KENYA AIRWAYS COMPLICITY WITH THE DEPORTATION OF A
SUDANESE REFUGEE TO WAR-STRICKEN SUDAN
THE DEPORTATION OF EZZEDINE MEHIMMID TO UNSAFE
SUDAN/KENYA AIRWAYS COMPLICITY/REACTION TO THE
ANSWER OF KENYA AIRWAYS
BACKGROUND:
Dear Readers,
Recently I wrote Kenya Airways to stop the deportation of
the Sudanese refugee mr Ezzedine Rahmatallah Mehimmid,
who was deported on orders of the Dutch authorities to Sudan.
Since the human rights situation is very bad in Sudan and
especially in Darfur, where still warcrimes are committed
by president Omar Bashir [1] and mr Mehimmid comes
from Darfur, it is very risky for him!
The first deportation traject was executed by KLM, which I also
have written about this
[KLM has earned a bad reputation in collaborating
with the Dutch authorities in deportations of refugees to unsafe countries]
SEE
The second and last traject was done by Kenya Airways, from
Nairobi to Khartoum.
I wrote Kenya Airways to stop this deportation, since there
was still time and mr Mehimmid had not yet arrived on Nairobi Airport.
Kenya Airways was the last hope to stop this deportation, but alas
they cooperated with KLM and the Dutch authorities, as ik
showed from their reaction on my letter.
Their arguments were the same as KLM and I was very
disappointed.
See first my letter to Kenya Airways [A]
Then the answer of Kenya Airways [B]
Then my reaction to the answer of Kenya Airways [C]
And below that my original mail to Kenya Airways [D]
See Kenya Airways reaction first, then my answer to them.
Astrid Essed
NOTES
[1]
The human rights situation has not improved. Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and aligned forces, notably the newly created Rapid Support Forces, have continued to attack civilians in Darfur, Southern Kordofan, and Blue Nile with utter impunity. National security agents engage in entrenched patterns of repression, targeting civil society leaders, human rights activists, and students for harassment, arbitrary detentions, and torture; restricting civil society organizations and independent media; and using lethal force to disperse protesters, killing hundreds in broad daylight”
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
HUMAN RIGHTS BENCHMARKS FOR SUDAN
EIGHT WAYS TO MEASURE PROGRESS
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
MEN WITH NO MERCY
RAPID SUPPORT FORCES ATTACKS AGAINST CIVILIAN IN
DARFUR, SUDAN
A
MY LETTER TO KENYA AIRWAYS
URGENT REQUEST /KENYA AIRWAYS/STOP THE DEPORTATION
OF MR MEHIMMID TO DANGEROUS SUDAN/LETTER
TO KENYA AIRWAYS
ASTRID ESSED
B
ANSWER OF KENYA AIRWAYS TO MY LETTER
On Wednesday, January 9, 2019, 10:03:43 AM GMT+1, Kenya Airways Guest Support <guestsupport@kenya-airways.
|
|
C
MY REACTION TO THE ANSWER OF KENYA AIRWAYS
Dear mrs Magara
Thanks very much for your reaction on my mail
with my request to Kenya Airways to stop the deportation
of the Sudanese refugee mr Ezzedine Rahmatallah
Mehimmid to unsafe Sudan.
This deportation was on the orders of the Dutch authorities
and for the first traject executed by the KLM, which I
have also written [1], did in the past [2] and will continue to
do, until KLM stops taking refugees on board, who are
deported against their will to countries where they are at risk!
It’s a pity to hear, that you didn’t honour my request to
stop Mehimmid’s deportation for the last traject from Nairobi
to Khartoum.
Since you were the last hope to stop this deportation,
I am very disappointed although I understand your position.
Yet I don’t agree with you and I deplore your decision.
You wrote to me:
”Please note that all deportation are authorised by the government.
We as Kenya Airways act as medium of carriage.”
Well, dear mrs Magara´´deportation authorised
by the government” and acting as medium of carriage”
is no argument, because Kenya Airways has its own responsibility to
take someone on board, which can have grave consequences
for that person, when he is a refugee and is deported.
I wrote Kenya Aiways clearly [and they should know anyway!] what the situation
in Darfur is, president Omar Bashir still committing warcrimes
there [3] and since Mr Mehimmid comes from Darfur, it
is very, very risky for him!
Yet you took him on this dangerous flight!
I say to you what I already said to KLM:
If anything happens to mr Mehimmid, I hold you,
Kenya Airlines, responsible too!
I hope sincerely, that you will not play a part anymore
in the Dutch deportation policy, which implies
in the most cases:
Sending refugees back to unsafe countries and warzones.
Don’t play a part in this dirty Western deportation game
with the lives of human beings!
