Kibondo. Mashirika ya kuhudumia wakimbizi yaliyopo mkoani Kigoma yametakiwa kutokuwa kikwazo kwenye makubaliano yaliyowekwa na serikali za Tanzania, Burundi na Shirika la Umoja wa Mataifa la Kuhudumia Wakimbizi Duniani (UNHCR), ya kuhamasisha wakimbizi kujiandikisha na kurejea nchini mwao kwa hiari.
Hayo yamebainishwa Juni 20, 2024 wilayani Kibindo na Mkurugenzi wa Idara ya Wakimbizi nchini, Sudi Mwakibasi wakati wa maadhimisho ya siku ya mkimbizi duniani yaliyofanyika katika kambi ya wakimbizi ya Nduta.
Amesema Serikali ya Tanzania inasimamia makubaliano hayo na hivyo kila mmoja anapaswa kutekeleza badala ya kuwa kikwazo.
“Kinachofanyika ni kupambania maslahi binafsi na taasisi , wakati Serikali inapambania maslahi ya watu wake na ya Warundi. Sasa haiwezekani Serikali kuumiza wakimbizi kwa sababu ya ajira, naombeni tuwasaidia wakimbizi kurejea nyumbani ili watumie fursa ya kwenda kujenga nchi yao,” amesema Mwakibasi.
Amesema ni vema viongozi wa kambi zote mbili na vyombo vya ulinzi na salama kuhakikisha vijana wa kiume kutotoka ndani ya kambi bila kibali maalumu kwani ni kinyume cha sheria na taratibu zilizopo kwani Serikali haijui wanaenda wapi na kufanya nini.
Mwakilishi wa Shirika la UNHCR nchini Tanzania, Mahoua Parums amesema kama hali inaruhusu wakimbizi hao anapenda kuwahamasisha kuangalia suluhisho la kudumu la urejeaji kwa hiari nchini mwao.
“Ndio tuna masuluhisho mengine lakini nyumbani ni nyumbani, hivyo ni vema kama hali inaruhusu waweze kurejea nyumbani kwa hiari na kwenda kuijenga nchi yao, jambo ambalo ni zuri na linaleta faraja,” amesema Parums.
Akizungumza kwa niaba ya mkuu wa mkoa wa Kigoma, Mkuu wa Wilaya ya Kibondo, Kanali Aggrey Magwaza amesema hadi sasa wakimbizi ambao wamesharejea nchini kwao kwa hiari ni 170,000 huku wakimbizi waliopo hadi sasa kwa kambi ya Nduta na Nyarugusu wakifikia 246,000.
Nao baadhi ya wakimbizi wa kambi ya Nduta, wamesema wanaendelea kujiandikisha ili waweze kurejea nchini kwao kwa hiari, na kwamba hakuna mwananchi anayeweza kuikimbia nchi yake bila sababu na kwenda kuwa mkimbizi kwenye nchi nyingine.
Mkimbizi Donatha Nibiza amesema Serikali ya Tanzania inatekeleza shughuli ya kuwarudisha nyumbani kwa hiari wakimbizi nchini kwao, lakini kila mkimbizi amekimbia kwa sababu zake maalumu, hivyo ni muhimu kuchukua hatua ya kuwasikiliza kwanza na kujua sababu zipi hasa zilizowafanya waweze kukimbia nchini kwao.
Iveti Nibaruza amesema yeye yupo tayari kurejea nchini kwake kwa hiari na kwamba muda wa promosheni uliotolewa na pande zote, anauunga mkono na atatumia kipindi hicho kwenda nchini kwake kuijenga nchi yake.
Source: mwananchi.co.tz
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Air Tanzania Banned From EU Airspace Due to Safety Concerns
Several airports have since locked Air Tanzania, dealing a severe blow to the Tanzanian national carrier that must now work overtime to regain its certification or go the wet lease way
The European Commission has announced the inclusion of Air Tanzania on the EU Air Safety List, effectively banning the airline from operating in European airspace.
The decision, made public on December 16, 2024, is based on safety concerns identified by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which also led to the denial of Air Tanzania’s application for a Third Country Operator (TCO) authorisation.
The Commission did not go into the specifics of the safety infringement but industry experts suggest it is possible that the airline could have flown its Airbus A220 well past its scheduled major checks, thus violating the airworthiness directives.
“The decision to include Air Tanzania in the EU Air Safety List underscores our unwavering commitment to ensuring the highest safety standards for passengers in Europe and worldwide,” said Apostolos Tzitzikostas, EU Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism.
“We strongly urge Air Tanzania to take swift and decisive action to address these safety issues. I have offered the Commission’s assistance to the Tanzanian authorities in enhancing Air Tanzania’s safety performance and achieving full compliance with international aviation standards.”
Air Tanzania has a mixed fleet of modern aircraft types including Boeing 787s, 737 Max jets, and Airbus A220s.
It has been flying the B787 Dreamliner to European destinations like Frankfurt in Germany and Athens in Greece and was looking to add London to its growing list with the A220.
But the ban not only scuppers the London dream but also has seen immediate ripple effect, with several airports – including regional like Kigali and continental – locking out Air Tanzania.
Tanzania operates KLM alongside the national carrier.
The European Commission said Air Tanzania may be permitted to exercise traffic rights by using wet-leased aircraft of an air carrier which is not subject to an operating ban, provided that the relevant safety standards are complied with.
A wet lease is where an airline pays to use an aircraft with a crew, fuel, and insurance all provided by the leasing company at a fee.
Two more to the list
The EU Air Safety List, maintained to ensure passenger safety, is updated periodically based on recommendations from the EU Air Safety Committee.
The latest revision, which followed a meeting of aviation safety experts in Brussels from November 19 to 21, 2024, now includes 129 airlines.
Of these, 100 are certified in 15 states where aviation oversight is deemed insufficient, and 29 are individual airlines with significant safety deficiencies.
Alongside Air Tanzania, other banned carriers include Air Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe), Avior Airlines (Venezuela), and Iran Aseman Airlines (Iran).
Commenting on the broader implications of the list, Tzitzikostas stated, “Our priority remains the safety of every traveler who relies on air transport. We urge all affected airlines to take these bans seriously and work collaboratively with international bodies to resolve the identified issues.”
In a positive development, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been cleared to resume operations in the EU following a four-year suspension. The ban, which began in 2020, was lifted after substantial improvements in safety performance and oversight by PIA and the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA).
“Since the TCO Authorisation was suspended, PIA and PCAA have made remarkable progress in enhancing safety standards,” noted Tzitzikostas. “This demonstrates that safety issues can be resolved through determination and cooperation.”
Another Pakistani airline, Airblue Limited, has also received EASA’s TCO authorisation.
Decisions to include or exclude airlines from the EU Air Safety List are based on rigorous evaluations of international safety standards, particularly those established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
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The process involves thorough review and consultation among EU Member State aviation safety experts, with oversight from the European Commission and support from EASA.
“Where an airline currently on the list believes it complies with the required safety standards, it can request a reassessment,” explained Tzitzikostas. “Our goal is not to penalize but to ensure safety compliance globally.”
Airlines listed on the EU Air Safety List face significant challenges to their international operations, as the bans highlight shortcomings in safety oversight by their home regulatory authorities.
For Air Tanzania, this inclusion signals an urgent need for reform within Tanzania’s aviation sector to address these deficiencies and align with global standards.
The path forward will require immediate and sustained efforts to rectify safety concerns and regain access to one of the world’s most critical aviation markets.
Source: allafrica.com
