Refugees in
society are obviously part of society and those protecting them have the responsibility
to know the laws governing them. UNHCR has made lots of efforts to get the
community, the refugees and the government know what a refugee is and how they
are to be protected. They have further gone ahead to educate the refugees
themselves on a series of pertinent issues including their repatriation,
succession and integration. Their points explained much and made an impact and
many refugees have returned home. Society's anchorman, Augustine Kanjia follows
the training and writes what was discussed with the National Assembly Members.
Benedicte Voos, the Associate Protection Officer and Stephanie Lepoutre,
Regional Officer for Refugee Status both from their Regional Office in Dakar
Fatou Barry Officer-In-Charge, UNHCR , in her welcome remarks says, "There is a greater consciousness today of refugees by parliamentarians, security officials and other stakeholders of our various roles to protecting refugees and other persons of concern and ensuring that collectively, we provide them with the sanctuary to seek and enjoy protection from persecution."
Protecting refugees she said, is the primary responsibility of States which is why, it is very encouraging when UNHCR receives request from stakeholders such as Gambian parliamentarians requesting to be provided with workshops such as today to enable them fulfill their roles effectively. It is even more encouraging to see the level of support provided by parliamentarians to the Refugee Bill that we envisage will soon be passed this year as law. "We congratulate you on your genuine dedication to service and towards the development of The Gambia," she said.
Fatou Barry
thanked the
Commissioner
Seedy Touray from the Immigration Department said it was the third time UNHCR
was embarking on such an important sensitization and also trying to see that
the bill on Refugee Laws is debated and brought into law.
Benedicta Voos, Associate Protection Officer from Dakar in her deliberation, talking about the over all objective said it is to gain a common understanding on what refugee is and what international protection means. She said participants need to know who is a refugee. She gave the history of UNHCR .
What is UNHCR? Benedicta asked. UNHCR, she said is a humanitarian and non-political organisation established to help refugees. They are mandated to provide international protection to refugees. If State does not ensure protection to its citizens, then international protection comes into play. International protection is surrogate, substitute and temporary.
TO SEEK DURABLE SOLUTIONS TO REFUGEE PROBLEMS:
1.Voluntary repatriation to country of origin.
2.Local Integration in the country of Asylum.
3.Reference for resettlement to third country, though the final decision rests entirely on the country.
Benedicta Voos talking on UNHCR's protection activities said there were mixed migration and International Protection. Stephanie Lepoutre defined economic migrants and said they are those who go for money but it is a generic term. "Those people may have been deprived from getting a good job due to their tribe, political background or so, that makes the person move to another country that is an economic migrant. Some people may find it difficult to get a job in their country due to their religious background, tribal, political or something and so they go to find it elsewhere becoming economic migrant."
Benedict Voos continued talking on the concept of international protection and mentioned the legal framework of the International Refugee Protection. She mentioned International laws and standards, regional laws and standards and national laws and standards. She says, "This year The Gambia will ratify their law and use it in line with refugees," she said. She said the international laws and standards the 1951 Convention relating to the status of refugees, which defines the term refugees having geographical and historical constraints in the 1967 refugee protocol.
Benedicta Voos defined the word refugee according to the 1957 Convention as a well-founded fear of persecution because of ones race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion. (Article 1A of Geneva Convention.) She further gave the OAU definition of a refugee and gave refugee definition under UNHCR Mandate.
She said there were exclusion clauses for those who have committed war crime or crime against humanity. Those who committed a serious non-political crime outside the country of refuge prior to admission to that country were excluded from being admitted as refugees.
Benedicta
further gave five points on Cessation, which comes into effect come
1.Voluntarily accepts the protection of his country.
2.Voluntarily re-acquires his nationality after losing it,
3.Acquires new nationality and enjoys the protection of that country,
4.Has voluntarily re-established him or herself in the country which he left owing to fear of persecution,
5.Can no longer refuse to accept the protection received and many others.
She said there were possible exceptions of cessation that is the continuous need for international protection, e.g. Sierra Leonean refugees who have compelling reasons arising from previous persecution. This has to be well founded before the protection is given again.
Stephanie Lepoutre said other ECOWAS citizens who are not refugees but live in The Gambia cannot be protected by UNHCR by UNHCR. Commissioner Seedy Touray said the eligible Commission would have the mandate to interview the asylum seeker and members of the said commission to be taken from stakeholders.
Looking at
succession, she said they must look at two exceptions. UNHCR has ten points
plan for mixed-migration. Stephanie said lots of money is giving to
