martedì 25 settembre 2012

Flüchtlingselend auch in Libyen


Von den Flücht­lin­gen, die in die­sen Wo­chen aus Sy­ri­en in die Nach­bar­län­der strö­men, ist in den Me­di­en viel die Rede. An die­sem Mon­tag zum Bei­spiel: Da hat die tür­ki­sche Re­gie­rung vor­über­ge­hend ihre Gren­ze für Sy­ri­en-Flücht­lin­ge ge­schlos­sen, bis sie neue Camps zu ihrer Auf­nah­me aus dem Boden ge­stampft hat. Etwa 7.000 Flücht­lin­ge waren am Mon­tag­mor­gen an zwei Grenz­über­gan­gen zur Tür­kei blo­ckert; ins­ge­samt sol­le­en sich auf tür­ki­schem Staats­ge­biet der­zeit 80.000 Sy­ri­en-Flücht­lin­ge auf­hal­ten. Der tür­ki­sche Au­ßen­mi­nis­ter Ahmet Da­vu­tog­lu er­klärt, mehr als 100.000 sol­cher Flücht­lin­ge könne sein Land un­mög­lich auf­neh­men. Er schlägt die Ein­rich­tung einer UNO-kon­trol­lier­ten Puf­fer­zo­ne auf sy­ri­schem Ge­biet vor.

Die sy­ri­sche Flücht­lings­ka­ta­stro­phe stellt ähn­li­che Bil­der in der Nach­bar­schaft in den Schat­ten. Auch in Li­by­en zum Bei­spiel gibt es ein Flücht­lings­dra­ma: Nach wie vor ver­su­chen Afri­ka­ner von hier aus nach Eu­ro­pa über­zu­set­zen. Ihre Lage ist auch im Li­by­en nach Gad­da­fi äu­ßerst hart; in den letz­ten Tagen wur­den im Auf­fang­la­ger Hums öst­lich von Tri­po­lis min­des­tens drei Asyl­be­wer­ber von Si­cher­heits­leu­ten bar­ba­risch um­ge­bracht. Das sagt der Pries­ter Musie Zerai, Lei­ter einer NGO für Flücht­lin­ge na­mens „Ha­beshia“.

„Es gibt drei schwan­ge­re Frau­en in dem Lager, eine von ihnen im ach­ten Monat. Aber die Frau­en all­ge­mein be­kom­men dort nicht die ge­rings­te ärzt­li­che Hilfe, auch keine Hilfe an­de­rer Art, statt­des­sen wer­den sie oft miss­han­delt. Die Flücht­lin­ge sind völ­lig ver­zwei­felt, ei­ni­ge haben ver­sucht zu flie­hen. Die Si­cher­heits­leu­te haben sich einen jun­gen Mann ge­schnappt, haben be­haup­tet, dass er ver­sucht habe zu flie­hen, haben ihn durch­ge­prü­gelt und schlie­ß­lich er­schos­sen. Dar­aus ist ein star­ker Tu­mult ent­stan­den; die Frau­en, die bei der Tö­tung zu­ge­schaut haben, fin­gen an zu schrei­en: Warum pas­siert das alles?“

Min­des­tens drei Asyl­be­wer­ber seien im Lager Hums bis jetzt ge­tö­tet wor­den, dazu vor kur­zem ein Junge aus So­ma­lia, sagt Musie Zerai.

„Dabei sind das alles Asyl­be­wer­ber. Viele von ihnen sind sogar schon vom Flücht­lings-Hoch­kom­mis­sa­ri­at der UNO als Flücht­lin­ge an­er­kannt wor­den, als sie zuvor im Sudan in Auf­nah­me­la­gern waren! Wir wis­sen al­ler­dings, dass auch der Sudan für Flücht­lin­ge kein si­che­rer Boden ist; dort wer­den täg­lich drei oder vier Flücht­lin­ge aus den La­gern von Men­schen­händ­lern ver­schleppt und in den Sinai ver­kauft... Seit zwei Jah­ren wei­sen wir dar­auf hin, dass im Sinai Men­schen- und Or­gan­han­del be­trie­ben wird; um nicht in diese Ge­fahr zu ge­ra­ten, flüch­ten viele nun aus den La­gern im Sudan aus­ge­rech­net nach Li­by­en! Und hier ma­chen sich die Mi­li­tärs manch­mal einen Spass dar­aus, auf diese Men­schen zu zie­len, sie nut­zen sie als Ziel­schei­be für Schie­ß­übun­gen. Auch in Ben­gasi kommt das vor, das wis­sen wir aus Aus­sa­gen von Jun­gen, Min­der­jäh­ri­gen, die dort in La­gern fest­ge­hal­ten wer­den.“

Zerai ver­sucht sich durch Ge­sprä­che mit Flücht­lin­gen ein ge­nau­es Bild von der Lage in den Camps zu ma­chen:

„Nach dem, was ich aus dem Camp von Ben­gasi höre, gibt es dort stän­di­ge se­xu­el­le Ge­walt gegen Frau­en, und etwa 150 Men­schen sind von dort ver­schleppt wor­den. Es hieß, man brin­ge sie zu Ar­beits­ein­sät­zen, aber dann wer­den sie zu Skla­ven ge­macht im Dienst für Be­waff­ne­te, von denen man gar nicht weiß, wer das genau ist und wel­che Be­fug­nis sie über die Men­schen in den La­gern haben. Das sind alles For­men von Fol­ter, die jedem Men­schen­recht Hohn spre­chen.“

Dabei hat­ten ei­gent­lich viele Men­schen­recht­ler ge­hofft, dass es nach dem Sturz des Macht­ha­bers Mu­am­mar al-Gad­da­fi im letz­ten Jahr bes­ser würde für die afri­ka­ni­schen Flücht­lin­ge in Li­by­en. Aber die­ser Traum ist aus­ge­träumt:

„Vor allem für Men­schen aus dem Afri­ka un­ter­halb der Sa­ha­ra hat sich die Lage statt­des­sen ver­schlech­tert. Ein Land wie Ita­li­en, das mit Li­by­en einen bi­la­te­ra­len Ver­trag zum Thema Ein­wan­de­rung ge­schlos­sen hat, soll­te ge­nau­er be­ob­ach­ten, was da pas­siert: wie die Flücht­lin­ge in Lager ge­steckt wer­den und wie man sie da be­han­delt. Kei­ner fragt da nach, und Li­by­en fühlt sich völ­lig frei, diese Men­schen zu be­han­deln, als wären sie Tiere. Man tötet diese Men­schen, als wären sie Mü­cken, und kei­ner zieht Li­by­en des­we­gen zur Re­chen­schaft! Statt­des­sen wol­len alle nur Ge­schäf­te ma­chen mit dem neuen Li­by­en. Das geht nicht! Eu­ro­pa müss­te da mal die In­itia­ti­ve er­grei­fen und Li­by­en zum Re­spekt der in­ter­na­tio­na­len Kon­ven­tio­nen drän­gen, die Asyl­be­wer­ber und Flücht­lin­ge schüt­zen.“

Eu­ro­pa hat aus der Sicht des Flücht­lings­seel­sor­gers eine be­son­de­re Ver­ant­wor­tung, al­lein schon wegen sei­ner geo­gra­fi­schen Nähe zu Li­by­en.

