Following a noisy and successful demonstrations outside the French Embassy in London yesterday and outside the meeting* between the chief of police for the Calais area and the humanitarian associations, which let the French authorities know that the migrant support networks will not let them get away with further brutalisation of the Calais diaspora, last night in the Jungles passed relatively quietly.
From activists in Calais: "We spent the night in the main jungle with migrants who were more visibly shaken than usual by the deportation threats. Some patrolled other jungles in cars in an attempt to monitor the police. It has been a night of people arriving from Netherlands, Belgium, UK and other parts of France to show solidarity with the migrants in Calais. Early in the morning CRS riot police shot tear gas into the Pastun jungle and beat up and removed five people. Unfortunately this is nothing new in Calais these days.
"Some UK and Dutch press arrived. The morning saw Eritrean and Iranian migrants being stopped and detained on the streets of Calais; again nothing new. Whether this meant 48 hours detention or deportation for the Iranians we don’t know. The racism of police actions was visible in their removal of black sans papiers while white activists refusing to show ID were let go as we watched our friends being taken away giving us the thumbs up from the windows of the unmarked police van. We condemn these acts of terror. As the repression continues the links between migrant activists and resident activists grow.
"We are tired and angry at what we see and learn, but for the migrants and activists dealing with this situation this is a daily test on the nerves. Maybe this ‘rehearsal’ by the police is to test our limits. But it only seems to strengthen people's resolve as more of us arrive to support the jungles."
* Where the sous prefecture sought to reassure the associations that the clearing of the Jungles was not imminent but refused to give any further information.
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Sunday, 19 July 2009
UNHCR Protest New Greek Asylum Process
The Office of the United Nations for Refugees (UNHCR) said Friday it was withdrawing from the procedures* used in Greece to grant asylum to migrants applying in protest against new rules set by Athens.
In a press release the UNHCR said it "notes with great concern that the structural changes introduced by the new Presidential Decree 81/2009 do not sufficiently guarantee efficiency and fairness of the refugee status determination procedure in Greece as required by International and European legislation."
"The new PD decentralises asylum decision making at first instance to over 50 police directorates across the country which are faced with serious shortcomings related with expert personnel, interpretation services and legal aid. It also abolishes the existing appeals’ board, which was the decision-making body at second instance, and only maintains a limited judicial review before the Council of State, thus not guaranteeing the right to en “effective remedy”. Furthermore by designating the Alternate Minister of Public Order as the decision-making authority for the pending appeals (backlog), it would not be compatible with EU Legislation that requires an independent organ from the first instance decision-making body."
“These new developments are likely to make protection in Greece even more elusive for those who need it,” stated Laurens Jolles, UNHCR Regional Representative.
* The Advisory Refugee Committees for the examination of the asylum claims at first instance and the Advisory Appeals’ Committees for the examination of the backlog of some 30,000 pending asylum appeals.
In a press release the UNHCR said it "notes with great concern that the structural changes introduced by the new Presidential Decree 81/2009 do not sufficiently guarantee efficiency and fairness of the refugee status determination procedure in Greece as required by International and European legislation."
"The new PD decentralises asylum decision making at first instance to over 50 police directorates across the country which are faced with serious shortcomings related with expert personnel, interpretation services and legal aid. It also abolishes the existing appeals’ board, which was the decision-making body at second instance, and only maintains a limited judicial review before the Council of State, thus not guaranteeing the right to en “effective remedy”. Furthermore by designating the Alternate Minister of Public Order as the decision-making authority for the pending appeals (backlog), it would not be compatible with EU Legislation that requires an independent organ from the first instance decision-making body."
“These new developments are likely to make protection in Greece even more elusive for those who need it,” stated Laurens Jolles, UNHCR Regional Representative.
* The Advisory Refugee Committees for the examination of the asylum claims at first instance and the Advisory Appeals’ Committees for the examination of the backlog of some 30,000 pending asylum appeals.
Friday, 17 July 2009
Rift Between the North and the South
The rift between the northern and southern EU states is set to grow larger as yesterday's meeting of EU Interior Ministers in Stockholm postponed any re-examination of the Dublin II Regulation till 2014. The Dublin II Regulation, which stipulates that migrants must apply for asylum in the first EU member state they enter, has resulted in what southern EU states claim is disproportionate pressure on the immigrant reception services in Cyprus, Greece, Italy and Malta.
