By Mohamed Kamara
The National Coordinator of the Network of Ex-Asylum Seekers (NEAS-SL) Mr. Abdulai Daramy has raised serious concerns over the deportation of Sierra Leoneans and other Africans from the United States of America.
Mr. Abdulai Daramy made this disclosure on Tuesday 12th July 2022, in a press conference organized at the NEAS-SL headquarters situated at No. 54 Wellington Street in Freetown.
The National Coordinator further revealed that the United States Immigration Office has deported four Sierra Leoneans, adding further, hundreds of Africans including Sierra Leoneans are being held in U.S prisons and deportation camps awaiting deportation to their respective countries of origin.
Mr. Daramy also condemned the rampant deportation of Africans from the United States and Europe. He alleged that some of the deportees have Green Cards, but still faced deportation for flimsy reason. He has appealed to the United States Embassy based in Sierra Leone and humanitarian organizations working to protect the rights and dignity of migrants to intervene through dialogue with the respective authorities to end the massive deportation of migrants.
“The number of migrants that are awaiting deportation is alarming,” he denoted, adding that, as a network, they are faced with the huge task of integrating the deportees into society. Mr. Daramy went on to say that with the huge number of deportees to care for with the minimum donor support they are receives from the German based NGO, Medico International (MI), he informed that they are facing lots of challenges to meet the needs and want of the deportees; especially in integrating them into the country. He lamented that the outbreak of Ebola and Colvid-19 have increased the stress and stigmatization against deportees in their communities of origin. Mr. Daramy explained the differences between Temple Runners and Deportees, added that, Temple Runners received packages from IOM and the Government; whilst Deportees are left on their own. He disclosed further that considering the challenges the Deportees are facing prompted the establishment of NEAS-SL to engage and advocate for policy formulation for Sierra Leoneans that are deported from abroad. He is optimistic that when the draft policy is enacted by Parliament, the social, economic and welfare issues of Sierra Leonean Deportees will be guaranteed and there will sanity in the overall Deportation process.