„Es hat mit Li­by­en eine Reihe von Han­dels­ver­trä­gen, tut aber nichts, um den Re­spekt vor den Rech­ten die­ser Leute ein­zu­for­dern. Man bräuch­te vor allem eine dau­er­haf­te, trag­fä­hi­ge Lö­sung, um zu ver­hin­dern, dass diese Men­schen in den Hän­den der Men­schen­händ­ler lan­den!“

giovedì 20 settembre 2012

Sister gives hope to trafficked migrants


http://thecnnfreedomproject.blogs.cnn.com/2012/09/20/sister-gives-hope-to-trafficked-migrants/?hpt=hp_c1

By Elise Labott and Dan Morgan, CNN

Editor's note: Watch the CNNI documentary "Stand in the Sinai" on Friday September 21 at 1530 and 2030 GMT.
For thousands of African asylum seekers fleeing danger via Egypt's Sinai desert, one woman serves as an oasis after their harrowing journey into Israel.
She was born in Eritrea as Azezet Habtezghi Kidane. In the migrant shelters of South Tel Aviv, she is known simply as Sister Aziza.
In the free clinic for migrants run by the Physicians for Human Rights-Israel, where she volunteers as a nurse, Sister Aziza examines the African refugees. She sees burns and whip marks on the body of one of the men who fled to Israel though the Sinai.
"See how they tortured him," she asks. Then she sighs.
Another man describes how he crossed the River Nile, after which he was taken to a tent and beaten for two hours. He thought he was going to die. We don't know exactly what happened to him, but the migrants often fall prey to Bedouin gangs, which traffic people and extort money from them.
They are familiar sights and stories for Sister Aziza, who often travels to the border fence with Egypt to make contact with the asylum seekers.
After listening to so many of the migrants relive their journey, she found a pattern of abuse.
"You can realize immediately when a person comes in, before they tell you how much they have suffered," she tells CNN in an interview. "For me it becomes a very delicate moment with this person to ask many questions because their body speaks by itself."
Along with her colleagues at Physicians for Human Rights, she developed a questionnaire to document their stories. Over the last two years, Aziza has tirelessly conducted more than 1,300 interviews exposing chilling tales of kidnap, rape, torture, forced labor and sexual slavery.
"If anyone in the world today knows what is happening to people in the Sinai, each and every story, this is Aziza," says Ran Cohen, a colleague at Physicians for Human Rights. "If people are able to wake up every morning and keep hope, it is because what Aziza is telling and doing."
Sister Aziza is a focal point and a much appreciated personality among Africa's refugee community in Israel.
While some volunteers are intimidated by the hardships they see and grow frustrated when they cannot help, Aziza is often able to talk to them in their own language.
Some even call her mother because of the comfort she provides, whether it is a hug or simply just listening to them.
But her work doesn't end with the interviews. Sister Aziza forms close relationships with those who seek her help, takes them under her wing and accompanies them along their path to recovery.
"Sometimes they call me at one, during when I am sleeping. Sometimes during my prayer time," she says. "But I have to be for them. And it is because the wounds are healed, the wounds are cured by the doctors. But the internal suffering, the internal wounds to heal, it takes time. It takes strength, it takes faith, it takes courage, it takes a lot."
Earlier this year the U.S. State Department honored Sister Aziza with its Trafficking in Persons Heroes Award, along with Physicians for Human Rights, crediting her patience and devotion in getting the migrants to come forward with their stories.
Their firsthand accounts have helped shine an important light on the previously unknown atrocities of trafficking in the Sinai, the State Department said.
When asked how she copes with all the suffering she sees and hears about, Sister Aziza admits: "It's not easy."
"Even if today I cry, God, I say, 'Why do you allow to happen these things?' tomorrow I come to listen again. There is the strength that God gives me - and the strengths of them - the victims, my community, my sisters, the staff around me. It really gives me a lot of encouragement in order to come again."
Ran Cohen says Aziza has become a role model for her colleagues because of her faith and courage.
"I think that Aziza is paying a high individual price for her work. It's not easy at all," he says. "All these atrocities and all that she hears and after all we see, it is Aziza that keeps everyone with their head up and looking forward and believe that they can be a change and evil is not something that we have to accept."

People-smugglers in Sinai abduct and torture African refugees who are trying to flee to Israel.


September 18, 2012

People-smugglers in Sinai abduct and torture 

African refugees who are trying to flee to Israel.

L’Italia abbandona i rifugiati


L'Italia abbandona i rifugiati
— ITALIA

L’Italia abbandona i rifugiati

Lo dice un rapporto del Consiglio d'Europa, che critica la mancanza di strutture e cita il famigerato "Palazzo della vergogna" di Roma

