Udenrigsudvalget 2018-19 (2. samling), Udlændinge- og Integrationsudvalget 2018-19 (2. samling)
URU Alm.del Bilag 11, UUI Alm.del Bilag 15
Offentligt
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Association of Congolese Refugees living
iii
Denmark
ACODA
Email:
acoda.dennuirk(u iinai I
Phone: +45 27 89 98 68
DK-Østerbrogade 26H 4800 Nykøbing F.
-
Copenhagen, May 10, 2019
To
United Nations High Commissioner for Refttgees
Case Postale 2500
CH- 1211 Genève 2 Dépôt
Switzerland.
An outcry from resettied refugees
living
in Denmark
Introduction
It has been almost 20 years since the Danish parliarnent year after year makes life difficult
for refugees by passing draconian Iaws. Two decades during which refugees felt more frustrated
than integrated. But with the vote of the law called paradigm change is a drop of water that just
filled the bottle. As
human
beings, we fed this call to come oitt of our silence and denounce the
authoritarian excesses, massive violations ofrefttgce’s rights and minority rights as well as sabotage
of international conventions on refugec protection.
No to the betrayal of the Danish government
When the Danish government came to pick
us
up in the variotts refugee camps, they promised us
that they came to save our lives, to rehabilitate our mental health destroyed by the trauma ofwar
and armed conflicts, rape, violence, rnassacres, killings etc. but today we feel betrayed. The Danish
government has just contradicted itself.
Background
After the Danish parliament has decided to change the bill in the immigration area, the
refligees were the target. The new bill has passed with an overwhelming majority vote. This new
bill states that the resettled refugees from different reftigee camps should know that they are in the
Denmark as temporary residents, and their temporary permits must be withdrawn, when possible,
and they shall be sent back horne. The measures taken by the Danish parliarnent has brought an
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outcry among the resettied refugees. The resettied refugees, known as UN-refugees have decided to
come to your highest responsibility asking for a durable solution in another country. where we can
call horne.
During our stay in different Refugee Carnps, before our resettlernent to Denmark, the
UNHCR Protection Officers used to tell us that Resettiement is a durable solution and that UNHCR
has made some arrangements with different countries that are ready to give Refugees a durable
solution. Several countries came into Refttgee Camps to take Refugees to their respective countries
for Resettiement. These Refugees are provided with legal, physical, social and psychological
protection. Moreover, they benefit civil, politicat. economic, social and cutturat rights similar to
those enjoyed by nationals. They are given permanent residency on basis of the UNHCR charter as
resettled, without any condition imposed on them, in contrast to Denmark, who has loaded a burden
on Refugees like the Law of Moses, which no one could not ftilfii. No one has called the Danish
immigration to resettie us, there were better countries that provide the above mentioned to the
Reftigees, unfortunately for us, and we are being mentally tortured. Where is our future after
spending
7
to more than 10 years with sarne status that we had in the camp? We were living with
uncertainty in refugee camps, not knowing what will happen to us,
but
we got a guarantee from
UNHCR that with the Resettiement to a third country, will improve our expectations and we are
going to rebuild our lives. Today living in the Danish society with uncertainty again, flot knowing
what will happen tomorrow.
According to UNHCR,
no
country is legally obliged
to
resettie refugees. and accepting
refugees
is
a demonstration of generosity
on the part
of govemmcnts.
The
numbei- of states that
have
established regular resettlemcnt programme and
committed themselves
to an
anntial
quota has
grown steadily.
Denmark is therefore flot obliged to resettte reftigees and keep them living
iii
the
same
condition of
not knowing
what
will be tomorrow. As
you
know,
the Danish
government
is
very
flexihie to
change
the
immigration law,
and
the Danish parliament can pass
a
bill
at any time
to expel ali
tcftigees fi-orn Denmark. Among
the
resetfied Reftigees, therc
are some refugees who
are
bom in
the
Refugee
camps. hearing that
they are from
a certain
country.
which they have never been
to. The
Danish parliament and
government
do
not
expect those people to return to thcir so—called home
after
being
for so
many years
in the Refttgee Camps.
According to UNHCR.1 Resettiernent is by definition a partnership activity. The
Resettlernent of Refttgees relies on cooperation and evolving partnerships between
LTNHCR,
States,
NGOs, and International Organizations.
Resettlement is dependent on states to provide permanent places ofresidence and support to
integrate. UNFICR insists that
no
country is legallv obliged to resettle refugees. and accepting
refligees is a demonstration of generosity on the part of governrnents. The number of states that
have established regular resettlement programme and committed thernselves to an
annual quota has
grown steadily.
Therefore, there is no Resettlement in Denmark with a deep look at the UN charter on resettiement,
it was a joumey filled with worries and anxiety that we are going through. This kind of life has to
‘https://www.unhcr.org/partnership-resettlement.html?guery=resettlernent%2Dof%2Oreftigee
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end in this modern society where Human Rights should promote. We deserve a better treatment, our
kids, too, to whom the status of refugee are attributed despite being bom in Denmark. The kids are
really affected by what is told in the media and social network. We think Denmark belong to the
Danish people only (The Danish People Party).
