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- Refugee crisis: latest news from across Europe (21 news stories and documents: 16.11.15)
Refugee crisis: latest news from across Europe (21 news stories and documents: 16.11.15)
16 November 2015
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G20 Statement on the fight against terrorism (pdf)
"We reaffirm that terrorism cannot and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilization or ethnic group.... through swift implementation of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards in all jurisdictions.... combatting radicalization and recruitment, hampering terrorist movements, countering terrorist propaganda and to prevent terrorists from exploiting technology, communications and resources to incite terrorist acts, including through the internet. The direct or indirect encouragement of terrorism, the incitement of terrorist acts and glorification of violence must be prevented.... tackle this phenomenon, including operational information-sharing, border management to detect travel, preventive measures..."
And see:
After Paris: Western Unity Ever More Difficult, Ever More Essential (Gernan Marshall Fund, link):
"The growing sense of insecurity in Europe will make it even more difficult for Europe to act coherently.... If democracy thrives in the absence of fear, then socio-economic uncertainty, now compounded with fear of violence, will encourage many to search for populist, inward-looking, xenophobic policies. Liberalism in our societies is under siege, and not just by ISIS."
- European Commission:
Transcript of Press Conference G20 Summit in Antalya (15.11.15, pdf)
"President Juncker: I try to make it crystal clear that we should not mix the different categories of people coming to Europe. The one who is responsible for the attacks in Paris cannot be put on an equal footing with real refugees, with asylum seekers and with displaced people. These are criminals and not refugees or asylum seekers. I would like to invite those in Europe who are trying to change the migration agenda we have adopted –I would like to invite them to be serious about this and not to give in to these basic reactions. I don't like it."
News (16.11.15)
U.N. urges Greece to boost aid at Lesbos island 'epicenter' of migrant crisis (Reuters, link):
"The United Nations urged financially strapped Greece on Friday to expand reception centers before winter sets in for refugees and migrants who continue to pour onto the island of Lesbos at a rate of 3,300 every day." And:
Flow of refugees to Lesvos showing slight decline, island officials report (amna.gr.link):
"The flow of third country nationals from the opposite Turkish coast to Lesvos appears to be falling off slightly, based on arrival figures collected on the island over the last few days, authorities on the eastern Aegean island reported on Monday."
View on Migration: Demand for tents that beat the cold (SciDevNet, link)
EU refugee crisis: the morality, stupid! (euobserver, link):
"“They [refugees] are running from this form of radical Islam … I’m sure they hate it even more than we do. We can’t leave them behind the wall.”"
Islamic scholars in Germany fear consequences from Paris (DW, link):
"Following the Paris attacks, many Muslims fear that prejudices and resentments will increase in Germany as well. The image of Islam is deteriorating, despite intensive interfaith dialogue."
Europe’s cauldron of crisis - The Paris attacks add another possible crack to the EU foundation stone (Politico, link)
Juncker: Don’t mix up terrorists and refugees (euobserver, link):
"The attackers in Paris and Middle East refugees should not be mixed up, warned EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker on Sunday (15 November).He also called on member states not to reject people who are fleeing from the same terror that shocked the French capital on Friday night. "We should not mix the different categories of people coming to Europe," Juncker told a news conference in Antalya, Turkey, where a G20 summit of world leaders is taking place. “Those who organised these attacks and those that perpetrated them are exactly those that the refugees are fleeing and not the opposite,” he said."
German defense minister: Do not 'equate' refugees with terrorists (DW, link):
"German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen has urged order at the national and EU borders, but warned against suspecting all refugees of terrorism. Migrants are fleeing attacks similar to those in Paris, she said."
Sobotka wants more emphasis on security in dealing with refugee crisis (Prague Post, link):
"The Czech Republic must help people in need, but at the same time it must think of its own security, Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka said on Czech Television (CT) today and added that he was disappointed at Jean-Claude Juncker's words about an unchanged attitude to migration."
Sent back from Europe, some Afghans prepare to try again (Reuters, link):
"If I can get enough money I'll go again. It is hard to survive here," he said. "The situation is bad in Kabul. There is no security, no job. If you go out of your house it's unclear what may happen to you. You can't go anywhere." Rostami's predicament underlines the problem for European countries that promised to send back failed asylum seekers in the face of growing public alarm at the numbers arriving. "The truth is that most Afghans who are forced to return will try to leave again, whatever policy makers intend," said Ceri Oeppen, from the University of Sussex in Britain, who has worked extensively on the problems of Afghan migrants."
Fingerprints from Paris bomber match man registered in Greece, says prosecutor (ekathimerini.com, link):
"a French prosecutor said on Monday. "At this stage, while the authenticity of a passport in the name of Ahmad al Mohammad, born Sept. 10 1990 in Idlib, Syria needs to be verified, there are similarities between the fingerprints of the suicide bomber and those taken during a control in Greece in October," the Paris prosecutor said in a statement."
Sudanese refugees shot dead on Egypt-Israel border (aljazeera.com):
"Fifteen refugees killed in Sinai as they reportedly attempt to enter Israel to seek asylum."
Czech Republic: Court says Afghan family kept in detention unlawfully (Prague Monitor, link):
"An Afghan family with three small children is kept in the Czech detention facility in Bela-Jezova, central Bohemia, unlawfully, the Regional Court in Brno says in its ruling CTK has at its disposal, but the police can appeal it."
Why Syrian refugee passport found at Paris attack scene must be treated with caution: There are good reasons to wait for the full facts instead of jumping to the conclusion that Isis infiltrators are exploiting Europe’s refugee crisis (Guardian, link)
Paris attacks intensify migrant debate in EU (Yahoo News, link):
"The Paris attacks and the discovery of a Syrian passport near one of the assailant's bodies have revived the European debate on whether to take a harder line on migrants."
Here are Denmark's planned asylum changes (The Local.dk, link):
"The Danish government recently announced another round of asylum policy changes, including plans to erect refugee tents and extend family reunification times to three years. Here is a full overview of the proposed changes."
Swiss right calls for army to reinforce borders (The Local.ch, link):
"Swiss defence minister Ueli Maurer has called for Switzerland to use the army to reinforce its borders following the terrorist atrocities in Paris on Friday night, comments that have riled left-wing politicians."
Bulgarian Authorities Have Detained 27 000 Illegal Migrants Since Start of Year (.novinite.com, link):
"A joint operation of the Interior Ministry and the State Agency for National Security (DANS) has been held across the country with more than 350 illegal migrants already detained.The operation against illegal migration started on Saturday as part of the heightened security measures after the recent attacks in Paris.More than 7000 people and 3000 vehicles were checked over the weekend, with eleven Bulgarians accused of human smuggling. Most of the detained foreigners had initially identified themselves as citizens of Syria and Iraq, but following police checks it was established that they were mainly nationals of Afghanistan and Pakistan."