19 settembre 2012

Martedì il Consiglio d’Europa – l’organizzazione internazionale che si occupa di promuovere la democrazia e il rispetto dei diritti umani in Europa – ha pubblicato un rapporto [pdf] che critica l’Italia per la mancanza di assistenza e infrastrutture per accogliere le persone rifugiate provenienti dall’Africa, che vengono abbandonate a una vita di povertà e isolamento. La relazione è stata stilata da Nils Muižnieks, Commissario per i diritti umani del Consiglio, e si basa sulle osservazioni da lui raccolte durante una visita in Italia lo scorso luglio.
Il rapporto arriva mesi dopo che la Corte europea per i diritti dell’uomo aveva condannato l’Italia per aver respinto nel 2009 un gruppo di migranti eritrei e somali in Libia – da dove erano partiti – contro la loro volontà, senza essere identificati (alcuni avrebbero potuto avere diritto di asilo) e senza essere informati sulla loro destinazione, dove sarebbero potuti essere perseguitati, torturati o uccisi. Muižnieks ha lodato l’Italia per aver messo fine alla pratica dei respingimenti illegali e per aver concesso lo status di rifugiato politico – in tutto sono circa 58 mila persone – ma ha criticato la totale mancanza di politiche per integrare e aiutare i rifugiati, che vengono relegati ai margini della società e sono vittime di razzismo e violenza.
Muižnieks ha visitato il cosiddetto “Palazzo della vergogna”, un edificio di otto piani abbandonato – faceva parte dell’università Tor Vergata – che si trova nei pressi del Grande raccordo anulare, in cui vivono ammassati 800 immigrati provenienti soprattutto dal Corno d’Africa.
Le condizioni igieniche sono tremende, cento persone devono usufruire di uno stesso bagno ecome spiega Donatella D’Angelo, un medico che fornisce assistenza volontaria ai migranti, «alcune parti dell’edificio sono allagate, le malattie infettive sono diffuse e ci sono ovunque allacciamenti di energia elettrica illegale». D’Angelo ha anche detto che i rifugiati hanno ricevuto permessi di soggiorno a casaccio per altri quartieri a Roma, «il che significa che non hanno accesso a scuole vicine o all’assistenza sanitaria». Dopo la visita al palazzo Muižnieks si è definito scioccato e ha invitato l’Italia a seguire l’esempio di altri paesi che forniscono assistenza ai rifugiati, concedono loro l’accesso alle case pubbliche, alla cittadinanza, al lavoro e organizzano corsi di lingua, istruzione e formazione.
Nel rapporto Muiznieks si è detto soddisfatto per l’adozione da parte dell’Italia della prima strategia nazionale per integrare le minoranze etniche di Sinti e Rom, ma ha criticato gli sgomberi forzati, che continuano a essere praticati, e la segregazione dei campi. Uno di questi si trova alla periferia di Roma, ospita 1.100 persone ed è recintato con filo metallico, sorvegliato da telecamere e accessibile da un’entrata sorvegliata. Infine Muiznieks ha criticato l’eccessiva durata dei processi in Italia, un problema «che genera il più alto numero di cosiddetti casi ripetitivi che arrivano alla Corte europea dei diritti dell’Uomo», e ha invitato le autorità nazionali a intervenire per riallineare i processi agli standard europei. Secondo il rapporto l’inefficienza della giustizia italiana riduce il PIL del Paese dell’un per cento all’anno. Inoltre tra il 2007 e il 2011 la Corte europea dei diritti dell’Uomo ha condannato l’Italia a pagare circa 30 milioni di euro per le sue violazioni; si stima che anche quest’anno la cifra raggiungerà i dieci milioni di euro.
Immigrati libici a Lampedusa, marzo 2011 (AP Photo/Giuseppe Giglia)

http://www.ilpost.it/2012/09/19/italia-condannata-trattamento-rifugiati/


martedì 18 settembre 2012

Libia, l'angelo dei profughi

Parla don Mussie Zerai, sacerdote eritreo che con la sua associazione Habeshia si occupa di dar voce a chi scappa dall’Eritrea e dall’Etiopia

17/09/2012
Don Mussie Zerai. la foto di copertina è tratta dal documentario Mare Chiuso, di Stefano Liberti e Andrea Segre.
Don Mussie Zerai. la foto di copertina è tratta dal documentario Mare Chiuso, di Stefano Liberti e Andrea Segre.
“Anche stamattina mi hanno chiamato disperati. Ci sono state nuove percosse e maltrattamenti, una donna incinta all’ottavo mese è terrorizzata all’idea di partorire in queste condizioni”, racconta don Mussie Zerai, sacerdote cattolico eritreo che vive tra Roma e la Svizzera. Con la sua associazione Habeshia, che si occupa di dar voce a chi scappa dall’Eritrea e dall’Etiopia, è in contatto con molti dei migranti subsahariani detenuti nelle carceri libiche, grazie a cellulari che sono riusciti a nascondere. Dati certi non ce ne sono, ma don Mussie ha censito 21 prigioni; 150 detenuti nel carcere di Hums provenienti dal Ciad, dalla Nigeria, ma soprattutto dalla Somalia, dall’Etiopia e dall’Eritrea, altrettanti a Sibrata Mentega Delila (Tripoli), oltre 400 a Bengasi.

Addirittura, molti detenuti del Corno d’Africa sono richiedenti asilo politico e rifugiati, già riconosciuti dall’Unhcr nei campi profughi del Sudan. Alla faccia della protezione internazionale, c’è chi è recluso da anni. Da quando gli Stati europei, e l’Italia in prima fila, hanno stretto accordi con Ghedaffi per frenare l’immigrazione, i militari libici hanno arrestato molti africani con retate, casa per casa, nei quartieri popolari di Tripoli e di altre città. Altri sono stati imprigionati dopo essere stati respinti nel Mediterraneo da navi italiane. Nessuno di loro è mai stato processato davanti a un giudice. L’unica colpa è di aver attraversato il deserto per provare a raggiungere la “Fortezza Europa”. Tecnicamente, sono potenziali “clandestini” nel nostro continente. Da questo punto di vista, c’è piena continuità tra la Nuova e la Vecchia Libia. Racconta don Mussie: “Venerdì 24 agosto, i militari libici hanno ucciso tre prigionieri. È stata la risposta a uno sciopero della fame, indetto da alcune donne per ottenere cure mediche per tre detenute eritree incinta. I militari hanno picchiato selvaggiamente un ragazzo come capro espiatorio, per poi sparargli senza nessuna ragione. Di fronte alle urla di spavento degli altri detenuti, hanno sparato nuovamente. Alla sera, i cadaveri erano tre”.

Non è un caso isolato. Il 21 luglio, a Sibrata, per sedare le richieste di cibo dei detenuti, i militari hanno sparato contro un diciottenne eritreo, ferito all’addome. È stato presentato come un mercenario di Ghedaffi, ma era semplicemente un giovane richiedente asilo politico. Un altro ragazzo di 19 anni è stato colpito all’orecchio con una sbarra di ferro. Anche le donne di Sibrata, 6 delle quali in gravidanza, sono state colpite con sedie di ferro. Spiega don Mussie: “Qui, i militari si accaniscono particolarmente contro i detenuti cristiani, etiopi ed eritrei: il mese scorso li costringevano a digiunare per il Ramadan, mentre aizzavano contro di loro  i prigionieri di fede islamica. Alle donne cristiane, a differenza di quelle musulmane, non permettono di andare in bagno e fare la doccia”. “La situazione di tutti i detenuti è comunque un inferno”, commenta don Mussie. “In celle di pochi metri quadri, sono rinchiuse fino a quaranta persone, tenute a pane e acqua. Dormono per terra, non ci sono materassi”. E ogni giorno sono sottoposti a umiliazioni e vessazioni da parte della polizia: “Bastonati, costretti come schiavi ai lavori forzati, le donne subiscono violenze sessuali da parte dei militari”.

