To:The Regional UNHCR office
Kiev
Copy: UNHCR head office
Geneva
Diplomatic sectors around the world.
For all organizations, who respect the principles of human right and
Democracy,


An Appeal for Resettlement


We are writing this letter as a collective appeal to request the UNHCR to consider the possibility of accelerated resettlement of Ukraine-based African refugees, Naturalized Africans as well as asylum seekers from Africa, who live in the city of Odessa, in particular.
In making this appeal and request for resettlement, we - the rank and file of African refugees and asylum seekers in Odessa - first of all acknowledge and express our deepest gratitude for the kind humanitarian assistance the UNHCR has rendered us thus far, and which we hope your organization will continue to render henceforward.
The Reasons for which we are addressing to you such humble request and appeal for accelerated resettlement include, but not limited to, the deeply spreading pandemic within the Ukrainian society of xenophobia and racial discrimination against African refugees, who are the most vulnerable. Flagrant and barefaced violation of the human rights of African refugees and asylum seekers are widespread and continues unabated with sheer impunity. There is practically no one to complain to.
In order to detail the scenarios of racism and human rights abuse, which are the bases of our concerns here, it would be useful to highlight or call the attention of the UNHCR to the following points:
- African citizens became a vulnerable part of the society. Many of us have been attacked by racially motivated individuals or groups. Verbal humiliation and insults are very common. Practically it became impossible to move in the town without racially motivated incidents. Many of our compatriots passed, due to racially motivated attacks, but in all these cases even though the criminals recognize and confirm the police that they will continue to attack Africans and black skinned men; the police never give a confirmation that these attacks have been done by racially motivated groups. In most cases the police bribe and leave them.
- Mass Medias usually transmit a harsh propaganda against Africans and foreigners in general. They publicize the population as if we brought here dangerous and easily contagious diseases, share their job, pollute their women and etc. There are so many shameful jokes, sayings and songs transmitted by the mass media about Africans and the manner of our life in our country. Hearing these, the people usually laugh, when they meet with us. This is a very highly affecting psychological war.
- There is no futurity in this country, since the possibility to marry a Ukrainian woman is zero. The ultimate goal of life is to found a family and give a generation, but this goal became only a vision because we are considered in the society like garbage; and no woman wants to be a wife for garbage. Even those Ukrainian women, who have found a family with African citizens, are very sorry of their decision. Many fled leaving their children with their father. This is because most of the population didn’t accept their decision; often these women are insulted or hear when their children are being insulted of their color of skin.
- Even if we can get a woman, who can bear all these and found a family with us this family will not survive long because we are poor. We can’t feed ourselves; not a family. What a woman will agree in our time to marry a poor and black skin man?
- Impossibility for African refugees to be entitled to shelter, which is a basic human need. It is necessary to note here that one of the pre-conditions set for an asylum seeker to get refugee status by the Ukrainian and Odessa migration authorities is to write a statement denying oneself the benefit or entitlement to shelter.
- In order to survive, the only place African citizens can find work -at least on a casual basis- is in the market place, where some of them have tables in the market and others work as loaders. In addition, here exist problems of police harassment, constant extortion of money from us by the local market administrations and police forces (even with proper documents prescribed under the law), and so on.
- The wickedness and unwillingness of the local population to buy goods from Africa citizens.
We understand very well, that Ukraine is a week country to give an asylum for those, who arrive here. Understanding this we tried to live here searching appropriate circumstances, but even though we closed our eyes, mouth and ears for the xenophobia, racial discrimination and hating the so highly corrupted authorities of Odessa didn’t give us the possibility to survive as a human being. We are considered here as wild animals. By the request of the non-governmental organization – the Odessa Association of African Refugees (OAAR) and the residents of the Center for Temporary Accommodation of Refugees (CTAR); a mission of the Regional UNHCR office had arrived in Odessa and held a meeting with recognized refugees, asylum seekers and former refugees, who have neutralized in the Ukrainian society on 25 February 2010. This meeting was led by the staff of the Regional UNHCR office Mrs. Kate Pooler – a protection advisor and Mrs. Anna Kuznyetsova – resettlement service assistance. This meeting has been recorded on six video discs and we can render you at any time.
Some points, which had been reflected on this meeting, are as follows:

