African migrants protest in Tel Aviv, demand better treatment

[bemildred]

JERUSALEM — In an unusual show of strength by one of the weakest groups in Israeli society, thousands of African migrants demonstrated in Tel Aviv on Sunday to protest their treatment by the Israeli government.

An estimated 10,000 migrants from African countries poured into Tel-Aviv’s Rabin Square, chanting slogans that demanded human rights and opposed government policies aimed at discouraging them from staying in Israel by forbidding them from working and placing them in detention.

“We want our freedom” and “No more deportation” were among the calls cried at the rally, attended by politicians, social activists and rights organizations. Some held signs reading “Freedom yes, prison no.”

As Israel’s policies grow more heavy-handed, anxiety and fear of jail, deportation and poverty are driving the migrants to protest more actively.

http://www.latimes.com/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-israel-african-migrants-protest-20140105,0,6777793.story?track=rss

[oberliner]

1. It's interesting that Israel is such a popular destination for African migrants

Especially considering that they must pass through Egypt to get there (among other potential countries).

[bemildred]

2. Not hard to understand, really.

But cheap migrant labor always cause friction. Echoes our own problems with undocumented workers.

[Scootaloo]

3. According to the numbers, it's really not

There's something like seven hundred and fifty thousand "official" refugees from Sudan alone in Egypt - the actual number is estimated at between two and four million people. There's another two hundred and fifty thousand in Chad, with who the heck knows how many "undocumented" people. There's another five million scattered around the European Union. Over a hundred thousand Ethiopians have fled to Saudi Arabia, along with seven hundred thousand Somalis. Another seven hundred thousand Somalis have moved into Yemen.

Estimates are about 25,000 people from Africa overall in Israel - Sudanese, Ethiopians, Eritreans, Somalis, Tanzanians, all of 'em add up to somewhere between 25-50,000 people.

[King_David]

4. They must be very well treated in all those countries ,

with only 25 000 in Israel we constantly hear stories all the time about their shocking treatment but not much about all those other countries.... At all...

[Jefferson23]

6. More likely your limited scope of reading material. And this has what to do with excusing Israel

or any government for that matter?

Deport the African refugees to Egypt? Not so fast

Refugees in Egypt face regular threat of arrest, torture, and deportation to their countries of origin. The revolution has not changed that reality. On the life of one Darfuri refugee in search of protection.

http://972mag.com/deport-the-african-refugees-to-egypt-not-so-fast/58795/

[Scootaloo]

8. As jefferson points out, it's probably due to the limited scope of your material

They are actually fairly well-treated in Egypt and Chad - nothing's perfect of course, but these are both safe refuges, as is the EU. Saudi Arabia is currently doing its best to round up and deport its immigrants, and there's been no shortages of beatings and killings by police.

Really David, when all you read about is Israel, that's all you'll know about.

[oberliner]

7. According to the numbers you just provided, it really is

Last edited Sun Jan 5, 2014, 06:46 PM - Edit history (1)

There are about 1-2 thousand people feeling Eritrea every month, so that would be about an entire years worth who are currently in Israel. To say nothing of those who have attempted unsuccessfully to get to Israel.

Incidentally, the AFP reported "More than 30,000 African asylum seekers" were at this recent protest.

http://news.yahoo.com/african-asylum-seekers-protest-israel-detention-laws-130643864.html

[Jefferson23]

5. Good luck. n/t

[bemildred]

9. Thousands of African migrants march on Tel Aviv embassies

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Instead of going to work, over 20,000 African migrants protested in Tel Aviv’s Rabin Square, chanting “Yes to freedom, no to jail” and “we’re refugees, not criminals.” The protest lasted for about four hours and dispersed without incident. Hundreds of migrants also protested in front of government offices in Eilat.

Protest organizers are calling for the law authorizing their detention in the new Holot facility to be overturned, as well as for Israel to stop rounding up migrants and to release all those jailed under the new law. Israel, they maintain, is obliged to honor the UN Refugee Convention and give reasonable consideration to all asylum requests.

Day two of the protest and strike follows criticism from the UN Refugee Agency (the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) on Israel’s policy on African migrants, in particular new amendments to the country's anti-infiltration law.

Following Sunday's mass protest of tens of thousands of migrants and their supporters in Tel Aviv, the UNHCR representative in Israel published a rare press release, calling on Israel to consider alternatives to its current “warehousing” of migrants.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/1.567265

[Jefferson23]

10. It's sad..they only want a job and to survive.

Keeps getting harder for millions world wide.

[bemildred]

11. Yep. nt