La situazione più grave è quella dei minori: “La madre di un bambino di due anni e mezzo continua a ripetermi che non sa cosa dare da mangiare al figlio, bisognoso anche di cure mediche”. A Sibrata, si trovano anche i 76 eritrei, richiedenti asilo politico, protagonisti il 29 giugno scorso di quello che don Mussie chiama “uno strano respingimento italiano”. “Soccorsi in acque internazionali da una nave italiana, sono stati portati su una piattaforma petrolifera gestita dall’Eni. Qui, sono stati poi presi in consegna dalla polizia libica e trasferiti direttamente nel carcere di Sibrata, compreso un bambino di due anni”. Secondo il sacerdote, “dovevano invece essere affidati alla Marina italiana”. Il Presidente dell’Associazione Habeshia conclude lanciando un appello alle istituzioni europee e italiane: “La morte, venerdì, dei tre richiedenti asilo nel carcere di Hums è una grave colpa anche dell'Europa, perché non sta vigilando sulla nuova Libia. Faccio appello al Parlamento Europeo affinché richiami il Governo di Tripoli al rispetto dei diritti umani e dei richiedenti asilo politico. Occorre liberare tutti i profughi e consegnarli all’Unhcr”.                          
Stefano Pasta
 
 http://www.famigliacristiana.it/informazione/news_2/articolo/libia-il-calvario-dei-profughi.aspx

sabato 15 settembre 2012

L’icône des naufragés érythréens

Valérie de Graffenried


Mussie Zerai, prêtre blogueur érythréen, vit entre Rome et Fribourg. Il a fait de la défense des exilés sa priorité. (Eddy Mottaz)

Mussie Zerai, prêtre blogueur érythréen, vit entre Rome et Fribourg. Il a fait de la défense des exilés sa priorité.  (Eddy Mottaz)
Mussie Zerai reçoit régulièrement des appels de détresse de migrants en pleine mer, coincés dans des prisons libyennes ou dans le désert du Sinaï. Le prêtre, qui officie depuis quelques mois à Fribourg, se démène pour alerter les autorités. Il dénonce certaines situations sur son blog. L’Erythréen raconte son combat
Il ne se sépare jamais de son téléphone portable. Et pour cause: il reçoit souvent des appels désespérés de migrants en perdition dans la mer Méditerranée, largués dans le désert du Sinaï ou parqués dans des centres de détention en Libye. «Ce matin, une Erythréenne m’a appelé d’un camp libyen. Les conditions d’hygiène sont épouvantables. Elle me disait qu’il y avait autour d’elle des femmes enceintes, dont une au huitième mois, qui ne reçoivent même pas d’eau», nous explique le Père Mussie Zerai le jour de notre rencontre, à Genève.
Mussie Zerai, prêtre catholique, est devenu un pilier de la diaspora érythréenne en Europe. Une sorte d’ange gardien, de protecteur, de courroie de transmission. Une référence aussi pour des Ethiopiens, des Somaliens et des Soudanais. Son numéro de portable passe de main en main. Et quand il reçoit des appels de détresse, il avertit aussitôt les organisations concernées, alerte l’opinion publique via son blog, multiplie les coups de fil et n’hésite pas à harceler les autorités, sans jamais lâcher prise. Crâne dégarni, yeux fixes mais doux, il raconte son parcours d’une voix posée.
Après vingt ans passés en Italie, le voilà depuis quelques mois à Fribourg pour s’occuper, à la demande de son évêque, des catholiques de l’Eglise abyssinienne d’Erythrée et d’Ethiopie en Suisse, qui suivent le rite ge’ez. Ça tombe bien: la communauté érythréenne de Suisse est une des plus importantes d’Europe (lire complément). «Pour l’instant, je fais beaucoup d’allers-retours entre Rome et Fribourg car les lois suisses sont complexes. Je n’ai qu’un petit pourcentage de temps de travail comme prêtre et n’ai donc pas encore obtenu de permis adéquat. Je viens en Suisse surtout les week-ends. Cela devrait devenir plus simple dès l’année prochaine: j’aurai peut-être enfin la nationalité italienne», avoue-t-il.
Mussie Zerai a quitté l’Erythrée en 1991, alors qu’elle était encore sous le joug de l’Ethiopie. Par avion. Il avait 16 ans et un visa pour l’Italie. Orphelin de mère, il y rejoint son père ingénieur qui avait travaillé pour l’empereur Haïlé Sélassié. Lui-même part au bout de trois jours pour le Nigeria. Mussie Zerai, mineur, dépose une demande d’asile. Il vit dans des conditions difficiles, «comme la plupart des migrants en Italie: les prestations sociales sont presque inexistantes».
«J’ai quitté l’Erythrée, car j’étais avide de liberté et n’en pouvais plus du climat de suspicion permanent qui régnait. Même à l’école, on ne savait pas si on pouvait faire confiance à son voisin de banc», raconte-t-il. Après trois mois à Rome, il gagne sa vie en enchaînant les petits boulots. Puis, tout naturellement, il se met à aider les migrants de la Corne de l’Afrique qui arrivent dans la Péninsule. Il les conseille pour les démarches à entreprendre, officie parfois comme interprète.
Et il a du travail: les Erythréens sont toujours plus nombreux à fuir le régime despotique d’Issaias Afewerki et un enrôlement de force dans l’armée. Ce n’est qu’en 2000 que Mussie Zerai se lance dans la prêtrise, son rêve depuis tout petit. Il part au séminaire, à Piacenza, et pendant trois ans, isolé, a moins de contacts avec les migrants. Mais ce n’est que partie remise. En 2003, de retour à Rome, il décide de mieux s’organiser dans la défense des migrants. Il crée avec des amis l’agence «Habeshia», reconnue par les autorités italiennes en 2006. Depuis, Mussie Zerai, ordonné prêtre en 2010, ne cesse d’alerter l’opinion publique des drames qui se trament.
Une funeste odyssée le marque tout particulièrement. «L’an dernier, j’ai reçu, en mars, un appel d’une embarcation en dérive en Méditerranée. Ils étaient 72, dont 20 femmes et des enfants. Des Ethiopiens surtout, mais aussi des Erythréens, des Soudanais, des Ghanéens et des Nigérians. Ils n’avaient plus d’eau ni de nourriture le jour où ils m’ont appelé avec un téléphone satellite. J’ai immédiatement alerté le Centre de coordination de sauvetage maritime italien, indiqué leur position, le nombre de personnes sur le bateau, les problèmes qu’ils avaient. Les garde-côtes n’arrivaient pas à les trouver; la communication avec le capitaine ghanéen n’était pas bonne. Mais ils ont lancé un appel aux bateaux dans le secteur.»
Mussie Zerai reprend sa respiration. Il poursuit son récit, le regard toujours aussi fixe: «Quinze jours plus tard, Ghirma, un des passagers, m’appelle, depuis la Libye, où le canot qui n’avait plus de kérosène avait échoué: ils n’étaient que 9 à avoir survécu. Ils ont été placés en prison», raconte-t-il. Il a fait intervenir l’évêque de Tripoli pour les libérer. «Selon Ghirma, un hélicoptère militaire leur avait jeté de l’eau et des biscuits. Mais aucun secours n’est venu par la suite. Comment est-ce possible? Ghirma m’a aussi dit qu’ils avaient vu des bateaux assez près, dont un immense navire de guerre. Probablement de l’OTAN.»
Pour le Père érythréen, cette inaction est insupportable. Il remue ciel et terre, mobilise ses relais politiques. Un rapport d’enquête du Conseil de l’Europe consacré au drame et rédigé par la députée socialiste hollandaise Tineke Strik le cite dès les premières lignes. Ghirma dira à la députée, en parlant des bateaux: «Certains nous regardaient avec des jumelles et d’autres prenaient des photos.» Sans rien faire. Ce drame a aussi fait l’objet d’un documentaire de la télévision suisse italienne: «Mare Deserto». Les survivants, qui vivent aujourd’hui en Italie, en Tunisie ou en Norvège, y témoignent.
Ce type de disparitions en mer en raison de secours défaillants est loin d’être unique. Toujours en mars 2011, un autre «bateau fantôme», avec 350 migrants, a mystérieusement disparu. Là aussi, les naufragés avaient appelé le prêtre à l’aide.
La plupart des déserteurs érythréens fuient leur pays en passant par le Soudan, la Libye avant d’embarquer sur un bateau pour Lampedusa ou Malte. Près d’un million d’Erythréens ont quitté le pays depuis 2004. L’Erythrée ne compte aujourd’hui plus que 4 millions d’habitants. En raison d’un accord conclu entre l’Italie et la Libye en 2008, les traversées de la Méditerranée ont baissé et les migrants ont souvent été parqués dans des camps en plein désert libyen. La fin de la révolution libyenne, qui a aussi touché de plein fouet des candidats à l’exil d’Afrique noire, parfois pris pour des mercenaires, a sonné le début d’un nouveau pic de traversées, les contrôles en mer du côté libyen étant moins assidus.
Mais la Libye ne reconnaît pas le droit d’asile et traite les candidats à l’exil attrapés sur son territoire comme des gens en situation irrégulière. Ils sont placés dans des camps. Les Erythréens sont généralement retenus dans le centre de détention de Koufra, ville dans le désert du sud-est de la Libye, par où arrivent la plupart des migrants de la Corne de l’Afrique. Le prêtre reçoit de nombreux appels de cet endroit. «Des récits atroces», dit-il. Il sous-entend que la situation n’est pas meilleure que sous l’ère Kadhafi.
Mussie Zerai diffuse lui-même son numéro de téléphone lors d’émissions télévisées ou radiophoniques. Mais, il l’assure contre ses détracteurs, il n’encourage pas les Africains à venir en Europe.
«Mon but n’est que d’essayer de les secourir quand ils ont déjà entrepris leur périple et qu’il tourne mal. Et de dénoncer des situations inacceptables au Haut-Commissariat des Nations Unies pour les réfugiés, à certaines ONG et autorités. Mais je dis aux Africains que l’Europe n’est pas l’eldorado qu’ils croient. J’ai notamment passé ce message lorsque j’ai visité des camps de réfugiés en Ethiopie et au Soudan.» Il le dit même aux Erythréens restés au pays, qui veulent fuir un régime oppressant. «Car ce sont les jeunes qui peuvent entraîner un changement politique et reconstruire le pays.»
En attendant, Mussie Zerai s’est bien sûr déplacé à Lampedusa, en Sicile, où échouent beaucoup de migrants. Il a aussi voulu partir en Libye, vérifier les conditions de détention, mais n’a pas obtenu de visa. Aujourd’hui, c’est la situation des migrants bloqués dans le Sinaï, entre Israël et l’Egypte, qui l’inquiète tout particulièrement. Des Africains, livrés à eux-mêmes, seraient pris en otage par des trafiquants, torturés, violés et parfois tués. Parmi eux, beaucoup d’Erythréens.
wwww.letemps.ch