- We are forced to pay a large amount of bribe for the interpretation service, which we are supposed to get. For this, the administration of the migration department established a corrupted structure. The main intermediaries in this structure are recognize refugees, neutralized former refugees, who are living in the CTAR and deliberately formed NGOs. Money is rendered to this people and will transfer to others later.
- Even though many of us have paid for the interpretation, we aren’t allowed to live in the Center for Temporary Accommodation of Refugees (CTAR). We are obliged to live outside the CTAR in a situation worst than animals. Besides that many of us are still without any documents.
- We are forced to pay for the dormitory where we live.
- We are punished with food; because the authorities announced that the country is poor and has no means to feed us. After so many months of famine the UNHCR decided to fund the food consumption, but the authorities of the CTAR aren’t cooperative to supply this food. Food supplies are distributed only when a delegate or a commission arrives in the CTAR – for show.
- We Are asked to collect money for deliberately broken water pipes, toilet and kitchen device and even for repairing the building. On this meeting residents of the CTAR have informed the representatives of the regional UNHCR office how the staff of the CTAR remove a working device and implanted it later the old one, when the residents collect and give the asked amount of money.
- Some of us are subjected to travel many hours by foot every month – to reach the court, where our cases are supposed to be heard. This is because we didn’t have an income.
- Some of us are not able to renew our residence, because the visa and registration department is too far and it is madness to start to go by foot to reach it.
- Asylum seekers, who are women even didn’t have a possibility to buy hygiene materials during their menstrual period.
- Asylum seekers who are Africans are subjected to free and frequent work in the territory of the CTAR and out of it.
- We are subjected to live in darkness, since the light is working only from 6:00 to 10:00 morning and 16:00 to 22:00 night. All the rest of the day, light will be put-off.
- We complained repeatedly, that there is no supply of hot water even in the winter time, thus the rooms are too cold and aren’t even able to take shower. Last summer there was no supply of even cold water at all.
- We complained repeatedly, that the heating device, which we are using to heat water are usually collected by the administration of the CTAR and destroyed. The representatives of the regional UNHCR office Mrs. Kate Pooler – a protection advisor and Mrs. Anna Kuznyetsova – resettlement service assistance have been a witness on an occasion (25 February 2010), when the deputy director of the CTAR broke a heater of a resident.
- The electrical device, which we used to cook food are deliberately broken down by the staff of the CTAR, since this is a way how they are able to ask a financial assistance from the government and the UNHCR regional office. Even after getting assistance they will fix the old one and will never buy a new one. Individual device are not allowed, thus families with children and residents who have a job are subjected to wait too long time to prepare food.
- In the past we have signed a lot of petitions, which we didn’t even have a concept what it is written there, since many of us didn’t know Russian or Ukrainian language. In most cases we have signed on a pure sheet of paper. These papers might be used for any purpose. We can’t refuse to sign, because they blackmailed us to evict from the CTAR or may not extend our residence, when we attend the commission, which decided whom to live in the CTAR.
- Some of our compatriots died in the CTAR, because of the carelessness of the administration of the CTAR and migration department. They have fabricated their death and became far from liability before the law. Life of an African is worse than life of a wild animal. We urge to make a neutral investigation and the criminals stand in the court for punishment.
- The NGO, OAAR, which was formed to struggle against xenophobia, racism and racially motivated discrimination, is not allowed to function properly since its formation – 2002 year by the migration department, partners of the regional UNHCR in Odessa and city authorities. Even though the OAAR is a non-profitable organization it has been rejected a financial aid from its formation. In addition to this the city administration categorically refused to render the OAAR a room as an office even though all Ukrainian NGOs are supplied with office. This show how much the authorized personals of Odessa are racists, xenophobic, inhuman and show-lover. About what kind of integration we can talk if the governmental authorities themselves didn’t allow our only association to work properly and rejected with all what is needed for a NGO?
- Many of us are a witness when the members of the Executive Committee (EC) of the OAAR became a target for the staff of the migration department, partners of the regional UNHCR in Odessa and others. Due to this many members of the EC of the OAAR fled away and the effectiveness of the NGO became least.
- Many of us are asked not to contact with the members of the EC of the OAAR and the OAAR in general. In the other hand they terrified us to punish with all they can.
- Asylum seekers who used to complain are asked to reach the commission, which determine whom to live and whom to evict and are warned, terrified and even evicted. The laws of Ukraine on refugees, which propose that refugees and asylum seekers have the right for individual and collectively complain, fail to work, because the law of the state committee on migration, nationality and religion declare that an asylum seeker has a right to live in the CTAR only for three months of time. Residents, who close their mouth and live are allowed to live an infinite period of time, whereas people who insist their right are asked to leave the CTAR, because they already lived the regulated period.

