Deportation of West Africans to Ivory Coast called into question

Swiss non-governmental organisations have voiced concern about the government's policy of deporting West African asylum-seekers to the Ivory Coast, if their applications for sanctuary are turned down in Switzerland.

Swiss non-governmental organisations have voiced concern about the government’s policy of deporting West African asylum-seekers to the Ivory Coast, if their applications for sanctuary are turned down in Switzerland.

Last year, 90 West Africans were deported to Abidjan, even though many did not come from the Ivory Coast.

Jürg Schertenleib, a spokesman for the Swiss Refugee Council, says the practice is unacceptable and of dubious legality, and that the Council may make representations against it.

“We don’t believe that this practice is in accordance to the law. There is no article which allows someone to be sent to any other country than the one they are from,” he said.

The Association of Democratic Jurists has also called the practice into question. In a statement, the organisation called on the parliamentary committees concerned to examine the legality of deporting West African asylum-seekers without being sure where they are from.

The Federal Refugee Office strongly defends the way it has been operating for the past four years. It says it is the best way to handle intransigent asylum-seekers who are determined to remain in Switzerland.

“They are people who don’t reveal their identity or even their nationality, and that’s what it’s all about,” said spokesman, Roger Schneeberger. “People are playing games like that so that we are not in a measure to send them anywhere. Once they are in Abidjan, they are much more co-operative. Then they know, now it’s serious.”

By Malcolm Shearmur