Lawyers raise concerns for Cote d’Ivoire refugees

코리아 타임즈에도 코트디부아르 난민들에 대한 변협의 성명서가 실렸네요

Lawyers raise concerns for Cote d’Ivoire refugees   http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2011/03/117_83645.html

By Park Si-soo

The Korean Bar Association (KBA) Tuesday urged the government to recognize asylum claims by those from Cote d’Ivoire to rescue them from being persecuted in their home country amid escalating political turmoil there.

The association’s unprecedented request came as the refugee claims of about 30 people from the African country mired in political instability were rejected by the Ministry of Justice. They face deportation unless the court overturns the decision.

The KBA, one of the nation’s strongest interest groups, said their asylum claims were filed when the political environment of Cote d’Ivoire was “not as bad as today” and the case needs to be heard once more. The ministry was not immediately available for comment.

“The Ministry of Justice should stop the procedure to deport them,” KBA President Shin Hyung-moo said in a statement. “We demand the ministry recognize their refugee claims or revise their temporary residence status here as they will otherwise be persecuted.”

Shin said such humanitarian steps will help South Korea promote its international image as a country upholding human rights.

The political turmoil that has shaken Cote d’Ivoire is currently showing no sign of easing. The African state held a presidential election last year after five delays and is still mired in severe internal strife.

“More than 400 people have died in the civil war and 200,000 people have escaped from the country” the KBA said, citing a U.N. report. “The human rights conditions have taken a turn for the worse. The ministry should take this into account and review their asylum claims.”

Following the 2010 presidential election, the Constitutional Council, controlled by supporters of President Laurent Gbagbo declared the results of seven northern departments unlawful and that he had won the elections with 51 percent of the vote.

After Gbagbo’s inauguration, his rival Ouattara — recognized as the winner by most countries and the U.N. — organized an alternative inauguration. These events raised fears of a resurgence of the civil war; thousands of refugees have since fled the country.