Countries, which signed the human right convention and convention of UNHCR on refugees and its protocol, did many things for the adaptation of refugees and asylum seekers. Refugees got the appropriate respect. Even in this period of crisis refugees and asylum seekers are able to survive in these countries. People, who are trying to defeat their life, have enormous possibilities for survival. In most of these countries law and regulations are practical. People have a guarantee in their life. Even though there are some problems, the society in these countries is welcomed for refugees and asylum seekers.
Ukraine became a week country. This weakness came not because the country didn’t have the potential, but mainly because of the authorized personals. They deliberately form a mafia network. Especially in towns like Odessa this network is highly sophisticated. The human right convention and convention of UNHCR on refugees and its protocol are not practical at all. There is no integration of refuges. African citizens didn’t have respect at all. It is impossible to survive in this country. We are not able to survive here, because we are supposed to pay everywhere bribes; especially for the police forces. Law and regulations of the country are practical only if you have money. We don’t have a guarantee not only in our future life, but also in the present time. We and our children might become a victim of a skinhead attack or any other bandits. Since the society fall in a deep poverty they are looking us like an enemy, as if the causes of all these problems are foreigners.
In this period, even those neutralized compatriots of ours are very sorry, because they took the citizenship of Ukraine. Being a citizen they are supposed to expense all in all from their pocket and which is impossible. Looking them, many refused to be neutralized. There is a reported case that an asthmatic man, who has been neutralized and have an asthmatic child fall in a great problem, since the father is not able to buy even a flacon for asthmatic attack both for him and for his 14 years daughter. This man, who is living in Ukraine more than 15 years was not able to come on a very serious meeting which concerns him, because he wasn’t having 4 UAH (Half a Dollar). We are very sorry that being a Ukrainian people fall in such a great problems. The authorities, who were supposed to build a suitable circumstance for the better integration of refugees in the Ukrainian society didn’t do that, because they are running to make a large mount of money. By their concept a refugee itself is money, thus especially in Odessa refugees are not able to get a decision in a court for even 14 years; whereas it is permitted to stay in the CTAR only for three months. Where asylum seekers can stay 14 years in Ukraine, where you can’t get a job or any other income? This is a corrupted system, where every member of this system is supporting each other or blackmailing those, who are dangerous for them. The court system itself is well corrupted with the migration department. There is a conspiracy in between them not to reject an asylum seeker more than two times. If an asylum seeker got a rejection three times, then he has a great possibility to be resettled to a third country. That means the number of asylum seekers might fall dawn and the income will be minimal. It is very sadly to recognize that we became commodities here.

