15 October 2013

SHARES News Items Overview: 16 September-15 October 2013

This is our News Items Overview of 16 September-15 October 2013, a summary of recent news relating to shared responsibility. (more…)

15 October 2013

No Asylum for ICC Witnesses, but no return to the DRC either

The District Court of Amsterdam held yesterday, on 14 October 2013, that three witnesses detained at the International Criminal Court since May 2011 are not eligible for asylum in the Netherlands. They are suspected of involvement in crimes against humanity in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and as such can be excluded from asylum under Article 1F of the Refugee Convention. Despite this, the Court held that the witnesses could not be returned to the DRC as there is a real risk that they will be detained, subjected to an unfair trial, and possibly given the death penalty. As such, the Court held that to return the witnesses would be contrary to the European Convention of Human Rights, in particular Article 6.

Source: De Rechtspraak | Court forbids deportation of Congolese witnesses

15 October 2013

UNHCR spokesperson: wider responsibility sharing among EU states needed

After one of deadliest migrant-ship disasters in recent history, whereby a vessel originating from Libya capsized, already resulting in the death of 311 individuals, UN High Commissioner for Refugees spokesperson Adrian Edwards urged wider responsibility-sharing among European Union states to process asylum claims, and to find lasting solutions for people that are in need of international protection.

A better gathering and sharing of information about the routes and means that people are taking in flight is also needed, as well as improved rescue at sea detection and response, and better care arrangements on arrival after their disembarkation, such as improved facilities, according to Edwards.

Source: UNHCR | UNHCR warns of further boat tragedy risk on Mediterranean
Source: UN News Centre | After Lampedusa tragedy, UN refugee agency urges European Union to revisit migration polices

10 October 2013

Minister Zambia: shared responsibility for states to build a world free of cluster munitions

Gabriel Namulambe, Zambia’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, spoke about the country’s willingness to encourage other states to ratify and implement the Convention on Cluster Munitions in order to eradicate weapons that have killed and maimed thousands of people around the world. He said ‘It is our shared responsibility to restore human dignity. The fight against cluster munitions will not be complete if some countries remain outside the Convention. It is Zambia’s belief that a world free of cluster munitions is only achievable if all countries of the world come together to reject the production, use and stockpiling of cluster munitions. Furthermore, Zambia believes that all countries have a shared moral responsibility to ensure that innocent lives are not lost to these deadly weapons and that the world is clear of cluster munitions. We, therefore, call upon all countries of the world to do what is honourable and say “no” to cluster munitions.’

Source: ICRC | Zambia: States share responsibility to build a world free of cluster munitions

9 October 2013

Lawsuit filled in the US against the UN over Haiti cholera epidemic

Lawyers for Haitian victims of a cholera outbreak announced they were filling a suit against the United Nations (UN) in a Federal District Court in New York. The suit calls on the UN to compensate victims of the epidemic.

It is believed that the outbreak began after MINUSTAH peacekeepers from Nepal brought the bacteria, and spread quickly due to negligence in the sanitation of the UN base.

Last summer, researchers from the Yale University published a report arguing that the UN caused the outbreak and should pay compensation to the victims.

Lawyers for the victims have not communicated on the arguments they would present against the immunity of the UN.

Source: The New York Times | Rights Advocates Suing U.N. Over the Spread of Cholera in Haiti
Source: BBC | UN sued over Haiti cholera epidemic