Roberto Maroni, Italy's interior minister and member of the right wing Lega Nord, demanded that the issue of 'burden-sharing' should be one of the top priorities in the EU's new five-year plan on justice issues. As a result, the EU Justice Commissioner Jacques Barrot agreed to make the European Refugee Fund applicable to all incoming migrants, not just those successfully claiming asylum and that several million euros in aid will be given to the Mediterranean states to spend on additional reception centres, food and social support for migrants.
This comes against the backdrop of a number of other recent developments. On Wednesday, the Greek and Italian Prime Ministers met and agreed on a common front to push for EU policy to curbing the numbers of illegal migrants, negotiating repatriation pacts between Brussels and the migrants’ states of origin and transit countries and increasing the role of the EU’s border monitoring agency Frontex.
Wednesday also saw the deportation of 90 migrants by air to Pakistan and Afghanistan, the latest in a growing number of flights from Athens as Greece seeks to remove the 99% plus of migrants whose asylum claims the Greek state routinely turns down.
Earlier in the week the UNHCR criticised both countries for their immigration policies. Greece was criticised for the decision to destroy the Patras migrant camp and deport some of the migrants before their asylum claims had been examined. It also appealed to Greece to avoid so-called “push-backs” of migrants originating from war zones (Greece regularly buses migrants back to Turkey without any due process).
Athens has recently accused Ankara of failing to stop clandestine immigration through Turkish territory, which the Greeks, and now even the EU Justice Commissioner Jacques Barrot, say has pushed their resources to the limit and is destabilising "Greek democracy" (a reference to the recent election of extreme right wing LAOS MEPs). Interestingly, new figures from the Greek coastguard show a pronounced drop in migrant interceptions over the past few months.
Greece officials have also been examining disused army barracks to open as temporary reception centres for the thousands of migrants awaiting the processing of their asylum applications. One likely choice is a disused military site on the island of Evia.
Italy has also been the recipient of forceful criticism from the UNHCR about its use of force when intercepting 82 mainly Eritrean migrants on July 1st 30 miles off the Lampedusa coast, who were then returned to Libya under Italy's own 'push-back' immigration policy. A ''significant number'' of people on board the boat, including nine women and six children, were returned illegally as they had legitimate claims to asylum status, the agency claimed.
In an astonishing fit of pique, Italy's EU Affairs Minister, Andrea Ronchi, rebuffed the criticism, saying the UNHCR ''should be ashamed of itself'' and should ''apologise to Italy'' over the allegations. ''These are hasty, false, demagogic, offensive and repugnant accusations that offend our armed forces, who every day demonstrate their morality, their dedication, humanity, competence and sacrifice''.
Roberto Maroni, Italy's interior minister and member of the right wing Lega Nord, demanded that the issue of 'burden-sharing' should be one of the top priorities in the EU's new five-year plan on justice issues. As a result, the EU Justice Commissioner Jacques Barrot agreed to make the European Refugee Fund applicable to all incoming migrants, not just those successfully claiming asylum and that several million euros in aid will be given to the Mediterranean states to spend on additional reception centres, food and social support for migrants.
This comes against the backdrop of a number of other recent developments. On Wednesday, the Greek and Italian Prime Ministers met and agreed on a common front to push for EU policy to curbing the numbers of illegal migrants, negotiating repatriation pacts between Brussels and the migrants’ states of origin and transit countries and increasing the role of the EU’s border monitoring agency Frontex.
Wednesday also saw the deportation of 90 migrants by air to Pakistan and Afghanistan, the latest in a growing number of flights from Athens as Greece seeks to remove the 99% plus of migrants whose asylum claims the Greek state routinely turns down.
Earlier in the week the UNHCR criticised both countries for their immigration policies. Greece was criticised for the decision to destroy the Patras migrant camp and deport some of the migrants before their asylum claims had been examined. It also appealed to Greece to avoid so-called “push-backs” of migrants originating from war zones (Greece regularly buses migrants back to Turkey without any due process).