venerdì 14 settembre 2012

INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM:


INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM:  AN  IMPERATIVE FOR PEACE AND THE COMMON GOOD

Archbishop Silvano M. Tomasi, c.s.*
1. Principles and reality  2. Evolution of the idea of religious freedom  3. Religious freedom in the Catholic Church  4. Religious freedom in a secularized culture  5. Working for religious freedom   6. The American experiment 
1.  Principles and reality  
            Freedom of religion is a global concern. From my observatory in     Geneva, where the U. N. Human Rights Council is based, it is clear that religion has become a topic of frequent debate. Last March, the Human Rights Council unanimously approved an explicit resolution on freedom of religion or belief where once again States are urged  “to ensure that, in accordance with appropriate national legislation and in conformity with international human rights law, the freedom of all persons and members of groups to establish and maintain religious, charitable or humanitarian institutions is fully respected and protected.” On that occasion, I argued, on behalf of the Holy See, that “religions  are communities based on convictions and their freedom guarantees a contribution of moral values without which the freedom of everyone is not possible.”   
More than ever before, political analysts and human rights advocates include religion in their agenda. But most of them emphasize either “tolerance”, as if religion were merely a source of conflict, or “individual choices”, as if religion were merely the concern of an individual’s convictions and were devoid of social consequences. The juridical arsenal to protect religious liberty, however, has been stocked with some excellent resources developed in response to the horrors of World War II and the systematic violation of human dignity and human rights by the Nazi and Communist totalitarian regimes. With the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, freedom of religion entered the realm of international law and jurisprudence. This prompted the framing and enforcement of other human rights instruments at a global, regional and local level. In fact, declarations, conventions and charters have literally mushroomed. I will mention only a few: the International Pact on Civil and

