AYS Daily Digest 27/5/19: What did Europe choose?
What do the results mean for human rights and people who need them / Dublin transfer overruled in courts from Croatia to Italy / Clock is ticking for UK resettlement scheme / Young people in Morocco risk lives to reach Spain
May 28
Featured
After the elections…
Ahead of the recent elections for the EP, many people in Europe, especially those involved in the question of human rights and migration, had raised concerns over possibly worrying outcomes of the elections. However, it seems the nationalist and populist parties in the Parliament will have 150 seats, but won’t even get close to the number of those on the other, open and liberal side of the spectrum. “Even with losses for the traditional social democratic parties, the greens and parties further to the left account for a block of 254 seats. If you add in some of the liberal centrists, then this block could grow as big as 392 on some issues”, InfoMigrants argue.
Still, if there is a considerable number of people who have voted for someone whose aim is to “stop the ‘soft hearted people’ and stop the migrant boats”, then the seemingly “pro-European” parties across the EU winning seats in the Parliament doesn’t mean much of a step forward for our society. The 28 seats for the Italian La Lega or Marine Le Pen’s 22 seats is too much, and might have considerable consequences for people across the EU, unless the rest of Europe doesn’t finally stand behind their principal values.
Le Pen reportedly called Frontex a “welcome agency for migrants” and said that the French borders needed to be protected at all costs. Instead of distributing migrants from NGO rescue ships around Europe, she feels they should be taken back to the port from whence they came. We hope the UNHCR extends a welcome in one of their detention centres in Libya to Ms Le Pen.
An anti-immigrant and at some point anti-EU party in Sweden also won large support. The nationalist, anti-immigration, and anti-democratic party (who were even suspended from the Conservative bloc in the European Parliament) in Hungary won 13 of the 21 seats. Six seats in Belgium were won by the parties who opposed the Global Migration Pact. Polish anti-migration and anti-Islam politicians go along with the stance of the so-called Višegrad group, thus joining the stats of Italy, France and Hungary.
In Slovenia, an anti-immigrant party won the majority of votes alone, but less overall than an alliance of more moderate groups together. In an election that saw the lowest number of voters (only a third), the Croatian representatives include the usual political “Trojan horse”, at first glance dressed in a pro-European set of attitudes that, however, don’t include welcoming those in need in a proper way, but rather seek ways to circumvent European or international law through border violence (well sponsored by the EU!) and a selective resettlement scheme used to avoid asylum.
However, in the UK, Yorkshire elected “a Black, Muslim refugee standing for the Green Party.”
Isn’t that something? I am proud to wear my heart on my sleeve, and the writing has always been on the t-shirt. ‘Immigrants make Britain Great’. Yesterday was about a Green Wave cascading throughout Europe and landing on the sunny shores of Yorkshire for the first time. And we are just getting started!
Also, Lampedusa’s Pietro Bartolo, a doctor who has dedicated years of service to helping migrants and who ran as a PD candidate for Sicily and the islands, finished second behind the League candidate and was elected to the European Parliament.
Dublin return to Croatia stopped
According to a decision taken in Genova in March, a transfer according to the ‘Dublin directive’ to Croatia was cancelled.
The Croatian reception system has been judged inadequate and the general situation for asylum seekers is not suitable, so relying on Article 4 of the European Convention on Human Rights, a woman and her daughter were allowed to remain in Italy. One of the elements that contributed to this was the fact that Croatia has implemented only a few of the recommendations from the ECRE Report of 2012, Melting Pot reported.
Also, Croatia has been pushing through a migration and integration policy (has it, though, at all?) without consulting international organisations and the Human Rights Council, and the evolution of the Croatian system was said to be just on paper and not factual, which let to this decision as well.