Athens has recently accused Ankara of failing to stop clandestine immigration through Turkish territory, which the Greeks, and now even the EU Justice Commissioner Jacques Barrot, say has pushed their resources to the limit and is destabilising "Greek democracy" (a reference to the recent election of extreme right wing LAOS MEPs). Interestingly, new figures from the Greek coastguard show a pronounced drop in migrant interceptions over the past few months.
Greece officials have also been examining disused army barracks to open as temporary reception centres for the thousands of migrants awaiting the processing of their asylum applications. One likely choice is a disused military site on the island of Evia.
Italy has also been the recipient of forceful criticism from the UNHCR about its use of force when intercepting 82 mainly Eritrean migrants on July 1st 30 miles off the Lampedusa coast, who were then returned to Libya under Italy's own 'push-back' immigration policy. A ''significant number'' of people on board the boat, including nine women and six children, were returned illegally as they had legitimate claims to asylum status, the agency claimed.
In an astonishing fit of pique, Italy's EU Affairs Minister, Andrea Ronchi, rebuffed the criticism, saying the UNHCR ''should be ashamed of itself'' and should ''apologise to Italy'' over the allegations. ''These are hasty, false, demagogic, offensive and repugnant accusations that offend our armed forces, who every day demonstrate their morality, their dedication, humanity, competence and sacrifice''.
Thursday, 16 July 2009
Protest Against Destruction of Calais Jungles
The French Government are planning the destruction of the main Pashtun Jungle in the Dunes area of Calais on 21st July, prior to a mass deportation flight to Afghanistan. Campaigners are calling for solidarity actions on both sides of the Channel.
Demonstration at the French Embassy in London, Monday 20th July 12.30pm - 2:00 pm.
French Embassy,
58 Knightsbridge
London SW1X 7JT
Tube station: Knightsbridge (Piccadilly line)
No Borders Brighton
London No Borders
Detainee Solidarity London
http://calaismigrantsolidarity.wordpress.com/
Demonstration at the French Embassy in London, Monday 20th July 12.30pm - 2:00 pm.
French Embassy,
58 Knightsbridge
London SW1X 7JT
Tube station: Knightsbridge (Piccadilly line)
No Borders Brighton
London No Borders
Detainee Solidarity London
http://calaismigrantsolidarity.wordpress.com/
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
Deforestation Calais Style
In a trend that appears to be spreading across Europe [see: Patras post], news has leaked of plans to destroy the biggest Jungle in Calais next Tuesday 21st July. Back in January Eric Besson, the French Immigration Minister, declared his ambition to effectively make Calais and the surrounding area a migrant-free zone come the summer.
A start has already been made with the bulldozing of migrant camps up the coast from Calais court orders being secured for the clearing and demolition of a number of squats in Calais itself. Now the main Afghan squat on the dunes near the port area is due to be cleared and, it is to be assumed, the Afghans detained prior to attempts to deport them back to Afghanistan on a mooted joint French-Belgian-Dutch deportation flight. This would swiftly be followed by the dismantling of the rest of the camps and squats in the area.
Interestingly, the French and UK governments had been in discussions recently to resume a joint deportation flight project that had previous failed to get off the ground last November when French human rights activists won a decision in the European Court of Human Rights against the "collective expulsion of foreigners". It remains to be seen whether the French government ignore that decision and go ahead with a deportation flight. If not, then the already overcrowded French detention centres will be unable to hold many of the migrants, many of whom have no documentation and whose country of origin it would be impossible to determine.
The other options open to the French government are:
- persuade the migrants to apply for asylum in France, except almost all want to go on to the UK and recent attempts by the UNHCR to get them to do this have shown a distinct lack of enthusiasm on the migrants' part;
- remove them to a 'Safe Third Country' i.e. the first 'safe' European country they entered, in the case of Afghans this is likely to be Greece but Greece has a tacit understanding with other EU countries that 'illegals' will not be returned there and even if they were they are unlikely to find much of a welcome;
- or just do what they did when they forced the closure of the Red Cross centre at Sangatte - nothing and just hope the situation goes away. Except that it wont until the 'push factors' are removed. [See: previous posts]
However much the French and other EU governments make it know to the world at large that (the wrong sort of) foreigners are not wanted in the EU, even if they don't go as far as Nick Griffin's own version of waterboarding and simulate drownings of 'illegals', the 'problem' is not going to go away. In fact, Besson is just like the little Dutch boy of legend who sticks his finger in a hole in the dyke to prevent a leak and saves the day. Except this is not leak and no matter how many fingers the EU uses to put in holes in the dyke of Fortress Europe the flood (to borrow a particularly pernicious image from the racists) will not be held back.
