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Salima came to Uganda because people like her were being hunted for human sacrifice as some people believed their blood could keep them young forever. After a month here, she decided to apply to be a refugee. Yesterday, Salima got the news that her application has been rejected, and she is worried she will be forced to return to her country where the witchdoctors are waiting for her. Is this the end for her?
WHAT DOES THE LAW SAY?
By law, a refugee is a person who leaves their own country because of fear of being badly treated because of their race, religion, nationality, belonging to a particular social group, or their political beliefs, and they cannot safely return to their own country.
When a person applies to become a refugee in Uganda and is assessed to see if they qualify for refugee status, this application may be granted or rejected. When it is rejected, it does not mean the end for that person or that the person will be forced to leave Uganda and go back to the unsafe conditions they came from.
A ‘refugee’ is entitled to appeal this decision within 30 days from when they received the reasons for why the decision was made. There is a board which has been set up to give the decision of the committee a second look.
During this time, they are allowed to stay in Uganda, and they can appear before this board either in person or through a lawyer to represent them. However, the decision of this board will be final.
If the board rejects the application, then that person will have 90 days to find another country to go to or else they will be expelled from Uganda. If, however, they get another country to take them then this time may be extended to allow this person to make leaving arrangements.
Source: BarefootLawyers
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