18-02-2012

The migrants from Somalia holding at Temporary Holding Facilities in Volyn and Chernigiv stop their hunger strike.

It is said in the letter to Cabinet of Ministers published by Ukrainian Refugee Council that Somalis stopped their hunger strike about six weeks.

“We have also decided to fill in the applications for complementary protection as we understand that the Government has now agreed that no Somali who claims asylum will be treated as ‘manifestly unfounded’ and rejected quickly – as has been the case up to now” – the authors of the letter mark.

Besides, Somalis intend to appeal against the detention at Ukrainian courts”.

“The Government of Ukraine and Ukrainian State Migration Service know well that our detention is illegal on the basis of the juridical arguments laid out in statements from the Ukrainian Refugee Council, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch” – refugees pointed out.

In its turn, the Ukrainian Refugee Council hopes that submission of Somalis’ applications will be quick, impartial and that situation of the applicants will be considered taking into account information about the country of their origin and due professionalism.
Besides, about 80 Somalis informed representation of UNHCR about their wish to get asylum in Ukraine, however they were rejected. Thus, they made a protest and went on hunger strike.

In January, State Migration Service announced that release of Somali migrants who went on hunger strike is impossible at the present moment, and their strike is “a play to audience”.

Source: http://www.volynpost.com/news/1980-somalijci-z-zhuravychiv-prypynyly-goloduvannia