At least 2400 Gambians in Germany are awaiting deportation. This was disclosed by German refugee support groups Flüchtlingsrat Baden-Württemberg (Refugee Council Baden-Württemberg), a non-profit organization that advises refugees and advocates for their rights and the Gambia Helfernetz (Gambia Helpers Network)
In a letter received by The Voice on Monday, specified that a statement was already handed over to President Adama Barrow, Vice-President Dr. Isatou Touray, members of the Government and the Speaker of the National Assembly, Mariam Denton, on 25/26 July calling their attention to the plights of the Gambian refugees in the country.
The groups also disclosed that the German authorities have deported more than 100 Gambian refugees between November 2018 and March 2019, and raised concern that “German politicians are determined to send back at least another 2400 Gambians illegal migrants.”
The groups expressed the opinion that German politicians and authorities would have other options than the deportation of the rejected asylum seekers. They also expressed their concern for social peace in The Gambia, which could be endangered by a large number of hopeless returnees.
“This does not mean that only criminals will be deported to The Gambia, as it is wrongly assumed and claimed. People are also deported who have been living in Germany for several years, have a steady job, earn their own living and pay taxes to the German State. They learned the difficult German language and went to schools and many of the deportees were well integrated into German society, had a permanent job, made their own living and never came into conflict with German laws.
They do good work in German companies, successfully play in German football clubs, get involved in sports and cultural clubs and have German friends. Most of them did not get into conflict with the law and were not to be blamed for anything.”
The groups said even after the Gambian government placed moratorium on deportation of Gambian migrants following the last mass deportation of Gambian refugees from Germany through chartered flights, at least 12 people were reported deported to The Gambia through other means.