EU Immigration Crisis Megathread

[Duque de Bragança]

Icing on the cake is when the right goes left on immigration matters,  like Merkel did.
Even in France, before November 13 speaking of borders checks would get reductio ad hitlerem, despite this being a position defended not only by the far right.

[Crazy_Ivan80]

the left has been given ample opportunities to mend their faulty ways over the past half of a century. Time to undo some of the stupidity of '68. Preferably before the 'progressive intellectuals' act out "Soumission"

[Syt]

There was a clip with German news reports from 20 years ago, when Germany first tightened its rules for asylum seekers (critics at the time said it completely hollows out the right to asylum; one of the rules introduced was the "safe countries of origin").

It's funny how the news sound so much alike - "unprecedented situation and amount of refugees", Horst Seehofer (then federal minister for health, now King of Bavaria) calling for payment cuts for refugees and reducing the influx, population reacting with resentment and support. Only that the sources for refugees at the time were mostly Ex-Yugoslavia and Rwanda.

[Valmy]

Horst Seehofer (then federal minister for health, now King of Bavaria)

Wow he has had quite a career.

Does the king get to live in Neushwanstein?

[Liep]

So another one of the new restrictions on asylum is apparently confiscation of valuables from the refugees. The minister of justice says: "It's only fair to take it away if they come here with suitcases full of diamonds."

So again, one might ask, what is the limit on the valuables the refugees are allowed to keep? None, say the right wingers. Undefined, says minister of justice.

[Syt]

So another one of the new restrictions on asylum is apparently confiscation of valuables from the refugees. The minister of justice says: "It's only fair to take it away if they come here with suitcases full of diamonds."

So again, one might ask, what is the limit on the valuables the refugees are allowed to keep? None, say the right wingers. Undefined, says minister of justice.

It's what the Czechs did before the UN complained loudly. Czech authorities would confiscate all cash to pay for the stay (they charged refugees 10 EUR per day) and also take away all phones. Then they housed the refugees in prisons, behind barbed wire and armed guards.

[Liep]

Sounds great then as the current government parties have a long tradition of ignoring the UN.

[Martinus]

No comments on the biggest scandal of the EU immigration summit yet? This is what Angela Merkel and Beata Szydlo (the new Polish prime minister) wore:

[Martinus]

Or as one of the memes describes it "Black Friday at Lidl*"

*For Americans, Lidl is a low budget discount chain popular in Germany and Poland.

[Liep]

Tabloid refugee story du jour:

"Refugees in Hammer* complains about the weather". Integration complete!




*Small town in the middle of nowhere consisting of about 150 people.

[Syt]

The town council in Kellinghusen (where I grew up) have decided that the town needs way more WiFi hotspots. They've realized it's cheap, will probably be financed by local businesses and will be a boon for tourists.

In a town of ca. 8,000 there's over 1,000 refugees in the old army base, and the only free WiFi hotspot is in the center at the town hall.

[Liep]

The town council in Kellinghusen (where I grew up) have decided that the town needs way more WiFi hotspots. They've realized it's cheap, will probably be financed by local businesses and will be a boon for tourists.

In a town of ca. 8,000 there's over 1,000 refugees in the old army base, and the only free WiFi hotspot is in the center at the town hall.

Coincidence!

[Syt]

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/30/turkey-arrests-1300-asylum-seekers-after-2bn-eu-border-control-deal

Turkey arrests 1,300 asylum seekers after £2bn EU border control deal

Three people smugglers held along with hundreds of Syrians, Afghans, Iranians and Iraqis after country vows to curb flow of refugees in return for aid

Turkey has stepped up a crackdown on people smuggling, arresting 1,300 asylum seekers in a single operation just hours after the country promised to curb the flow of refugees to Greece in exchange for financial aid from the EU.

Hundreds of Syrians, Afghans, Iranians and Iraqis and three people smugglers were seized on Monday in the countryside near Ayvacık, a Turkish town north of the Greek island of Lesbos, Reuters and the Associated Press reported. According to the UN, about 425,000 people have arrived in Lesbos in smuggling boats this year, while a further 300,000 have reached other Greek islands from Turkey – leading the EU to criticise its eastern neighbour for not doing enough to police its own border.

The Ayvacık sweep is thought to be the largest single mass arrest of refugees in recent months, and follows an agreement on Sunday that saw the EU pledge to give Turkey €3bn (£2bn) in exchange for increased border patrols.

Turkey says it has detained nearly 80,000 would-be migrants since 2014 as well as over 200 major smugglers. But rarely is an operation as big and organised as Monday's sting. Recent Guardian reporting highlighted how police turn a blind eye to the smuggling economy in Izmir, where smugglers do business a few metres from two police facilities. On the beaches near the town of Çeşme, where many leave for the Greek island of Chios, the departure points are unpoliced and accessible to all.

But the arrest of more than a thousand people in one day suggests Turkey is increasing efforts to secure its borders in response to the EU deal. Rights groups warn this development will endanger refugee lives, since those who still want to reach Europe will be forced to try riskier methods.

Melanie Ward, associate director of policy and advocacy for International Rescue Committee UK, said the agreement "is deeply concerning because it is primarily designed to obstruct the movement of those seeking refuge in the EU, which runs contrary to the EU's basic founding principles. This deal will only make it more expensive and dangerous for those determined to continue their journey to Europe".

Smugglers have also warned that it is impossible to completely curb such a large flow of refugees. Speaking to the Guardian before the crackdown, one smuggler in Izmir said: "It's the Syrians who determine whether they'll go or not. The people risking the journey from Damascus, they're the ones who are making this happen. Anyone who wants to go will go."

Turkey is home to more Syrian refugees than any other country, with estimates suggesting it houses between 1.8 million and 2.2 million. Most of them do not have the right to work legally – a factor cited by many refugees as a reason for leaving for Europe. One Syrian who plans to leave Turkey in the coming days said that the status quo means many Syrians work illegally to support their families – and end up being exploited by their employers.

"I worked for three months and never got paid once," said the Syrian, who asked not to be named. "Because of this I want to leave – so that I can live in dignity."

[dps]

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/30/turkey-arrests-1300-asylum-seekers-after-2bn-eu-border-control-deal

“I worked for three months and never got paid once,” said the Syrian, who asked not to be named. “”

Hmm.  This guy don't catch on quick, does he?

[Martinus]

So, the deal is that we will give lots of cash to a corrupt anti-democratic regime on a brink of a war with Russia so they can crack down harder on refugees and we won't have to look at them?

Wow, good going Europe.