Groepsuitzettingen door Martinair

Een Nigeriaanse man op weg naar Lagos (Nigeria) maakt op 18 september 1998 een uitzetting met KLM mee en probeert uit te zoeken wat er met haar is gebeurd.

Hier de briefwisseling tussen hem (twee brieven van hem) en Amnesty International (laatste brief)

Dear madam/sir

I had a long meeting at The Hague and barely made the flight. I may have been the last to check in. I was glad to have a seat on it. Something happened and I think Amnesty should investigate. And

help.

At the last row of the KLM flight 587 to Lagos on 18 September 1998, there was a girl of about 17 years sandwiched between two Dutch officials (probably immigration police).She was dressed in a very

loose dress that appeared more of a tropical night dress to me. This African girl screamed herself hoarse letting everyone within earshot know that she had been in Dutch prison for the past 7 months and that she was forced on the aircraft by the officials to be taken to Nigeria. She insisted she was not a Nigeria, that she came from Liberia and couldn't understand what they were taking here to Nigeria for. She accused the officials of racism and a whole lot of other things. While she screamed, the officials kept mute. This was to change however when they began to roughen her up in a bid to handcuff her. Passengers began to lose their cool at this point. Here was a young girl in a desperate

situation. Nobody to speak up for her. She was eventually taken off the aircraft. But many feared for her safety. Some of the passengers began to wish her soul peaceful rest as they were sure she would be killed to get rid of her nuisance. Could Amnesty make enquiries to ensure

her safety? What can be done.

M.

Dear madam/sir

About the unfortunate girl I reported about: I do not know for sure whether she was an asylum seeker, all I could see is that she was being moved somewhere against her wish. I am concerned about her

safety. As you are aware a regrettable incident has just been recorded in Belgium in which a Nigerian girl of about the same age was suffocated by the immigration police. I cannot even say whether this girl has a lawyer who might have contacted you. It is even possible that she only has a lawyer provided for her by an hostile state! What justice would come out of that? Which rights would be respected?

I thought it should be easy for AI to obtain info on this girl. There is only one flight to Lagos per day from Amsterdam and the flight in question was by KLM on Friday 18 September, 1998. There was

no other person who was forced unto the aircraft except the girl in question. She was also the only one who was taken out of the aircraft after everyone had taken their seats.

I wish AI will not wash their hands off this poor girl just because she is an anonymous entity. I will be happy to hear that you made some enquiries with the appropriate authorities and that they cooperated

or refused to cooperate. I imagine you are bogged down with several cases, but who knows this girl's life may be saved by your intervention...if someone hasn't placed a pillow over her nostrils!!

Thank you.

M.

Antwoord van Amnesty International

Dear Sir

Last week we received an email of your friend. He send us your mail about a Nigerian (or Liberian) asylumseeker. To tell you the truth, we can't do much about this case. People asking for asylum in the Netherlands are presented at the embassy of the (supposed) country of origin. In this case it's maybe possible the Nigerian embassey has given a "laissez passer". Normally we are working through lawyers. If something did went wrong in the procedure of this girl, her lawyer could have contacted us already.

For us it's difficult and even almost impossible to do something for this girl, without knowing the background information.

We hope to have informed you sufficiently,

Kind regards,

refugee department