Kind regards
Astrid Essed
Amsterdam
The Netherlands
NOTES
[1]
KLM COMPLICITY WITH THE DEPORTATION OF
EZZEDINE MEHIMMID TO UNSAFE SUDAN/LETTER
TO KLM
ASTRID ESSED
This is the English translation of an earlier letter sent
to KLM
KLM MEDEPLICHTIGHEID AAN DE DEPORTATIE VAN
EZZEDINE MEHIMMID NAAR ONVEILIG SOEDAN/BRIEF
AAN KLM
ASTRID ESSED
[2]
[3]
The human rights situation has not improved. Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and aligned forces, notably the newly created Rapid Support Forces, have continued to attack civilians in Darfur, Southern Kordofan, and Blue Nile with utter impunity. National security agents engage in entrenched patterns of repression, targeting civil society leaders, human rights activists, and students for harassment, arbitrary detentions, and torture; restricting civil society organizations and independent media; and using lethal force to disperse protesters, killing hundreds in broad daylight”
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
HUMAN RIGHTS BENCHMARKS FOR SUDAN
EIGHT WAYS TO MEASURE PROGRESS
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
MEN WITH NO MERCY
RAPID SUPPORT FORCES ATTACKS AGAINST CIVILIAN IN
DARFUR, SUDAN
D
MY ORIGINAL MAIL TO KENYA AIRWAYS
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Sat, Jan 5, 6:19 PM (4 days ago) |
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TO KENYA AIRWAYS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
MANAGEMENT
URGENT REQUEST NOT TO COOPERATE WITH THE
DEPORTATION OF THE SUDANESE REFUGEE EZZEDINE
RAHMATALLAH MEHIMMID, TODAY, SATURDAY 5 JANUARY 2019
SUBJECT:
BAD HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN WAR STRICKEN
SUDAN AND THE PERSONAL RISKS FOR THIS REFUGEE
Dear Board of Directors
Dear Management
To begin with:
I wish you a Happy, Healthy and Fullfulling New Year.
This day, 5 januari 2019, is your chance to make a very good
start for 2019.
If you choose to do so.
I already wrote it under subject:
It concerns your cooperation with the deportation of the Sudanese
refugee Mr Ezzedine Rahmatallah Mehimmid to Sudan.
He has already been deported from the Netherlands with the cooperation of
the villainous KLM, which regulary cooperates with the deportation
of refugees to unsafe countries, something for which I have chastised
them regularly. [1]
KLM Flight number 565, this morning [5 januari]
Dutch time: 12.00
You are supposed to give your further cooperation with his
deportation and mr Mehimmid will be deported by your
Company at 5 january in the evening hours.
Your Flight number: KL4202
Your departure time: 23.20
UNLESS YOU DO THE RIGHT THING AND STOP THIS DEPORTATION!
SUDAN/DARFUR
Because it is a very dangerous situation you are sending mr
Mehimmid to!
As you’ll probably know, mr Mehimmid comes from Darfur, where
the Sudanese government committed many atrocities as warcrimes
and crimes against humanity, and still does. [2]
Therefore it’s obvious that a refugee, stemming from Darfur,
is extra at risk when deported to Sudan.
And that’s not all:
From a very reliable source [alas in Dutch, so I can’t give
you the note] I learned, that mr Mehimmid was already tortured,
when living in Sudan.
So that’s the crime of the Dutch government, not giving this man
asylum.
But leave the Dutch government where it is.
I will deal with them anyway and also write to the KLM
about their criminal complicity.
Now I set my hopes on you.
Because you have the possibility and the power, not to
cooperate with this deportation and to possibly send him to his torture
and his death.
So I hope wholeheartedly you will stop this deportation.
But when you are not, you are part of the deadly problems
mr Mehimmid faces when arrived in Sudan.
So do the right thing, please and begin this New Year with
honour and good dignity.
Thank you for reading this letter.
Kind regards
Astrid Essed
Amsterdam
The Netherlands
NOTES
[1]
KLM COMPLICITY WITH THE DEPORTATION OF MR MOHAMMED’SAMIR ABDULLAH TO DANGEROUS SUDAN/LETTER TO KLM
ASTRID ESSED
KLM COMPLICITY WITH THE DEPORTATION OF MR F.M.
AMIRI TO UNSAFE AFGHANISTAN/LETTER TO KLM
ASTRID ESSED
KLM COMPLICITY WITH THE DEPORTATION OF AN AFGHAN
FAMILY TO UNSAFE AFGHANISTAN/LETTER TO THE KLM
KLM LETTERS AGAINST DEPORTATION OF REFUGEES IN
ENGLISH AND DUTCH
[2]
‘The human rights situation has not improved. Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and aligned forces, notably the newly created Rapid Support Forces, have continued to attack civilians in Darfur, Southern Kordofan, and Blue Nile with utter impunity. National security agents engage in entrenched patterns of repression, targeting civil society leaders, human rights activists, and students for harassment, arbitrary detentions, and torture; restricting civil society organizations and independent media; and using lethal force to disperse protesters, killing hundreds in broad daylight”
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
HUMAN RIGHTS BENCHMARKS FOR SUDAN
EIGHT WAYS TO MEASURE PROGRESS
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
MEN WITH NO MERCY
RAPID SUPPORT FORCES ATTACKS AGAINST CIVILIAN IN
DARFUR, SUDAN