22-02-2010
The greatest number of immigrants from Somalia in Eastern Europe live in Vinnytsya. They are attracted by this town because of local people’s attitude to the foreigners. However, the last time there were three cases of beating of refugees. Regardless of tolerance in attitude of Vinnytsya residents to the refugees from African countries, refugees from Somalia, according to their words and information of Vinnytsya Human Rights group they suffer from preconceieved acrtions of police.
Not an accident, but impunity
Coordinator of Vinnytsya Human Rights group, Dmytro Groisman regards the facts of Somalians’ beating by the representatives of law enforcement bodies as a crime.
– The majority of these people are the asylum seekers arriving to Ukraine illegally. Some of them applied for the refugee status, however only a few got it. Living on the territory of Ukraine without a right to work and social guarantees these people experience discrimination. It is disgusting and sad when Somalians call their offenders – Ukrainian policemen, – D. Groisman says. He also affirms that Somalian refugees were ready to identify their offenders, but Vinnytsya Prosecuting Magistracy did not commenced a criminal case, in addition to that it even did not direct the text of the corresponding injunction to the complainants. This time subordinates of “minister-racist” and the officers of SSU as well were also indifferent to a notification about the crime. Impunity generates new crimes.
Ismail was beaten three times
About 100 Somalinas live in Vinnytsya both legally and illegally including the children under age. Among the refugees from African country there are – Elias Adan Hasan, Ismail Abdi Akhmet and a minor Abadir Mukhamed Ali. On Friday January 29, 2010 Ismail and Ibrahim were met by people who presented themselves the lawmen near the house where they rent a flat, then they asked to show their documents. The boys showed the documents issued by organization which is a partner of department of UNHCR. After that these men started to demand that Somalians let them come into their flat. Being inside the flat they began to demand the laptop and a digital camera. They took $250 and in the end of this meeting they beat them.
– By the way, it is the third case of beating and cruel treatment as to Somalians in Vinnytsya during 2009-2010 years.
They new about Ukraine not much
Two Somalians who took part in a conflict starting their way from Africa to Ukraine had known about Ukraine very little.
– I have heard that there is such a state. All my knowledge about Ukraine was an accident at Chernobyl station. Being off here I thought that there was a state where the legislation is respected, – Elias says.
His friend Ismail knew about Ukraine the least.
– When I was travelling from Somalia I aimed at finding the safe place. Here, in Ukraine, a lot of Somalians live and I decided that it would be a good place for me. We live for the money of UNHCR. We do not disturb anybody here.
Though, the victims addressed to the Prosecuting Magistracy of Vinnytsya region with an official application about the crime, yet no worker of the Prosecuting Magistracy magistacy met them, not the officers of MOI or SSU.
– That is why we do not have doubts that again only international community will worry about cruel treatment as to refugees in Vinnytsya, – said D. Groisman. He also reports that the most part of Somalians suffer from unlawful actions of the workers of patrol-duty service and Department of Crime Fight connected with people’s trade.
Vinnytsya Human Rights Group asks authorized person on human rights cases Nina Karpachova to start investigation as to violation of the human rights by the officers of MOI. Also this organization tries to organize a meeting with the representatives of international community and Somalians living in Vinnytsya.
The lawmen are not in the know
To tell the truth, Somalians did not ask for the identification documents from their offenders. Thus, it is hard to affirm that they were policemen and not people posing as policemen. That is why the Prosecuting Magistracy of Vinnytsya by the decision №136/м08 refused to institute the criminal case as to unlawful actions of police because of the absence of crime composition. The head of Department on Crime Fight connected with the people’s trade commented the statement of D. Groisman as one which did not correspond to the facts.
Source: http://20minut.ua/news/169101