Again a mission of the Regional UNHCR office had arrived in Odessa and held a meeting with recognized refugees, asylum seekers and former refugees, who have neutralized in the Ukrainian society on 12 March 2010. This meeting was led by the commission of the Regional UNHCR office Mrs. Kate Pooler, Meliha Hadziabdic and a representative of the state committee of Ukraine in refuges, minority and religion Mrs. Natalie. This meeting has been recorded on four video discs and we can render you at any time.
On this meeting residents openly declared for whom they rendered money as a fee for interpretation, how they arrive in Odessa, How they have been attacked by skinheads and the criminals all released paying a money for the police, about the corruption in the police departments, humiliation in the CTAR, how the administration, mainly the deputy director violate their human right and about all what was stated on the meeting, which was held on 25 February 2010.
We, residents of the CTAR and other refugees are very depressed, exhausted, distorted and with out any good perspectives inside, thus potentially are very dangerous. Due to depression we can do what ever a person can’t imagine. If something radical will not be done; this family business which is run by the head of the migration department and his relatives in the CTAR, may cause a very serious damage.
Even though we refugees and asylum seekers are trying to close our eyes, mouth and ears for the xenophobia, racial discrimination and hating the so highly corrupted authorities of Odessa didn’t give us the possibility to survive as a human being and to integrate in the Ukrainian society. The concept integration is used to close our mouth and no more. There might not be integration in a country, where recognized refugees and even neutralized former refugees with a Ukrainian passport are hurrying to be accommodated in the accommodation center for refugees.
We are writing this letter as a collective appeal to request the UNHCR to consider the possibility of accelerated resettlement of Ukraine-based African refugees, Naturalized Africans as well as asylum seekers from Africa, who live in the city of Odessa, in particular.

Sincerely,

Refugees, asylum seekers and neutralized former refugees of Africa, whose signature is found underneath:

This appeal is signed by more than 110 refugees, asylum seekers and naturalized former refugees and addressed to the Regional UNHCR office in Kiev and the head of the UNHCR office in Geneva.

Asheber

To: The Regional UNHCR office
Kiev
Copy: Representatives of humanitarian organizations
Ambassadors and consular
Representatives of international and national mass Medias
For all people, who respect the principles of human right
and Democracy,

We are in danger,

By the request of the non-governmental organization – the Odessa Association of African Refugees (OAAR) and the residents of the Center for Temporary Accommodation of Refugees (CTAR); a mission of the Regional UNHCR office had arrived in Odessa and held a meeting with recognized refugees, asylum seekers and former refugees, who have neutralized in the Ukrainian society on 25 February 2010. This meeting was led by the commission of the Regional UNHCR office Mrs. Kate Pooler – a protection advisor and Mrs. Anna Kuznyetsova – resettlement service assistance. This meeting has been recorded on six video discs and can render you at any time.

For a period of six years, me as a general secretariat of the OAAR informed the Regional UNHCR office, the authorities of the Ukrainian government, national and international humanitarian organs and diplomatic sector in Ukraine and around the world about what is going on here in Odessa . Odessa is ruled by Mafia model.

We understand very well, that Ukraine is a week country to give an asylum for those, who arrive here. Understanding this we tried to live here searching appropriate circumstances, but even though we closed our eyes, mouth and ears for the xenophobia, racial discrimination and hating the so highly corrupted authorities of Odessa didn’t give us the possibility to survive as a human being. We are considered here as wild animals. To mention some points:

- Asylum seekers are forced to pay a large amount of bribe for the interpretation service, which they are supposed to get. For this, the administration of the migration department established a mafia structure. The main intermediaries in this structure are recognize refugees and neutralized former refugees, who are living in the CTAR. Money is rendered to this people and will be transferd to others later.

- Asylum seekers are forced to pay for the dormitory where they live.

- Asylum seekers are punished with food, since the authorities announced that the country is poor and has no means to feed them. After so many months of famine the UNHCR decided to fund the food consumption, but the authorities of the CTAR aren’t cooperative to supply this. Food supplies are distributed only when a delegate or a commission arrives in the CTAR – for show.

