By Antony Mayunga, The Citizen Correspondent
Posted Saturday, September 14 2013 at 09:20
Posted Saturday, September 14 2013 at 09:20
In Summary
Kigoma. Over 3,180 people have been detained in
Kigoma Region in the ongoing operation to identify and deport illegal
immigrants in the country, with over 1,030 having already been deported
to their home countries from the region alone.
However, there have been growing concerns from the
arrested people, who claim they were harassed and forced to disown
their Tanzanian citizenship.
Kigoma regional commissioner Issa Machibya told
The Citizen on Saturday in his office that the exercise, which started
on September 1, 2013 was being implemented successfully due to support
from Wananchi.
The illegal aliens are being deported back to
Burundi, DRC Congo, Rwanda and Uganda following identification done by a
special task force comprising members from the Police, Tanzania
People’s Defence Forces, Immigration department, Prisons department and
the national intelligence.
The operation follows an order issued by President
Jakaya Kikwete in July during his tour of Kagera Region that all
immigrants in the country should go back to their home countries
voluntarily, failure of which they would face legal action including
being deported.
Some of the immigrants who spoke to this paper as
they waited for deportation to DRC claimed that were arrested under
controversial circumstances, with some saying they were forced to break
up their marriages and separating from their relatives.
The deportees, who were desparate claimed at the
DRC consulate in Kigoma to be Tanzanians but said they were surprised to
be arrested and forced to confess to be illegal immigrants.
“I was born in 1970 at Kiziba Village Kigoma
District. I built a house at Kibirizi Village in 2003. I have left
behind four children who I do not know how they will survive,” said
Emanuel Marco as he awaited deportation procedures.
SOURE: THE CITIZEN
SOURE: THE CITIZEN
