Benin, SEPTEMBER 2004
Please pray for Brother Abedi- his story below, in his own words, is
self-explanatory. Efforts are underway to find our brother sponsorship and a
way of escape, but please pray for these efforts and do what you can to
assist.
Dear Brother,
I am comforted by your message. Really, my life is not
safe. Pray continually so that I can afford this
trial. not to leave the master's law because of
turbulations.
These are some informations about my situation.
I am a citizen of Congo democratic republic, from East
Region(South of BUKAVU), maried and father of five. I
fled my country in 1996 and have been registred as
refugee in Tanzania since 1996(Nyarugusu congolese
refugee camp). Then, the UNHCR decided my resettlement
to Benin in May 2001.
After a period of about 10 months, the benin
authorities attempted to kill me along my side, my
collegue MULILIKWA Faizi because of the petition made
by the 8 families of refugees (Burundians and
congolese) resettled from Tanzania to the High
commissionner for refugees. In this, we were
complaining about the short of assistance, our local
integration seemed difficult and some revelation of
miraculous deaths and desappearance of some of our
predesscessors.
The Benin Refugee Board (Government) found that I was
one of the authors of the petition and so, I was
beaten cruelly by the police on 5th march 2002 and
then threatened to death until I felt obliged to flee
the country and seek for a new asylum in Ghana for my
safety (5th April 2002).
Unfortenately, the Accra UNHCR office found difficult
to assist me.
According to the Protection Officer, since I have been
granted asylum in Benin, despite my fear of death,the
UNHCR cannot assist me unless if I decide to go back
to benin.
But, consider what I have experienced in benin, I
could not take the risk to return to Benin. Therefore,
I spent about two years living on the street in Accra,
by the road side, beside the gates of the UNHCR until
the Ghana Ecclesia came for help. I was given a room
and a financial support for my family to enable me to
start a new life. But, when the UNHCR authority heard
that I was trying to settle in Ghana, he requested for
Ghana Immigration service for my arrest and then my
deportation to benin. I spent 13 days in cell.When I
got sick, I was realesed and summoned to report every
morning to the office.
In this while, I went to seek intervention to the
Ghana Swazerland Ambassy. Then Madame Simone Fagetti
Diamonde ask me to fill a form for asylum( it was on
27 March 2004). And then I was deported to Benin on 31
March 2004.
In fact, our deportation to Benin was not for our
sake.Even, the three Immigration officers who escorted
us have experienced it at our arrival.
Since our arrival in Benin, we are passing through an
awful situation. My daugther, 16 years,has been
depressed three weeks after our arrival and eversince,
she has been admitted at JACQUO National Psychiatric
center for traitement.I am looking after her days and
nights.
I cannot contact the Government for assistance because
of fear. Since the resettlement project collapse.
All this time, I am waiting for the decision from the
Swertzland Government because this Madame says we have
to be patient but the conditions are verry hard and we
don't know if it will be positive.
Even now, I can't decide to go back to my country;
because, I was against the ethnic war my people fought
May May are fighting against Banyamulenge. They take
me as a betrayer because every man was to take gun and
fight to defend the country.
I hope you can do something and believe God will find
a way for me throught his servant's effort.
Your Brother ABEDI