Of Large Groups of Ugandans who claim to have an LGBT Profile
By Melanie Nathan, February 20, 2015.
I reported at African HRC that unscrupulous people may be conducting scams and taking advantage of LGBTI people who seek to escape their countries of origin. Of the several problems that seem to be happening at this time, UNHCR has confirmed reports of the trafficking of groups from Uganda and that this has now resulted in a temporary hold on registrations.
I received reports that 76 men (some may be gay, some pretending to be gay) have just been denied registration/mandates from UNHCR as they had been brought to Kenya from Uganda as part of a ‘business scheme’ by a third party, who in exchange for payment, guaranteed them they would be mandated by UNHCR and then resettled abroad. I asked UNHCR about the 76 registrations, but did not receive a direct response about the denials.
However in response the UNHCR spokesperson in Kenya has officially confirmed that UNHCR has decided to temporarily put on hold registration and assistance for new arrivals. Because: ” We have received information from several reliable sources (refugees, implementing partners and LGBTI support groups) that Ugandans are now trafficked to Kenya in groups in order to be resettled to a third country. ”
I expressed concern that this could negatively impact genuine LGBTI asylum seekers: And the spokesperson responded:
“We fully agree with you that there may indeed be genuine cases among the group of asylum seekers who have arrived over the past months. However, we do have a responsibility vis-a-vis the donors, resettlement countries and most of all the LGBTI refugees themselves to make sure that only genuine cases obtain protection and durable solutions.
We hope you understand that we need to investigate this further before we can decide on the way forward. It may in any case be expected that as from now we will take significantly more time to assess the claims and protection needs instead of automatically expedite processing.”
This is discouraging and terrifying news for new Ugandan cases. We are aware of several Ugandans who are LGBTI and who are in current danger in Uganda, unable to make a living due to outings, and without any local funding to sustain their survival in hiding. Some of these people were about to seek refuge in Kenya, for ultimate resettlement – but have now been impeded from their only way out. The United States Government and other countries do not provide visas to people who cannot prove they will go back to their countries of origin. There is no such thing as an asylum visa.
UPDATED: UNHCR has clarified their initial e-mail as follows:
The original e-mail read: ”
“We can officially confirm that we have indeed received information from several reliable sources (refugees, implementing partners and LGBTI support groups) that Ugandans are now trafficked to Kenya in groups in order to be resettled to a third country.
We have therefore decided to temporarily put on hold registration and assistance for new arrivals.
We fully agree with you that there may indeed be genuine cases among the group of asylum seekers who have arrived over the past months. However, we do have a responsibility vis-a-vis the donors, resettlement countries and most of all the LGBTI refugees themselves to make sure that only genuine cases obtain protection and durable solutions. We hope you understand that we need to investigate this further before we can decide on the way forward. It may in any case be expected that as from now we will take significantly more time to assess the claims and protection needs instead of automatically expedite processing.:”
The email clarification reads:
“We have temporarily put on hold registration of large groups of Ugandan asylum seekers who claim to have an LGBTI profile. Ugandan LGBTI refugees on the contrary are persons for whom UNHCR and the Kenyan authorities have already established that they are indeed genuine LGBTI cases who are in need of international protection. For those persons we will continue processing according to our standards and procedures. ”
Header has been changed to reflect the clarification.
THE WARNING OF FRAUDS BY AFRICAN HRC:
First reported and read more at: http://tinyurl.com/jw5z75w
Contact Melanie Nathan at [email protected].
@melanienathan1
Reblogged this on Daily Queer News.
The “bad apples” always ruin what is supposed to help those in need…
If only we could implant empathy into human minds…sigh
Its indeed sad that some beings are there to sabotage systems that are put to help others get a life secure and worth living. My partner and i have been on the run for almost 4 years renting from place to place for we have to flee the area as soon as the community starts suspecting us of who we are. We decided to give up on doing business within metroplex area and resorted to starting up in the rural areas not until a few weeks back when our employees got to know about our relationship, turned violent on us mobilised the whole village against us which made us flee. We split and my partner found his way to Bukoba as i sought refugee at a friends place who is the only one that can take me in despite my sexual orientation.This kicks back to an earlier incident in January 2012 that was too mortifying. somebody took photos of what happened recently as we survived getting torched by the mob, and I am trying to negotiate with this man not to publicise this, which he is threatening to do if not paid an amount that i do not even have.All happening , I have been trying to find a place where we can live without the denial that i have endured since seminary days(2002). A few days earlier i got to know about UNHCR in kenya ,Melanie Nathan and J Lester Feder, and this was like life given to a mannequin and going through the internet today all the life i had enjoyed in a few days of hope has been scraped after reading about the UNHCR halting the system that has been helping us to revisit the inner beings in us who live in homophobic communities. I am threatened, i cant have a home anymore, my family has ignored me the communities cant accept me and those i used to call friends have rejected me just like a fugitive on the run. i am called an animal in my country for something that is innate. i need help.
There is still hope because they are registering individuals just not large groups. Please contact me and I can see where you are with your process and find help there is for you.
The delusion of religion must be ended. It shall end us in the name of complete & utter craziness!
How do i contact you?, for indeed i need your help