ADF Will Continue to Defend Rights of Migrants-ADF Chairperson

The Chairperson of ADF has promised that the organization will continue to defend the rights of migrants in South Africa. Marc Gbaffou was speaking at the end of year party for the organization December 12, 2015. “We appreciate commitment of members in 2015,a year worth remembering. We were up to the challenges. Even if we are seen by some officials as troublesome orgnanisation, we have to help continue defending rights of Migrants,” he said.

 He also appreciated the support of CCFD-Terre Solidaire and French Embassy which supported the ADF in 2015. Gbaffou announce the relocation of ADF offices from its present site to 9 Harley Street, Cnr Old Harrow Rd, still in Yeoville and also the creation of the ADF Women’s league, beginning 2016.

Senior ADF member Jason Osuafor encouraged members to keep the steam given that people all over the world visit Mzansi just to know more about ADF. He called for exchange of information among members so as to avoid any lapses.

ADF’s acting Head of Communication Johnson Emeka said there would be restructuring of ADF in 2016 and appreciated the fast pace at which the ADF was growing and said the organization has stretched up to Malawi. ADF’s team support staff Cyprian Ekani raised some technical issues for ADF members visibility and identification while working on the ground.

Many ADF's members took part in the celebrations of the end of year party. 

ADF JOINS FRENCH EMBASSY SA TO CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY

The French Alliance in Pretoria on December 9 was the host of the celebration of this year’s International Human Rights Day commemorated every year on December 10.

The Ambassador of France in South Africa, H.E. Elisabeth Barbier, welcoming guests, expressed her pleasure at the presence of many African migrant associations including the African Diaspora Forum (ADF). She said her country was bent on promoting the respect of human rights all over the world and to contribute to build a society free of exclusion.

Three short documentaries on challenges faced by migrants in South Africa were screened. They include ‘Mine,’ which painted the  plight of Mozambique mine workers in South Africa whose relatives can’t have their pension and other dues paid, ‘I Belong’ (part 2) a film on stateless persons and lastly a short film on the Xenophobic violence in KwaZulu-Natal early this year (April 2015) .

Participants who took part in the event under the theme, “our rights, our freedom always” then asked questions to a panelist of experts headed by Yacob Van Garderen of Lawyers for Human Rights.

An ADF member Kennedy Khabo Mabe who appreciated French Embassy’s support to the ADF remarked that many don’t understand how the government is working because several meetings, panel discussions have been held and suggestions made but never implemented by government. There were talks of a change of approach in the protection of the rights of migrants.

Some participants wanted to know the duration of an asylum seeking process and who between the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and the United Nation High Commission for Refugees (UNHR) is the 'boss' in handling asylum seekers and refugee issues .“An asylum case takes 3 to 6 months to be handled. Home Affairs has to study your case. But due to a number of factors, it takes at times years. It is not only here in South Africa. It is not a matter of who is more powerful than who. It is a matter of good communication between the DHA and UNHCR. If there is an issue to sort out, we need to seat together and share ideas so that a solution can come from both sides with a good understanding between us, “replied Yacob of Lawyers for Human Rights.

There were questions about the new immigration policy to be implemented by the government. Lawyers for Human Rights explained that it is a process which is underway. It emerged that the positive activities of migrant associations is what apparently caused government to review its immigration policies.

The audience picked holes with the issue of the fate of stateless persons after the South African courts and the DHA disagree to grant nationality to a Cuban kid born in South Africa.

French Ambassador Elisabeth Barbier said there are laws which if implemented South Africa  could be a better place in the world to live in.