Article 4 — Prohibition of slavery and forced labour
1. No one shall be held in slavery or servitude. 2. No one shall be required to perform forced or compulsory labour. 3. For the purpose of this article the term “forced or compulsory labour” shall not include:
a. any work required to be done in the ordinary course of detention imposed according to the provisions of Article 5 of this Convention or during conditional release from such detention; b. any service of a military character or, in case of conscientious objectors in countries where they are recognised, service exacted instead of compulsory military service; c. any service exacted in case of an emergency or calamity threatening the life or well-being of the community; d. any work or service which forms part of normal civic obligations.
LEBANON
“The UN has been doing its utmost to keep Syrian nationals in Lebanon.”
Not at all. The real risk is that the UN becomes involved in a premature repatriation operation.
The UNHCR says it has registered over 950,000 Syrians who have crossed the border to Lebanon after fleeing war in their country, but the unofficial reports put the number at well above 1 million. The issue of Syrian refugees has greatly divided Lebanese politicians.
Though some parties in Lebanon have agreed to resist any proposal to send back the refugees in exchange for weapons and equipment, it is still an option some are considering.
“According to Nasrallah, the US and its allies, along with several Arab states in the region, do not want the refugees to return before the elections in Syria.”
MOROCCO
What is really happening at sea?
The Moroccan coast guard has intercepted at least a couple of boats during the weekend, with about 140 people on board. They were detained in Beni Ensar.
It seems, the activists from Nador report, that the finances received are not being used for the safety of those in distress, but rather a new border and barrier on the deadly sea route.
Young people risk lives to reach Spain
Three people were discovered in dangerous conditions inside vehicles at the border in Beni-Enzar, Morocco, within the space of three hours, the Spanish civil guard said. A fourth person, a 20-year-old man of African origin, was found earlier in the day hidden in the base of a dump truck, where he was in danger of being crushed by the vehicle’s axles. Two had to be treated by medics for asphyxia, disorientation and joint pain. Three people — who were the drivers of the intercepted cars — have been arrested. They are all Moroccan men, without ties to Melilla, and are aged 19, 30 and 31.
With a constant lack of safe ways to seek asylum, incidents such as this one are bound to continue as people’s desperation drives them to do anything in order to reach Europe.
AUSTRIA
Deportation warning
Tuesday night: Afghanistan charter from Sweden & Austria (28.-29.05.2019) Reliable source.
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
People keep passing through Tuzla, where locals gathered in volunteer groups continue to care for and represent a humane approach to these people, unlike both the politicians and the top organisations receiving funds and running their ‘game’. The volunteers in Tuzla are organized in groups to provide meals (especially during Ramadan), clothes, take people to the doctor’s, dentist’s and do everything in their power to provide a decent welcome. They provide realistic information on what awaits these people and at the end of each day, they welcome everyone to a common meal to break the fast, iftar, prepared by the women of Tuzla and some of the friendly restaurants.
This is the only type of approach from one community to another that might enable a somewhat healthy atmosphere among the people on the move, as the migratory journey itself can be traumatic enough.
In Bihać, the conditions in the official camp are no better than before, and as many people are left outside, even in cases when the camp is not full to capacity, all the basic needs of those stranded outside are left unattended. Once again, in slightly more difficult circumstances than in Tuzla, the personal initiative of several locals has expanded to a welcome network that many rely on even for the most basic amenities.
If you wish to contact and support any of these groups, it is highly appreciated and necessary, and we will do our best to connect you to the right people in the field.
UK
Clock is ticking for UK resettlement scheme
5777refugees were resettled in the UK in the past year, official statistics show. Months away from their resettlement scheme closing, the Home Secretary has given no indication of any future commitment to help refugees who need it, representatives of Refugee Action, Refugee Council and the British Red Cross warn.
Organisations across the UK are now calling on the government to start planning and announce a new commitment to resettling refugees in the UK as a matter of urgency.
Despite hosting international events and celebrating the impact of resettlement, the government has reportedly made no commitment about their own future plans and the resettlement of refugees in the UK will virtually end over the next year if they don’t do something fast.
Providing refugees with a route to safety and a chance to rebuild their lives is more important than internal processes.
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