- Asylum seekers Are asked to collect money for deliberately broken water pipes, toilet and kitchen device and even for repairing the building. On this meeting residents of the CTAR have informed the representatives of the regional UNHCR office how the staff of the CTAR remove a working device and implanted it later the old one, when the residents collect and give the asked amount of money.

- Asylum seekers are subjected to travel four hours by foot every month (only one way) – to reach the court, where their cases are supposed to be hear. This is because almost all didn’t have an income.

- Asylum seekers are not able to renew their residence, because the visa and registration department is too far and it is madness to start to go by foot to reach it.

- Asylum seekers, who are women even didn’t have a possibility to buy hygiene materials during their menstrual period.

- Asylum seekers who are Africans are subjected to free and frequent work in the territory of the CTAR and out of it.

- Asylum seekers are subjected to live in darkness, since the light is working only from 6:00 to 10:00 morning and 16:00 to 22:00 night. All the rest of the day, light will be put-off.

- Asylum seekers complained repeatedly, that there is no supply of hot water even in the winter time, thus the rooms are too cold and aren’t even able to take shower.

- Asylum seekers complained repeatedly, that the heating device, which they are using to heat water are usually collected by the administration of the CTAR and destroyed. The representatives of the regional UNHCR office Mrs. Kate Pooler – a protection advisor and Mrs. Anna Kuznyetsova – resettlement service assistance have been a witness on an occasion (25 February 2010), when the deputy director of the CTAR broke a heater of a resident.

- Asylum seekers complained that the electrical device, which they used to cook food are deliberately broken down by the staff of the CTAR, since this is a way how they are able to ask a financial assistance from the government and the UNHCR regional office. Even after getting assistance they will fix the old one and will never buy a new one. Individual device are not allowed, thus families with children and residents who have a job are subjected to wait too long time to send them to school and go to their job in time respectively.

- Asylum seekers and recognized refugees complain that there is no futurity in this country, since the possibility to marry a Ukrainian woman is zero. The ultimate goal of life is to found a family and give a generation, but this goal became only a vision because we are considered in the society like garbage; and no woman wants to be a wife for garbage. Even those Ukrainian women, who have found a family with African citizens, are very sorry of their decision. Many fled leaving their children with their father. This is because most of the population didn’t accept their decision; often they hear insult on their children and their address.

- Asylum seekers who used to complain are asked to reach the commission, which determine whom to live and whom to evict and are warned, terrified and even evicted. The laws of Ukraine on refugees, which propose that refugees and asylum seekers have the right for individual and collectively complain, fail to work, because the law of the state committee on migration, nationality and religion, which declare that an asylum seeker has a right to live in the CTAR only for three months of time. Residents, who close their mouth and live are allowed to live an infinite period of time, whereas people who insist their right are asked to leave the CTAR.

Dear Sir/Dear Madame,

Countries, which signed the human right convention and convention of UNHCR on refugees and its protocol, did many things for the adaptation of refugees and asylum seekers. Refugees got the appropriate respect. Even in this period of crisis refugees and asylum seekers are able to survive in these countries. People, who are trying to change their life, have enormous possibilities for survival. In most of these countries law and regulations are practical. People have a guarantee in their life. Even though there are some problems, the society in these countries is welcomed for refugees and asylum seekers.

Ukraine became a week country. This weakness came not because the country didn’t have the potential, but mainly because of the authorized personals. They deliberately form a mafia network. Especially in towns like Odessa this network is highly sophisticated. The human right convention and convention of UNHCR on refugees and its protocol are not practical at all. There is no integration of refuges. African citizens didn’t have respect at all. It is impossible to survive in this country. We are not able to survive here, because we are supposed to pay everywhere bribes; especially for the police forces. Law and regulations of the country are practical only if you have money. We don’t have a guarantee not only in our future life, but also in the present time. We and our children might become a victim of a skinhead attack or any other bandits. Since the society fall in a deep poverty they are looking us like an enemy, as if the causes of all these problems are foreigners.

