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An Iraqi
Christian fleeing persecution has no idea of how he was rescued out of
northern Iraq. When the lorry is checked at the Austrian/German border,
he crawls out without passport or money. He does not speak any European
languages except a little English. Which EU country will take
responsibility for him – Germany or, as required by the EU Dublin
Convention, Hungary as the country of first entry?
A Somali
woman, gang raped and threatened with death by local militia, escapes on
a flight to London via Frankfurt. She is refused entry by UK immigration
and sent back to Germany as her first country for EU entry. Alas,
Germany cannot grant her asylum as she is not fleeing from state
persecution as there is no government in Somalia!
The 1951
UN Convention on Asylum defines a refugee as a person who is fleeing
persecution because of his/her race, religion, nationality, political or
social opinion/action. All 25 EU Member States are signatory to this
Convention and are obliged to offer such protection from persecution,
including residency, to any one arriving on their border.
Every one has the right to seek and enjoy in other countries asylum from
persecution
article16, Universal Declaration of Human Rights
In fact, the
whole of Europe receives only 5 per cent of the world's total refugees
and potential asylum-seekers as the vast majority simply end up in
neighbouring countries. For example, millions of Tanzanians live below
the poverty line and yet they have been overwhelmed by 500,000 refugees
who need land, water, food, sanitation, medication and shelter. These
countries do not have the means to seal their borders or repatriate
refugees. This hospitality contrasts sharply with the EU’s response to
asylum seekers.
Every one
is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an
independent and impartial tribunal
article 10,
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
and
Every one
has the right to work
article 23 (1), Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Legislation
to inform, receive and process applications from asylum seekers should
enable genuine asylum seekers to be identified quickly so that they can
seek employment to be self-reliant. Unnecessary delay prolongs their
dependence on the state and generates hostility in local communities
where they are detained.
Hunger kills
as a soldier's bullet. If millions of Europeans, including the Irish,
could escape poverty, famine and religious persecution as they sailed to
settle in USA, Canada and Australia, why should we deny those who risk
their lives to seek the same today?
Controlled
immigration on a fair and transparent basis is necessary and beneficial
for the EU. Commonwealth migrants in transport, health and commerce in
the UK, Turkish workers in German factories and North Africans in
agriculture, transport, tourism and services in France have contributed
substantially to the economies of these EU Member States. Many
immigrants are assigned duties at night, weekends and public holidays.
They do jobs that local people are either unwilling or unavailable to
undertake. They pay taxes, occupy poorer accommodation and spend a large
proportion of their income on services that sustains the local
community. Their contribution supports welfare payments and pensions of
an ageing population in the country where they work and live. An
increasing number of immigrants start up their own businesses, directly
creating new jobs and more tax revenue. Today, the richest man in UK is
an economic migrant from India and he is joined by so many other
immigrants in the UK’s list of 1000 richest people.
Genuine
asylum seekers, skilled economic migrants and immigrants who are legally
settled or born and bred in their adopted countries should not be
portrayed as criminals by either politicians seeking cheap publicity or
irresponsible journalists. Illegal entry at ports and airports in any
country, especially an island like Britain, reflects the failure of
governments who should monitor foreign arrivals and departures. EU
politicians must learn from the experience of the USA, Canada and
Australia who continue to manage successfully an increasing flow of
immigrants that gives them the economic growth and prosperity. |