A start has already been made with the bulldozing of migrant camps up the coast from Calais court orders being secured for the clearing and demolition of a number of squats in Calais itself. Now the main Afghan squat on the dunes near the port area is due to be cleared and, it is to be assumed, the Afghans detained prior to attempts to deport them back to Afghanistan on a mooted joint French-Belgian-Dutch deportation flight. This would swiftly be followed by the dismantling of the rest of the camps and squats in the area.
Interestingly, the French and UK governments had been in discussions recently to resume a joint deportation flight project that had previous failed to get off the ground last November when French human rights activists won a decision in the European Court of Human Rights against the "collective expulsion of foreigners". It remains to be seen whether the French government ignore that decision and go ahead with a deportation flight. If not, then the already overcrowded French detention centres will be unable to hold many of the migrants, many of whom have no documentation and whose country of origin it would be impossible to determine.
The other options open to the French government are:
- persuade the migrants to apply for asylum in France, except almost all want to go on to the UK and recent attempts by the UNHCR to get them to do this have shown a distinct lack of enthusiasm on the migrants' part;
- remove them to a 'Safe Third Country' i.e. the first 'safe' European country they entered, in the case of Afghans this is likely to be Greece but Greece has a tacit understanding with other EU countries that 'illegals' will not be returned there and even if they were they are unlikely to find much of a welcome;
- or just do what they did when they forced the closure of the Red Cross centre at Sangatte - nothing and just hope the situation goes away. Except that it wont until the 'push factors' are removed. [See: previous posts]
However much the French and other EU governments make it know to the world at large that (the wrong sort of) foreigners are not wanted in the EU, even if they don't go as far as Nick Griffin's own version of waterboarding and simulate drownings of 'illegals', the 'problem' is not going to go away. In fact, Besson is just like the little Dutch boy of legend who sticks his finger in a hole in the dyke to prevent a leak and saves the day. Except this is not leak and no matter how many fingers the EU uses to put in holes in the dyke of Fortress Europe the flood (to borrow a particularly pernicious image from the racists) will not be held back.
Support The Mitie Cleaners
Yet again a company that profits from knowingly employing undocumented workers has used the tactic of grassing its own workers up to the UK Border Agency when it needs to get rid of them rather than having to go through the nasty process of telling them they are sacked. [See: SOAS cleaners]
Yesterday the cleaning firm Mitie Cleaning & Environmental Services invited some of the cleaners it employs in the Willis Building, a large office tower in the City of London, to a 'chemicals training course'. Once the cleaners were settled in Immigration officers burst into the room and detained 3 workers, 1 Ecuadorian and 2 Bolivians. No doubt they are now languishing in Harmonsworth detention centre.
A solidarity demonstration in front of the Willis building, for the reinstatement of the 4 previously sacked cleaners and against the immigration raids has been Friday 17 July 1pm. in front of Willis Building, 51 Lime Street, London EC3.
Yesterday the cleaning firm Mitie Cleaning & Environmental Services invited some of the cleaners it employs in the Willis Building, a large office tower in the City of London, to a 'chemicals training course'. Once the cleaners were settled in Immigration officers burst into the room and detained 3 workers, 1 Ecuadorian and 2 Bolivians. No doubt they are now languishing in Harmonsworth detention centre.
A solidarity demonstration in front of the Willis building, for the reinstatement of the 4 previously sacked cleaners and against the immigration raids has been Friday 17 July 1pm. in front of Willis Building, 51 Lime Street, London EC3.
Monday, 13 July 2009
Patras Migrant Camp Raised To The Ground
Across Europe many governments are ratcheting up their repression of migrants and migrants communities following an upsurge in right-wing electoral successes. We have already seen an increase in attacks by riot police on the squats housing migrants in and around Calais following pledges from French government ministers, egged on by their UK counterparts, to remove all migrants from the area this summer. In Italy things have gone even further with what amounts to re-enactments of Mussolini-era fascist legislation with mass fingerprinting of the Roma, mob attacks on Roma camps, the legalising of vigilante patrols and plans for mass expulsions of 'foreigners'.