In this period, even those neutralized compatriots of ours are very sorry, because they took the citizenship of Ukraine . Being a citizen they are supposed to expense all in all from their pocket and which is impossible. Looking them, many refused to be neutralized. There is a reported case that an asthmatic man, who has been neutralized and have an asthmatic child fall in a great problem, since the father is not able to buy even a flacon for asthmatic attack both for him and for his 14 years daughter. This man was not able to come on a very serious meeting, because he wasn’t having 4 UAH (Half a Dollar). We are very sorry that being a Ukrainian; people fall in such a great problems. The authorities, who were supposed to build a suitable circumstance for the better integration of refugees in the Ukrainian society didn’t do that, because they are running to make a large mount of money. By their concept a refugee itself is money, thus especially in Odessa some refugees are not able to get a decision in a court for even 14 years; whereas it is permitted to stay in the CTAR only for three months. Where asylum seekers can stay 14 years in Ukraine , where you can’t get a job or any other income? This is a corrupted system, where every member of this system is supporting each other or blackmailing those, who are dangerous for them. The court system itself is well corrupted with the migration department. There is a conspiracy in between them not to reject an asylum seeker more than two times. If an asylum seeker got a rejection three times, then he has a great possibility to be resettled to a third country. That means the number of asylum seekers might fall dawn and the income will be minimal. Very sadly to recognize that we became commodities.

Dear Sir/Dear Madame,

Again a mission of the Regional UNHCR office had arrived in Odessa and held a meeting with recognized refugees, asylum seekers and former refugees, who have neutralized in the Ukrainian society on 12 March 2010. This meeting was led by the commission of the Regional UNHCR office Mrs. Kate Pooler, Meliha Hadziabdic and a representative of the state committee of Ukraine in refuges, minority and religion Mrs. Natalie. This meeting has been recorded on four video discs and can render you at any time.

On this meeting residents openly declared for whom they rendered money as a fee for interpretation, how they arrive in Odessa, How they have been attacked by skinheads and the criminals all released paying a money for the police, about the corruption in the police departments, humiliation in the CTAR, how the administration, mainly the deputy director violate their human right and about all what was stated on the meeting, which was held on 25 February 2010.

Even though the representative of the state committee of Ukraine in refuges, minority and religion Mrs. Natalie announced that the administration of the CTAR will not evict anyone in the future 2 months of period; arriving the CTAR after the meeting, some residents are asked to leave the CTAR today, however many are informed to be on the commission, which will be held today on 15 March 2010. This must not be done. The residents of the CTAR and other refugees are very depressed, exhausted, distorted and with out any good sense inside, thus potentially they are very dangerous. They can do what ever a person can’t imagine. Their expressions were very serious and notable and before a tragedy came we must hear what they want and change all in all the staff of the migration department starting from its director Mr. Suprunovsky Ivan Petrovitch and all of the administration of the CTAR. If this will not be done this family business which is run by these people may cause a very serious damage.

Even though refugees and asylum seekers are trying to close their eyes, mouth and ears for the xenophobia, racial discrimination and hating the so highly corrupted authorities of Odessa didn’t give us the possibility to survive as a human being and to integrate in the Ukrainian society. The concept integration is used to close our mouth and no more. There might not be integration in a country, where recognized refugees and even neutralized former refugees with a Ukrainian passport are hurrying to be accommodated in the accommodation center for refugees. We are in danger because we are organized; we are in danger because we are blacks; we are in danger because we talk to insist our right: we are in danger in all aspects.

There is a necessity to resettle all Africans from this country, since it is impossible to integrate here.

We are waiting your cooperation and no body must be evicted from the CTAR today.

Sincerely,

Asheber