them why they should refuse to take Zacharie to CAR via their services. Some key points to make relate to them being complicit in Human Rights Abuses and the racist Home Office agenda simply to increase their profit margins. Also having detainees with security personnel damages their reputation to other passengers who may choose alternative service providers in the future. Most importantly, Zacharie's life is hugely at risk if returned and because of this he is suffering mentally and is not in a state to fly on any account nor should he be forced to return to certain danger.

In all correspondence please include Zacharie's full name, Home Office Reference and Flight Details – Zacharie Ayard-Nzapadjiman, Home Office Reference: A1812730, Flight No AT801 & AT285.

Royal Air Maroc Contact Details
Phone: 020 730 758 00 (UK call centre)
Email: callcenter@royalairmaroc.com - serviceclientele@royalairmaroc.com
Twitter: @RAM_Maroc
Facebook: <> Royal Air Maroc Facebook

Note: The pilot of any airline has the legal power to refuse to fly any passenger they choose and this legal power is what we are relying on to prevent Zacharie's forced removal from the UK – this can be mentioned in correspondence and on the phone.

Your solidarity Can and Does Make a Difference
As always thanks for the support with these appeals! They really do make a huge difference, they can stop flights and they also show that the public is aware of what the Home Office are putting people through.

This appeal from: Unity Centre <unitycentremedia@gmail.com>
Let them know of any actions taken!

Background
Zacharie was detained less than two weeks ago and was given removal directions for the 9th of June two days after being detained (flights AT801 & AT285 operated by Royal Air Maroc). Zacharie was represented by a private lawyer in England who should have challenged that Zacharie's case was certified at the end of March, however, due to lacking funds no action was taken. Furthermore, communication of this fact was not made because this representative did not use French translators to communicate with Zacharie. Zacharie has serious mental health issues and is supported by a number of charities and support services in Bradford who are extremely concerned about his well-being and safety. He has been detained in Dungavel in Scotland and ripped from this support network. We are calling out to you to take immediate action to STOP this planned removal by contacting Air Maroc and explaining why Zacharie CANNOT be forcibly removed to Central African Republic (CAR) tomorrow. Legal action is also being taken yet time is very limited and this may not be enough to stop this rushed removal. We feel the Home Office are aware of the strength of Zacharie's asylum claim which is why they are rushing his removal and isolating him.

Zacharie's Asylum Claim
Before arriving in the UK for the Paraolympics, Zacharie was in hiding following a political demonstration against the previous leader of CAR. During this demonstration a group of protesters including Zacharie were involved in destroying a statue and this led to many of them being arrested. Zacharie was locked up and later taken to an isolated area, beaten and left for dead. He was found and taken to hospital and once he woke up he was smuggled out of the hospital by family members. Zacharie went into hiding so that it was not discovered that he had survived.

Zacharie's colleague began looking for him as the Paraolympics approached shortly after this. Zacharie's passport and visa was with this colleague as travel arrangements for the team had been finalised. Zacharie's family would not give this colleague any information of his whereabouts at first yet his mother eventually opened up. His colleague was sympathetic yet Zacharie needed to go to the UK for his coaching responsibilities. Zacharie complied and immediately following the Paraolympics he claimed asylum in Croydon.

Zacharie has been in the immigration system since this time, he has not absconded and has met his reporting requirements without fail. The Home Office refuse to believe Zacharie's recount of events despite large amounts of information from the UN about political disappearances in the CAR. Now that the CAR government has changed the Home Office claim that Zacharie would be safe. This is not the case as political supporters of the previous government are still numerous and maintain social and political powers.

The Home Office also claim that Zacharie should have claimed asylum in another country during his coaching career. This is simply one of their repeated lines and indicates how little consideration is given to individual cases and timelines. Zacharie did not need to claim asylum at another athletic tournament because he had not yet been arrested and left for dead at these times. Zacharie had an excellent job and family life in CAR he would not be here claiming asylum if he didn't need protection!!! The Home Office once again reveal their racist agenda and lacking consideration for individuals and their lives.

From: Unity Centre <unitycentremedia@gmail.com>