*Archbishop Silvano M. Tomasi,c.s., is an Apostolic Nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva.
Political Rights (1966), the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief (1981)[1], that lists, among other specific requirements, the freedom to establish and maintain appropriate charitable or humanitarian institutions; and the Resolution of 1986 that  establishes a Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion and belief. With these and other Conventions that include specific references to religious rights, the international community has guaranteed freedom of religion at the individual, collective and institutional levels.
The Universal Declaration set a standard for what type of treatment human beings are entitled, as well as for what States are morally obliged to enforce. If a State ignores such rights, this may well have a serious impact on its international relations as well in on its domestic debate and legal framework.
Declarations, however, are not enough. What is enshrined in them can be misused and misinterpreted. Moreover, States and popular movements can even manipulate such declarations into powerful tools of self-justification and may thereby pursue goals that are in conflict with the very rights  they were designed to enforce.
At present, there is no doubt that religious freedom is under stress worldwide. During the 20th century, some forty-five million Christians died because of their faith. The trend continues. A 2011 study on global restrictions on religion by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life found that 70% of the world’s population lives in countries with high restrictions on religious beliefs and practices, the brunt of which often falls on religious minorities—including, in some cases, people who are secular or non-religious. Additionally, more than 2.2 billion people, nearly a third (32%) of the world’s total population, live in countries where either government restrictions on religion or social hostilities involving religion rose substantially between mid-2006 and mid-2009. Only 1% of the world’s population lives in countries where government restrictions or social hostilities have declined. The number of countries in which governments used at least some measure of force against religious groups or individuals rose from 91 (46%) in the period ending in mid-2008 to 101 (51%) in the period ending in mid-2009. The consequent violence was wide-ranging, including murder, physical abuse, imprisonment, detention or displacement from one’s home, as well as damage to or destruction of personal or religious properties. On the increase are mob violence, religious-motivated terrorist groups and the commission of malicious acts by private citizens and groups motivated by religious hatred. Christians are the first target. The Pew Report adds that restrictions on religion are particularly common in the 59 countries that prohibit blasphemy, apostasy or defamation of religion. While such laws are sometimes promoted as a way to protect religion, in practice they often serve to punish religious minorities whose beliefs are deemed unorthodox or heretical. A simple review of the daily press confirms the Pew study: bombs are exploded in churches during Mass in Nigeria and Kenya; threats are carried out against the ancient Christian communities of Iraq, and now of Syria, thus forcing them into exile; a Christian girl of 11, living with Down Syndrome, Rimsha Masih, is arrested on charges of blasphemy and put in jail in Pakistan, for purportedly burning pages of the Koran and 400 Christian families of her poor neighborhood took flight in fear for their lives; Sufi shrines are turned to rubble in Libya; a rabbi is attacked in the streets of Berlin and has to  be hospitalized and rabbinical students are advised not to wear their kippa in public places; a Catholic Bishop Ma Da Qin is placed under home arrest for allegiance to the Pope; Christians are in flight from Northern Mali to escape the violent attacks of fundamentalists. The International Society for Human Rights estimates that 80 percent of all acts of religious discrimination in the world today are directed at Christians and that some 150,00 Christian are killed for the faith every year.
The age of martyrs is still with us. The struggle for religious liberty endures. In a more sophisticated way, Western liberal democracies subscribe to a public culture that tends to relegate religion to the private sphere and, through their respective court systems, chip away at the original understanding of religious freedom. Through a narrow reading of human rights-related provisions,  the wording of declarations repeatedly has been reinterpreted in order to fit the political agendas that have changed over time. Education, family law, healthcare are just some of the fields in which narrow reading of religious freedom paved the way to antireligious policies.

2.     Evolution of the idea of religious freedom
The journey leading to the recognition of the right to freedom of conscience and belief has been long and painful. It began with Jesus’ words: “Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's" (Mark 12:17). Christians were to fulfill their obligations, to the fullest extent possible, to both God and the State. At the same time, it became clear that there are limits to the jurisdiction of earthly rulers. Caesar’s image is on those things necessary to the proper function of civil society; therefore, civil government legitimately exerts power over this realm. But since human being bear the image of God, the imago Dei, their allegiance to God takes precedence over their allegiance to the State. Moreover, genuine love for God comes willingly from the inner person; forced love is an impossibility. Three premises are established: a distinction between religion and the State and the legitimacy of both; the priority of God in case of conflict between the two; the voluntary nature of genuine religious devotion.
Tertullian at beginning of the third century wrote: it is a ”fundamental human right, a privilege of nature, that every man should worship according to their own convictions” (Ad Scapulam, 2), and he coined the expression freedom of religion (libertas religionis).
Over the centuries, intolerance and persecution were only too familiar to the Christian communities. Over time, the insight of the Gosepl prevailed, particularly since it could be argued in a coherent and logical way by human reason. Religious freedom became the space that offered people the freedom to rise above all human and contingent situations and enabled them to answer some of the critical questions all of us have to ask at least once in life: if God exists; what happens after my death?  Along this same path, then, religious freedom has been accepted as the right of every person to profess religion according to the dictate of her or his conscience. Such right to establish a relation with God in the intimacy of one’s conscience implies both an individual-focused and a communitarian way to exercise this relation that must be protected from any constraint. To affirm religious liberty as a fundamental right means to sustain the autonomy of the person not so much toward religion, but vis-à-vis  those who would want to limit the range of one’s religious sentiment.  The achievement of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a milestone in the historical journey. It states: “Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world, …. Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.” (Art. 18) This article 18 remains the cornerstone of the international framework for recognition of and respect for  religious freedom and, together with other treaties, it provides the arsenal that theoretically and juridically  can protect religious freedom everywhere.

