Coventry, Covonant
CBC Headlines
- Covonant Asylum Programme Updated
- Foreign Minister Condemns Violent Attacks in Charbagnia;Covonant to Explore Options
- Defense Minister; Troops to Mobilize to Ailis Naval Base on Flores Island, Corindia
Covonant Asylum Programme Updated
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Lydia Abbasca has announced that The Union of Covonant Asylum Programme (UCAP) is now updated. Minister Abbasca made the announcement in the Consul this morning.
We have been silent in the previous weeks concerning our refugee and asylum programmes but within our silence was the Ministry's move of updating our programme that provides refugee status and asylum to foreign nationals fleeing persecution and threats to their lives, whether it being political, social or economical means.
Minister Abbasca expressed that the updating began under the previous administration and continued under the current one with few minor changes.
The process of upgrading our refugee and asylum programme began under the previous administration which we have continued on as we understand the need and importance of a country like Covonant to have a interest for persons who have found themselves in situations that are not of their control. The previous administration had looked to upgrade the system by looking at only housing and employment for such persons who have attained asylum and refuge in Covonant but we have taken it further to also include a systematic approach at making it a top priority of re-socialisation of these individuals and an importance in making the vetting process and acceptance process as well much easier.
Under the new asylum refugee programme, the Union of Covonant Government will give special priority to individuals that can sufficiently prove that their lives are at threats either it being in the form of political, social, or economical. The Minister went further in explaining.
We have invested the powers of granting refugee and asylum status in the hands of the Covonantian Visa Immigration Agency (COVISIA). The mandate is to give priority to those that can adequately and sufficiently prove their lives are in imminent danger. Groups fleeing civil or religious war, political instability, violence as a result of their political association, sexual orientation, abhorrent state of poverty and destitution are criteria which takes precedence and are priority in the agency accepting. We want to make the process as smooth as possible and as such have created a maximum of two years in which such status should be either accepted or denied. I do not want to give the impression that two years is the time at which the individual should be notified of their decision but within that two years a decision must be granted
The CBC spoke with Anastasia, a refugee from New Aapelistan who expressed that she had fled New Aapelistan as a result of grave political instability and threats to her life when she found it hard to express allegiance to the communist regime. She noted that fleeing the country was a challenge physically, emotionally and financially.
I had to leave, I watched my family being persecuted under the regime because they didn't uphold strict communist practices. The government in New Aapelistan gives the impression that all is supportive of the system and everyone is contented but a lot of persons try to flee yearly. When I made the decision to leave I took my son and I had a few money saved up from engaging in the black market. I heard of a boat that was going to Corindia and we could get shelter there but I didn't want to stay there, Covonant or Ipland was my destination. I wanted to be far away from New Aapelistan as best as possible. When I arrived in Corindia I got on another boat which was more crowded with about 300 of us with the destination being to Wellsia. From Wellsia I stayed there for about two years working illegally trying to save up to come to Covonant. My son couldn't attend school for those two years but I had a friend who knew a teacher who would take him to her late classes and would give him lessons. I heard of a boat going to Covonant and I took my son and over $2000 dollars, which was my last and came here.
She expressed that her journey to Covonant did not immediately change her situation. In fact she found it harder to survive in Covonant than in Wellsia or Corindia.
The first place we landed was in an area called Kanaute and once we arrived for two years I did the same thing I was doing in Wellsia the difference is my child was allowed to go to school because I had applied for asylum and while applying anyone under the age of 21 was allowed to go to school and my child at the time was 12. It took me four years before my status was approved.But I don't regret it. Some persons asked why Covonant, why not just settle in Corindia or Wellsia. I had family here and I always heard of how liberal and accepting and nice the people are and even in New Aapelistan I always dreamed of coming here. I don't regret it and if I could I would do it again
She welcomes the news of improvement to the country's asylum programme, where she notes it's long overdue.
Foreign Minister Condemns Violent Attacks in Charbagnia;Covonant to Explore Options
Minister of Foreign Affairs Lydia Abbasca has condemned the violent attacks that took place in Charbagnia over the weekend. She called the attacks barbaric and a stain on democracy. She is calling on the government to take full responsibility and make moves to prevent a recurrence. The Minister was speaking during the Consul weekly session earlier this morning.
Covonant condemns the recent violent attacks in Charbagnia where reports of chemical weapons have been used on civilians. This attack is barbaric and leaves a bad stain on the practicing of democracy. I am calling on the Charbagnian government to take full responsibility and make moves at preventing another attack of such magnitude occurring
Minister Abbasca notes that such attacks must not be tolerated and Covonant and its allies will not hesitate to prevent another occurrence if the government fails to uphold the safeguarding of human rights.
Attack by chemical weapons is a red line which the Union will not tolerate. The Charbagnian government must prove that they respect human rights and it will be hard to convince us following this debacle. Our allies and the Union will not sit idle by and allow this to occur again. We are sending a warning to the Charbagnian government that you have once again made yourselves relevant in the eyes of the international community
Mrs. Abbasca speaking to the CBC outside the Consul is calling for peace talks with the government and local faction groups in the country to end the violence. She also expressed that Covonant will be exploring options.
We don't to see this event becomes an international crisis or to gain an international response. What we are suggesting is the government and the local factions group come to a compromise because innocent lives are at stake and if it continues we fear a human rights crisis worst than the Bhikkustani crisis which was handled terribly on a regional level. We are awaiting to see further developments and we are also looking at the option of bringing home Covonantian nationals in the country working under the Covonantian Corp peace initiative. I have requested information if any Covonantians have been affected by the violence and I am yet to receive that report. Sanctions will be drawn and once finalised and approved will be in place
Defense Minister; Troops to Mobilize to Ailis Naval Base on Flores Island, Corindia
Minister of Defense Crixus Ignacio is announcing the Ministry's plan to increase troops at the Ailis Naval Base on Flores Island in Corindia. The Minister sought to dispel the notion that Covonant is preparing for a war.
We have begun our moves at increasing the number of troops we have at our base on Flores Island in Corindia. Currently we have over 9,000 troops established at our base and we look to see that number increase to well over 15,000 troops. This move is nothing new. Previous administrations have revised troop counts at bases around the region and Ailis Naval base is the largest foreign base for Covonant and we have not reached the cap of the amount of troops housed there.
The Minister is calling for no alarm at the move. He assures it is not to be interpreted as a preparation for war or interventionism. He notes it is a defense procedure that fits the mandate and policy of the Defense Ministry.
We are not at war or looking to be at war. This move is nothing new, in fact it is well in line with the defense policy and defense mandate of Covonant and our interest abroad.
Many are however calling the move suspicious. Political Commentator for the CBC Mikael Stokes notes that this move is linked to regional event.
We are not going to fall for the response given by the Honourable Minister. We know its because of the talks of military conflict with Athara Magarat and Bhikkustan, and the moves by the EUSR to incorporate the Kachee Republic as a territory of the EUSR which by the way was a invasion which the region surprisingly was quiet on including our government. The east is acting up again and the government is making sure that they are always in the affairs of others that explains why our largest base outside the country is in the east, it was not a coincidence. Now we see instability happening in Charbagnia. So when you connect the dots we see clearly that the government has a defined goal and one could sum it down to Covonantian interventionism at its finest. I am somewhat disappointed that this government seems more hellbent on controlling issues than the previous one.
DO REMEMBER YOU ARE WITH THE CBC.
Reporter: Illythia Reid.