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Refugee crisis: latest news from across Europe 17.6.16

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01 June 2016

 Illegal detention of migrant children in Switzerland: a status report (Terre Des Hommes, link):

 

"“Children in the context of migration, whether accompanied, separated or unaccompanied should never be remanded in custody. Migratory status should not be considered as an offence and should not justify the detention of children as such.” Jean Zermatten, Founder and former director of the International Institute for the Rights of the Child (IDE) and former President of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child."

Full report: English, German and French (links)

 Lesvos: Platanos Refugee Solidarity (Facebook, link)

"In 24 hours, three boats with refugees arrived on the shores around the ladder sykamiás. Saturday morning, the situation went to escape when inflatable boat with 55 refugees was stopped by the Greek coast guard off the stairs and 6 refugees scared dived into the sea to get away, thinking the coast guard will return them to turkey. Some people don't even have life jackets and even a wife yelling "I'd rather die than go back to turkey". Thankfully, all were picked up safely from the salvage vessel of proactiva. For many of these people, this is the second or third time attempting to come to Greece and many have already gotten violent return (push backs) in the Aegean Sea and return to turkey, which although illegal conducted continuously in the tandem NATO - Frontex-EU-Turkey.

Then the coast guard was carrying refugees in mólyvos, put them in a row and forced them to cross the entire village walk, under the condemnation of local residents who are protesting against the resurgence of refugees and the threat to the "tourist them heaven". Yes some shopkeepers you insulted me vulgar and propelákisan volunteers who went to give water to thirsty refugees. Again, humanity above all...

We have to keep in mind that many of these people have already experienced violent interceptions at sea in their attempt to come to Greece. Some of them have tried 2 or 3 times to cross and were turned back by the turkish coastguard (push back). Apart from the turkish government, these illegal tactics are carried out with the participation of NATO and EU.

Eventually, the greek coastguard took the refugees to Molyvos where they made them walk through the entire town under the heavy boos of local residents who see the refugees as a threat to their tourist-based local economy, In particular, some angry shop owners verbally attacked volunteers who were giving water to thirsty refugees. Shame."

Eric Kempson linked this story on Facebook - see what happened next: Incitement To Hate! 16/06/2016 (YouTube, link)

 News (17,6.16)

UN chief due in Greece for talks on refugees as new panels set up (ekathimerini.com, link): "the government is trying to overhaul its asylum processing system, setting up new committees to rule on hundreds of asylum claims being lodged by migrants arriving in Greece. The reform comes after the current committees upheld the vast majority of appeals by migrants against overturned applications and ruling that Turkey is an “unsafe country” to which to return the migrants."

Asylum requests plummet across Europe (euobserver, link): "Some 287,000 people made their first application for asylum in the EU in the first quarter of this year, a fall of 33 percent from the last quarter of 2015, Eurostat figures show. Syrians continue to be the most common nationality asking for protection, making up a third of all requests, the EU's statistical office said on Thursday (16 June). Iraqis and Afghans remained the second and third largest groups, with around 35,000 applications each. The three nationalities account for 60 percent of all first-time applicants."

Russia-Trained Civil Militias Along Bulgaria's Borders Are ‘Ready for War With Refugees’ (Global Voices, link): "At least 800 people are involved in organized militias that hunt refugees along the borders of Bulgaria. According to their leader, they receive free training from Russia. An investigation by German public television channel ZDF aired on June 8 found that at least half of these men have done stints in the Bulgarian military. They wear masks and military camouflage, and most carry knives. Some, however, have guns as well."