3.      Religious freedom in the Catholic Church
The importance of religious freedom for promotion of the common good and peaceful coexistence also has become a major chapter in the social doctrine of the Church. There is a convergence of language and substance between international human rights developments and Church teaching. Besides, the educational role of the Church has helped in no small  way  the consolidation of democratic institutions. The American contribution to the Second Vatican Council opened the door wide for an understanding of religious freedom that truly universalizes this right: “ This Vatican Council declares that the human person has a right to religious freedom. This freedom means that all men are to be immune from coercion on the part of individuals or of social groups and of any human power, in such wise that no one is to be forced to act in a manner contrary to his own beliefs, whether privately or publicly, whether alone or in association with others, within due limits. The Council further declares that the right to religious freedom has its foundation in the very dignity of the human person as this dignity is known through the revealed word of God and by reason itself. This right of the human person to religious freedom is to be recognized in the constitutional law whereby society is governed and thus it is to become a civil right.” (Declaration on Religious Liberty, Dignitatis Humanae, 2)  The moral battle of Blessed John Paul II to sensitize world’s conscience that all believers should effectively enjoy religious freedom has led to the well known results that transformed the map of Europe and global politics; his unique spiritual leadership advanced freedom in the world. The aspiration for religious freedom also has been at the root of recent democratic movements that led to the fall of several dicatorships. 
Through the masterful addresses of  Our Holy Father Benedict XVI and, in line with him, through his Representatives in the U.N. arena, the voice of the Holy See reminds the international community that, even in  our present circumstances, peace requires religious freedom. In fact, the promotion of full and universal respect for this liberty guides the activity of the Holy See in international and intergovernmental organizations, in the stipulation of concordats and other agreements, and in the service of its diplomatic corps. The commitment that flows from faith benefits the entire society. The example of Mother Teresa of Calcutta offers clear evidence .  
     4. Religious freedom in a secularized culture
     Profound changes have taken place in most societies, however,  due to                                                                             an increasing differentiation of beliefs, life styles, cultural traditions,  ethnic identities, secularization and extreme individualism. Globalization forces us to interact across national, cultural, religious and other boundaries. Democratic States are challenged to search for common acceptable criteria  to preserve social peace and cohesion. Certainly the ethical core of fundamental convictions within each person must be respected, protected and guaranteed; if need be, through an affirmative action by public authorities.  But such an individualized focus on belief might also facilitate legitimation of behaviours, or mere passions, that are quite distant from the lived and institutional dimensions of religions. This religion à la carte places the legislator in a difficult situation that risks the limitation of religious freedom in an effort to find pragmatic solutions. God’s existence, the assumption in all the historical journey in the development of the doctrine of religious liberty, is no longer assumed. Nor is the anthropological foundation of human rights preserved.                                                                                           
      The question then arises of how to find common values to keep cohesion  and peaceful coexistence in society,  while respecting religious freedom in the new circumstances. In common we have our human nature; this becomes the starting point for the search.. Nature, reason and the profound desire of the human heart for fulfilment provide the possibility to discover and understand the basic core values of every person. “Any well-regulated and productive association of men in society demands the acceptance of one fundamental principle: that each individual man is truly a person.” Wrote Pope John XXIII. “His is a nature, that is, endowed with intelligence and free will. As such he has rights and duties, which together flow as a direct consequence from his nature. These rights and duties are universal and inviolable, and therefore altogether inalienable.” (Pacem in Terris, 9) In this line of reasoning, freedom is not separated from truth, and thus eventual and objective ethical limits to personal and social conduct are implied.  The range of freedom of the person, while she finds limits in her reference to truth, extends beyond the subjective dimension. The person does not arrive to be a person without relations to others. Therefore freedom of religion includes a communitarian and institutional aspect, as well as inter alia the right of each religion to establish its own rules, to exercise the power of self-organization and to disseminate its doctrine. The State cannot intrude on this process and can limit the exercise of institutional religious freedom only if such action is warranted in accord with the principles of respect for public order and the common good.[RV1]  Attempts by  the State to restrict fundamental values, like the right to life, or to oblige a person to go against her conscience, can never be justified,  since this would  violate personal dignity  and be detrimental to society itself. Moreover, compliance with certain core values provides a solid basis for social cohesion, respect for others and the wellbeing of society as a whole. It has been aptly observed “that just as freedom of speech depends not only on one’s right to say what’s on one’s mind, but on the existence of institutions like newspapers, universities, libraries, parties, and associations, so freedom of religion also involves protecting the institutions that nourish individual free exercise.”
5. Working for religious freedom
A reason approach to human rights and religious liberty finds a universal appeal because it is centred on the person.  But we cannot lose sight of the fact that the religious dimension of the person is part of human experience in all cultures and social contexts.  The contribution of reason and of religious insights to support religious liberty is like the continuity of a ray of light that cannot be cut at any point. Instead of hostility, the correct relationship between religious norms and the public sphere can be articulated with reasonable arguments of a general character and without the exclusion of religious insights.  From the mutual openness of believers of different religions and non-believers of good will, great benefits can derive for a dialogue among religions and convictions to promote peace and the common good of humanity as well as to establish a serene coexistence, social progress and institutional stability in each State. Indifference or an exclusive absorption in materialistic pursuits risks to relegate the fundamental right of religious freedom to be considered a “second class” right with the negative consequences of violent claims and insurgencies that the repression of this right has shown throughout history. Thus support of religious freedom calls for a culture of respect, for a system of education that teaches the value of searching together for the truth and of respect for the sincere beliefs of evryone, that  encourages forgiveness and promotes harmony in a way  that integral human development can truly be achieved. Pope John Paul II shared the learning from his personal experience when he taught that: “ Dialogue between cultures, a privileged means for building the civilization of love, is based upon the recognition that there are values which are common to all cultures because they are rooted in the nature of the person. These values express humanity's most authentic and distinctive features. Leaving aside ideological prejudices and selfish interests, it is necessary to foster people's awareness of these shared values, in order to nurture that intrinsically universal cultural "humus-soil" which makes for fruitful and constructive dialogue.”[2] A practical help to advance religious liberty in the world and its many derived benefits is the political monitoring of the implementation of this right that is undertaken by the European Union and by the U.S. State Department, by the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodical Review of States, and in the annual Reports  on how religious liberty fares in the countries of the world. Thus we note an increasing awareness of the link between foreign policy and religious freedom. Ultimately, each one of us should engage in this task. I am reminded of an old African story of the king lion escaping the forest in flames followed by all the animals. When the lion notices a tiny hummingbird flying counter current toward the fire yells at him: ”What do you think you are doing with your useless flight?” And the hummingbird replies: “I’m trying to put out the fire.” Then the lion with a mocking laugh retorts: “With only one drop of water…?”  Without breaking his flight the hummingbird answers: “I do my share.”

6. The American experiment
The novelty of the American experiment has been to guarantee the free exercise of religious liberty for individuals, for different religious groups, and for their religious-inspired institutions. This remains a lasting and valid contribution to the world. John Noonan rightly defined religious liberty as the “lustre” of the United States. Religious freedom was among the most relevant freedoms that gave origin and shape to the American colonies, then to the American states, and subsequently to the American Republic.
Americans have a special relationship with the value of religious liberty; it is well embedded, not just in their past, but also in their present. Our twentieth century Civil Rights movement was prompted by religious communities and personalities who substantially contributed to erase racial inequality.
But the special relationship between the United States and religious liberty has not been fruitful just for Americans. It has been fruitful for everybody. The American sensitivity to religious freedom played a prominent role in shaping the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Thanks to the personal engagement of Eleanor Roosevelt, as I mentioned previously, a deep understanding of religious freedom found its place in a foundational article of the Universal Declaration of Human rights. The American experience of religious freedom still is the focus of serious study in other parts of the world, including Europe. Scholars and legislators there still draw inspiration from American Constitutionalism when they try to find new and positive ways of conceiving the relationship between religions and the State. Even the Catholic Church learned much from the American experience as it shaped, during the Second Vatican Council,  what became the Declaration on Religious Freedom. The United States still plays a global role in upholding religious freedom as, in many ways, does the Church in this country.
Democracies are built by respecting, through personal and institutional choices,  this freedom of conscience and religion, rather than  by military imposition, legal dictat, or the destruction of entire societies. The United States Bill of Rights embodies  a principle that remains a test of genuine democracy: the free exercise of religion, that clearly implies freedom of conscience and of institutional expression of belief. The American Constitution then prohibits that the State adopt legislation to establish an official religion or that it  prefer one religion over another. From this perspective,  the State should not interfere with the free exercise of religious freedom, or with one’s practice of religion, nor should the State  require a person to act against her or his religious views. Thus the presence of  religious communities in the public sphere cannot be relegated to the celebrations of rites and ceremonies, but must be able to play an active role and to express their own vision of the human person and of the policies that rule society.
As the world becomes more diversified through technology of communication, migration, cultural changes, scientific progress that involves the human condition, and the emergence of new religious communities, peace and creative living together in our globalized and interconnected  societies will be possible only if freedom of religion is fully respected. Indeed, this is the human right that, in the end, guarantees all other human rights. The preservation of the American experience must remain a contribution for the peaceful and truly democratic future of our world. As Alexis de Tocqueville so wisely remarked, “Despotism may be able to do without faith but freedom cannot.” Thus, we stand for religious freedom so as to free others to become fully human.
Allow me to conclude these remarks by quoting our Holy Father, a strong advocate  of religious liberty: “You are called to live with that attitude full of faith that is described in the Letter to Diognetus: do not deny anything of the Gospel in which you believe, but live in the midst of others with sympathy, communicating by your very way of life that humanism which is rooted in Christianity, in order to build together with all people of good will a “city” which is more human, more just and more supportive.”[3]


