President Paul Kagame confirms Rwanda-Israel deal to host African immigrants
Rwandan President Paul Kagame has confirmed media reports that
Kigali is finalising a multimillion dollar deal that will see it host
illegal immigrants that Israel intends to expel.
According to Israeli media reports, the Middle Eastern country
plans to relocate illegal immigrants to Rwanda and Uganda, which Kigali
had denied knowledge of.
The agreement, which has come under scrutiny by human rights
organisations, will see Israel deport hundreds of Eritrean and Sudanese
asylum-seekers to both Rwanda and Uganda in return for favourable deals
that include millions of dollars in grants.
Israel’s Interior ministry confirmed this week in a statement
that it will "expel immigrants from the detention centres" and encourage
migrants "to leave Israel in a safe and respectable way" to targeted
African countries that would grant them legal immigration rights.
Addressing a press conference in Kigali on Thursday, President
Kagame said that there is an ongoing discussion between Rwanda and
Israel, even though he does not have details regarding the progress.
“On Rwanda and Israel, yes, I know there has been this
discussion and it has been a debate in Israel about these Africans who
have migrated to Israel as they do to other European countries. Some of
them are either there illegally or with different status,” he said.
President Kagame said that Israel planned to return the
immigrants to their countries of origin but some refused citing danger
to their lives. He added that the Tel Aviv government suggested to them
different countries including Rwanda where they would be relocated to.
“I do not know the details this far, what more or less that has
happened to the issue,” the president said adding that he has learnt
that “there is some package they (Israel) give them to leave, so we have
been approached.”
Mr Kagame said the Rwandan immigration is handling the issue.
Efforts to reach the Immigration director-general Mr Anaclet
Kalibata or the institution’s spokesperson Ange Sebutege were futile.
Controversial programme
According to reports, Israel is set to deport Eritrean and
Sudanese asylum-seekers estimated to be over 50,000 to countries in
Africa – including Rwanda and Uganda under a new policy which has been
greatly criticised by human rights defenders.
Israel has been accused of imposing on the Eritrean and Sudanese
migrants into leaving the country with their future in the new
countries not guaranteed. In return, the receiving countries are
expected to receive huge amounts of unspecified cash.
Last September, a Human Rights Watch report concluded that the
Tel Aviv government created "convoluted legal rules" and used the
insecure legal status of Eritrean and Sudanese migrants to detain them
indefinitely.
Many asylum-seekers are held in southern Israel’s Holot
detention facility, in the middle of the Negev desert. The facility is
regarded as a de facto open-air prison according to an Eritrean refugee
named Hobtom, who spoke to IBTimes UK in 2014.
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This
article first appeared in Mail & Guardian.
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Zuma Blames African Countries, Queries; ‘Why Are Their Citizens Not In Their Countries And Are In South Africa?’
South
Africa President Jacob Zuma Monday lashed out at Africa governments who
“criticise the South African government but their citizens are in our country”,
even he took a firm stance against stance on the wave of xenophobic violence
that has gripped the country.
Addressing
the public on Freedom Day at the Union
Buildings South Lawn, Zuma chastised governments who have criticised the South
African government for the violence that has claimed seven lives.
“As
much as we have a problem that is alleged to be xenophobic, our sister
countries contribute to this. Why are their citizens not in their countries and
are in South Africa?” he asked.
This
comes in the wake of Nigeria recalling its ambassador to South Africa in protest
at the xenophobic violence.
Nigeria
has summoned Acting High Commissioner Martin Cobham and Deputy High
Commissioner Uche Ajulu-Okeke “for consultations” over the “ongoing
xenophobia”, Minister of Foreign Affairs Aminu Wali said in a statement on Saturday.
Zuma
said a frank conversation on illegal immigrants needed to take place within the
Southern African Development Community (SADC) as well as the African Union.
Zuma
mentioned the murder of Mozambican citizen Manuel Jossias—first identified as Emmanuel
Sithole—in the Alexandra township.
“He
used a false name to avoid detection by authorities as he was an illegal
immigrant,” he said.
Zuma
paid tribute to the three South Africans who were killed in the attacks in
Durban: Ayanda Dlamini, Msawenkosi Dlamini and Thabo Mzobe, who was 14 years
old.
He
said South Africans were angry, adding; “We need to be cured, we are sick”.
“The
latest outbreak of violence necessitates more comprehensive action from all of
us to ensure that there is no recurrence. We have to address the underlying
causes of the violence and tensions, which is the legacy of poverty,
unemployment and inequality in our country and our continent and the
competition for limited resources,” Zuma said.
South
Africans need psychological cure
He
also spoke at length of how violent South African communities are, adding that
“we need a psychological cure”.
“Apartheid
was a violent system and it produced violent countermeasures to it. So people
still believe that to fight authority you must fight government ... even now,
when it is your own government. We need to be helped as a society,” he said.
“They
get excited. They burn the tyres; they block the roads; they destroy property;
exercising their rights but interfering with the rights of many.”
Zuma
then lashed out at the Economic Freedom Fighters and their trademark
militancy in Parliament.
“Look
at the institution that is said to be the apex of democracy, Parliament. Look
at the politicians whom you have voted for, how angry they are. How defiant
they are, even in Parliament,” he said to thunderous applause.
Zuma
said Parliament and the office of the Speaker should be respected.
He
was taking exception to the behaviour of EFF Members of Parliament who often
disobey the orders of the Speaker in the national assembly.
“If
the Speaker says ‘Out of my house’, you must get out. But what do some of the
members of Parliament do when the Speaker says ‘Sit down’, they say ‘Speaker, I
want to address you’. They will continue addressing the speaker. If the speaker
says ‘Withdraw’ they say ‘I won’t withdraw’. If the speaker says ‘Out’ they say
‘I won’t go out’,” Zuma told the crowd.
He
said this was a glaring example of what he called the “violent culture of
apartheid”.
“Imagine
if politicians are so angry then who will rule the country.”
