Darfur Refugees Protest UN Policies in Cairo, Egypt
October 13, 2005
Hundreds of Sudanese refugees began a peaceful demonstration in front of the United Nations office in Cairo, Egypt, on 29 September 2005. The refugees delivered a petition detailing numerous problems they have faced while waiting to be processed by the UN. The refugees have declared they will not end their demonstration until they receive a response to the grievances outlined in their petition.
Since June 2004 the UNHCR policy towards Sudanese refugees in Egypt has granted blanket temporary refugee status to all Sudanese refugees. This policy automatically excludes the refugees from the UNHCR’s refugee status determination procedure. This means that Darfurians are excluded from consideration for resettlement in third countries, though they are guaranteed temporary protection. However, in reality, Sudanese refugees in Egypt who are given temporary protection get very little humanitarian assistance.1 Protestors have been camping out near the UNHCR offices in Cairo for over two weeks, but news agencies have not been given access to the participants. Journalists reported being turned away and having their film confiscated. In addition, attorneys for the Amera Center, an organization of Egyptian human rights lawyers, attempted to reach the refugees but were kept away by Egyptian authorities.
The Damanga Coalition for Freedom and Democracy was able to interview some
of the refugees who participated, including Mohammed Hussain Abderhman. Mr.
Abderhman provided us with a copy of the petition, which included the
following statements (translated from Arabic):
- 1) We refuse to return voluntarily to Darfur because of the lack of security
that the region is still experiencing. *
- 2) We also refuse to resettle permanently in Egypt because cooperation
between the governments of Egypt and Sudan has made our lives here
difficult.
- 3) We refuse the random, unjustified arrest of Sudanese refugees in Egypt,
many of whom are detained without charges filed or access to legal
protection.
- 4) We refuse the unfair procedures used by the UN office in dealing with
refugees.
- 5) We refuse the UN’s practice of discriminating between Sudanese refugees
by ethnicity and region. The Sudanese refugees need to be considered as one
group and not treated differently.
- 6) We request that the UN reopen refugee files that have been closed so that
denied applicants can exercise their right to appeal.
- 7) We ask that the UN deal directly with individual Sudanese refugees and
not through third parties.
- 8) We ask that the UN office not allow any organizations the right to speak
on behalf of the refugee community.
- 9) We ask that the UN not allow the “four freedoms” shared between Egyptians
and Sudanese (freedom of movement, ownership, residence, and work) to be
applied against us, for example in forcing us to either return to Sudan or
resettle permanently in Egypt.
- 10) We ask that the UN protect refugees from assault by representatives of
the Sudanese government living here in Egypt (including National Congress
Party/NIF members and the Embassy of Sudan) and working against the
interests of the Sudanese refugee community.
- 11) We ask that the UN promptly register newly arrived Sudanese so that they
can begin their application for refugee status.
- 12) We ask that the UN help locate the approximately 500 Sudanese refugees
who, according to the Red Cross, have “disappeared” since arriving in Egypt
- 13) We ask that the UN withdraw the security personnel at the UN office who
are seeking to prevent peaceful demonstrations.
- 14) We ask that the UN distribute aid from other organizations to the
refugees in need, promptly and without discrimination.
- 15) We ask that the Egyptian police and other security personnel be trained
to treat refugees according to their legal human rights, as the refugees are
now frequently mistreated by authorities in their host country.
- 16) We ask the UN to take particular care of the most vulnerable refugees,
including the disabled, the elderly, children, and widows.
- 17) We ask that the UN respond to numerous complaints filed by Sudanese
refugees about mistreatment by security personnel and others while in Egypt
- 18) We ask that UN instruct the personnel of its Cairo office to treat the
refugees humanely and with basic respect.
- 19) We ask that UN quickly restart refugee processing and expedite
resettlement procedures for those who have been accepted as refugees.
- 20) We ask that the UN take whatever steps are necessary to either solve the
serious problems we have listed, or to transfer the refugees to another
country where they will be more effectively handled.
The Damanga Coalition for Freedom and Democracy asks the United Nations and the international community to provide immediate aid to the Sudanese refugees, many of whom are homeless and lack basic necessities such as food and protection. UNHCR should continue to protect refugees until conditions in Sudan allow their return in security and with dignity. That protection must include the usual resettlement activities. If Egypt provided protection, including protection from hunger, refugees would not think of moving to other countries. Some refugees crave resettlement in third countries as a way to enhance protection, since the options of staying in Egypt or being forced to return to Sudan provide them with no hope for their future lives.
1. The Slow Death of Darfurians out of Sight in Egypt by Leben Nelson Moro* and Gamal Abdel Rahman Adam
* The UNHCR in Cairo has been emphasizing the return of Sudanese refugees rather than providing them protection. The change in the UNHCR policy fails to take into account the rising violence in Darfur, which is causing the deaths and flight of more people. The return of Darfurians to Sudan would endanger their lives at this point. Moreover, the situation in southern Sudan is still precarious, as the recent violence that followed the death of John Garang makes clear. Even the UN is warning that the government of Sudan is not ready to deal with large numbers of returnees.
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