Smt/6 Sept.12/DC


[1] Article 6
In accordance with article 1 of the present Declaration, and subject to the provisions of article 1, paragraph 3, the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief shall include, inter alia , the following freedoms:
( a ) To worship or assemble in connection with a religion or belief, and to establish and maintain places for these purposes;
( b ) To establish and maintain appropriate charitable or humanitarian institutions;
( c ) To make, acquire and use to an adequate extent the necessary articles and materials related to the rites or customs of a religion or belief;
( d ) To write, issue and disseminate relevant publications in these areas;
( e ) To teach a religion or belief in places suitable for these purposes;
( f ) To solicit and receive voluntary financial and other contributions from individuals and institutions;
( g ) To train, appoint, elect or designate by succession appropriate leaders called for by the requirements and standards of any religion or belief;
( h ) To observe days of rest and to celebrate holidays and ceremonies in accordance with the precepts of one's religion or belief;
( i ) To establish and maintain communications with individuals and communities in matters of religion and belief at the national and international levels.

[2] Pope John Paul II. Message for the Celebration of World Day of Peace. January 1, 2001, n. 16
[3] Pope Benedict XVI, during Pastoral Visit to Aquileia and Venice, 07 May 2011, http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/speeches/2011/may/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20110507_convegno-aquileia_en.html

 [RV1]Do you really want to say “if the rights of others require it” – that could be used to justify the requirement that religious institutions perform abortions when States recognize such aright, or gay marriages, etc, etc.

Egypt: Trafficking in human beings and organs increasingly flourishing is more bloody.


Egypt: Trafficking in human beings and organs increasingly flourishing is more bloody.



From yesterday on a state visit the Egyptian president, in Italy. But we have not heard from any of the Italian authorities to ask for a real commitment to the new Egyptian president, the "new Egypt" a lockout is more real fight against trafficking in human beings and organs.
Just to make figures from 2007 - 2012 has been more than 100 000 refugees, all have been victims of trafficking in human beings, from 2009-2012, more than 3,000 refugees have disappeared into thin air, in the region of Sinai, it is feared that all are dead, victims of organ trafficking and torture inflicted on them by the traffickers, or even victims of Egyptian police, who always shot in the back refugees who attempted to cross the border with Israel.
Today I received the terrible news of the death of a boy of 13 years, Eritrean nationality, died under torture at the hands of his captors in the Sinai, many more are likely to do the same bad end. The Government egizianno what they are doing to stop this horror, a crime against humanity that is taking place in the Egyptian trritorio, what responsibilities you are taking the new Egyptian government? if not around quickly, will end up to become complicit in these crimes and its criminals.

How many refugees were left to rot in Egyptian prisons? many of which carry the visible signs of torture and gunshot shots of the same Egyptian police.
Someone should ask the Egyptian president rispetare of the human rights of these people, Egypt is a signatory to the Geneva Convention of 1951, well it does not, many asylum seekers are in Egyptian prisons under inhumane, degrading conditions for the same dignity human.
I appeal to the Italian institutions, to request a specific commitment to the Egyptian president, to the fight against trafficking in human beings and oragani. We know that the whole Sinai is now in full control of traffickers, and armed men who roam throughout the Sinai Peninsula. We need a tough fight against human trafficking and oragani in southern Egypt on the border with Sudan, before raggiunganno the Sinai Peninsula, is a strong political will and military commitment to put an end to this horror for two years we are denouncing.


Fr. Mussie Zerai

L'Egitto: Il traffico di esseri umani e di organi sempre più fiorente è più cruento.

L'Egitto: Il traffico di esseri umani e di organi sempre più fiorente è più cruento.


Da Ieri è in visita di stato il presidente egiziano, in Italia. Ma non abbiamo sentito da nessuno delle autorità italiane chiedere un impegno concreto al nuovo presidente egiziano, del "nuovo egitto" una serrata è più reale lotta contro il traffico di esseri umani e di organi.

Tanto per fare delle cifre dal 2007 - 2012 sono passati più di 100 mila profughi, tutti sono stati vittime del traffico di esseri umani, dal 2009-2012, più di 3 mila profughi sono scomparsi nel nulla, nella regione del Sinai, si teme che tutti siano morti, vittime del traffico di organi e della tortura inflitta loro dai trafficanti, o pure vittime della polizia egiziana, che ha sempre sparato alle spalle ai profughi che tentavano di varcare il confine con Israele.

Oggi ho ricevuto la terribile notizia della morte di un ragazzino di 13 anni, di nazionalità eritreo, morto sotto tortura nelle mani dei suoi aguzzini, nel Sinai, molti altri rischiano di fare la stessa brutta fine. Il Governo egizianno cosa sta facendo per fermare tutto questo orrore, è un crimine contro l'Umanità che si sta perpetrando nel trritorio egiziano, quali responsabilità si sta assumendo il nuovo governo egiziano? se non aggirà in fretta, finira per divenire complice di questi crimini e dei suoi criminali.

Quanti profughi sono stati lasciati a marcire nelle carceri egiziane? molti dei quali portano i segni visibili della tortura e dei colpi di arma da fuoco della stessa polizia egiziana.

Qualcuno dovrebbe chiedere al presidente egiziano di rispetare i diritti umani di questa gente, l'Egitto è firmatario della convenzione di Ginevra del 1951, è pure non la rispetta, molti richiedenti asilo sono nelle carceri egiziani in condizioni disumani, condizioni degradanti per la stessa dignità umana.

Faccio appello alle istituzioni Italiane, di chiedere un impegno preciso, al presidente egiziano, per la lotta contro la tratta di esseri umani e di oragani. Sappiamo che il Sinai tutto ora è nel pieno controllo dei trafficanti, e uomini armati che scorrazzano per tutta la penisola del Sinai.

Serve una lotta serrata contro i trafficanti di esseri umani e di oragani nel sud dell'Egitto al confine con il Sudan, prima che raggiunganno la penisola del Sinai, serve una forte volonta politica e impegno militare per mettere fine a questo orrore che da due anni stiamo denunciando.


Don Mussie Zerai