Therefore, it is up to the Danish parliament to decide ifit will heip the resettled refugees with
permanent residency and support them to integrate and if the Danish partiarnent and government
have failed to give permanent residence to resettled refugees, it is a good idea for UNHCR to find
other countries who can take over from Denmark.
On
5th
offebmary 2019, a Danish newspaper wrote that both Sweden, Norway and
Finland,2 have no plans to change the niles by sending resettled horne because it is well accepted
that such UN Refugees have been resettled for the only purpose to remain permanently in those
respective countries. Norway wrote that it is a well-known custom that resettied Refugees should
flot be sent back to their countries. They must be given permanent residency.
Following the point ofview from other Scandinavian countries the Resettled Refligees living in
Denmark have decided to write this letter to you (UNHCR) asking for resettlement to other
countries as Denmark has repeatedly shown that they are flot willing to provide the resettled
refugees with penTlanent residency and support thern through integration. Iherefore the concept of
Paradigrn Shift has been introduced, which means no more Integration, but Repatriation is the new
Danish’s option.
According to the Danish Refugee Council,3 the refugees living in Denmark experience
stress, depression, anxiety. and failure to thrive in their daily lives. It should be noted that the sarne
feelings were experienced in the refugee camps. The question is until when those feelings will
remain the resettted refugees’ minUs.
The resettied refugees have followed the concems and recommendations ofUNHCR to the
Danish government to refrain from ali amendrnents of the Danish law that will have an impact on
resettled refugees, but the Danish parliarnent has decidcd flot to listen to UNHCR.
The resettled reffigees have also looked at the Danish Aliens Act on requirernents ofany
possibility of applying for permanent residence status, the resettied refligees would like to
ernphasize that it is flot possible for ali resettled reftigees who can have the possibility to apply for
such a permanent residence status. Therefore, the Danish Aliens Act is still a hindrance for the
resettied refugees to settie in Denmark.
Our message to the Danish citizen
Dear Danish citizens, this country has always had a good reputation in the world and that made the
pride of this country and shows the greatness of its people, a human people, humanitarian,
humanistic, altmistic and supportive. But for 20 years, right-wing political leaders have won over
2
https://fIygtning.dk/nyheder-og-fakta/fIygtninge-nedbryUes-afstramn inger
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the power of the people and begun to distort the policy inherited from the founding fathers of the
Danish nation. In the age of globalization, wanting to make Denmark a castle is a mental recession.
We invite the respectful people of Denmark not to support this law but rather to put themselves on
the side ofthese vulnerable refugees who have been well received in this country for decades.
Our messae to ali refuees, mirants and foreiners living in Denmark
We ask al! refugees, foreigners and irnrnigrants living
in Denmark,
to remain united, to stand
together in order to defeat this law which has no place in octr world today, in the concert ofnations
and cultures.
Our reguirements to the Danish Parliament and the Danish Government
We resettied refttgees; invite the Danish Government and Parliament to withdraw the new voted
immigration act called “paradigm change”. It is unacceptable in our modern world and civilisation.
This act is worse than the wall Donald Tntmp wants to build between the USA and Mexico.
Our reciuirements to the UNHCR
We, the resettled refugees from different
refugee camps, submit our request to UNHCR to look for
other countries who can resettle us from Denmark because our status in Denmark is now temporary,
and the reward is to be sent horne where persecution is permanent. There are countries which are
ready to take the refuges, like Canada, Atistralia and the USA.
Our reguirements to European Union and other European bodies
Wc resettled refugees we invite European authorities to take measures that we constrain Denmark to
withdraw this fascist law. Europe needs to build bridges and peace, harmony, mutual understating
with other cultures and peoples but not the paradigm change that comes to send Denmark back in
the history 500 years.
Kape Kaposho Kishinge, deputy chairman
Elocho Swedi, counsellor
Dr. Omari Elethere Kikombe
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Copy transmitted to:
1. lis Excellency Prime Minister of the Kingdom ofDenmark
DK Prins Jørgens Gård 11, 12 I $ København
-
2. The Ministry of Immigration and Integration
Slotsholmsgade 10, 1216 København K
-
3. Danish Parliament
—
Christiansborg
-
1240 København
K
4. Danish Refugee Council, Headquarters, Borgergade 10, 3rd floor, 1300 Copenhagen
K.
5. Amnesty international Danmark,
Gammelton’ 8,
5.
sal,
1457
København
K
6. The Danish Institute for Human Rights
Wilders P1. 8K, 1403 København
K
-
7. UNHCR Regional Representation for Northern Europe
Protection department
Ynglingagatan 14, 6 fi, SE-I 13 47, Stockholm
Telephone: +46 8 457 48 80 Fax: +46 8 457 48 97, E-mail:
swest(u:unherg
8.
President of the European Commission
European Commission
Belgium-1049 Bruxelles/Brussel
9. European Commission Representation in Denmark
Europa-Huset
Gothersgade 115
DK 1123 København K.
16. European Court of Human
Rights
Council of Europe
France
67075
Strasbourg Cedex
-
-
11. Måns Molander:
Sweden and Denmark Director of
Human
Rights Watch
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