Greece also seems to be going down the same road as the Italian state towards a resurgence of fascism, whilst also taking a leaf out of France's book. Yesterday Greek police attacked and destroyed the refugee camp near the port of Patras. The 13 year old settlement was surrounded at 5 a.m. by about 100 riot police, who then started arresting undocumented refugees inside. At the same time fire broke out at one end of the camp and it was allowed to rage for a number of hours, burning large areas of the camp to the ground. The rest of the camp was bulldozed flat. Greek citizens who tried to show solidarity with the migrants were arrested.
Those migrants with legal status were taken to local hostels, many of which are already overcrowded, and at least 40 under-age migrants were believed to have been removed to the detention centre at Konitsa, near the Albanian border. The remaining undocumented adults were detained and dispersed to other detention centres around Greece.
Greece has earned a particularly bad reputation for the inhumane conditions that prevail in its detention centres. Most are sited in the east of the country on the islands of the Aegean, near the Turkish border on Crete. Many are converted warehouses and have routinely been criticised by the EU and organisations like Médecins Sans Frontières and the UNHCR as not fit for purpose.
Despite being on a major migration route into Europe, Greece is also notorious for refusing asylum status to refugees. For example, 12,000 - 13,000 people annually apply for asylum in Greece. In 2004 only 11 were given asylum status and only 3 in 2003. Greek police and immigration officials also have a reputation for illegal deportation such as towing boats back into Turkish waters or herding Albanian migrants back across the Albanian border,
All this comes against the background of the social rebellion at the end of last year, major gains by the far right Popular Orthodox Alarm (LAOS) party in the European elections, the recent upsurge in fascist street violence and new restrictive anti-immigration legislation. The new legislation, rushed through parliament in less than a month, doubles the length of detention to 6 months before migrants are issued deportation papers. This can be quadrupled to a year if the authorities consider that migrants fail to cooperate, or documents necessary for their repatriation are missing.
Anti-foreigner sentiment is also increasing in Greece, much of it whipped up by groups such as LAOS and the Golden Dawn, a fascist organisation with many members in the police. On Saturday fascists in a car opened fire on a group of migrants standing near the Golden Dawn offices in Athens, wounding three. The same day on the island of Simi the Pakistani community took to the streets in protest at the brutalisation of 3 Pakistani men by local police. These are just two of numerous incidents that have occurred in recent years and will no doubt not be the last.
Greece also seems to be going down the same road as the Italian state towards a resurgence of fascism, whilst also taking a leaf out of France's book. Yesterday Greek police attacked and destroyed the refugee camp near the port of Patras. The 13 year old settlement was surrounded at 5 a.m. by about 100 riot police, who then started arresting undocumented refugees inside. At the same time fire broke out at one end of the camp and it was allowed to rage for a number of hours, burning large areas of the camp to the ground. The rest of the camp was bulldozed flat. Greek citizens who tried to show solidarity with the migrants were arrested.
Those migrants with legal status were taken to local hostels, many of which are already overcrowded, and at least 40 under-age migrants were believed to have been removed to the detention centre at Konitsa, near the Albanian border. The remaining undocumented adults were detained and dispersed to other detention centres around Greece.
Greece has earned a particularly bad reputation for the inhumane conditions that prevail in its detention centres. Most are sited in the east of the country on the islands of the Aegean, near the Turkish border on Crete. Many are converted warehouses and have routinely been criticised by the EU and organisations like Médecins Sans Frontières and the UNHCR as not fit for purpose.
Despite being on a major migration route into Europe, Greece is also notorious for refusing asylum status to refugees. For example, 12,000 - 13,000 people annually apply for asylum in Greece. In 2004 only 11 were given asylum status and only 3 in 2003. Greek police and immigration officials also have a reputation for illegal deportation such as towing boats back into Turkish waters or herding Albanian migrants back across the Albanian border,
All this comes against the background of the social rebellion at the end of last year, major gains by the far right Popular Orthodox Alarm (LAOS) party in the European elections, the recent upsurge in fascist street violence and new restrictive anti-immigration legislation. The new legislation, rushed through parliament in less than a month, doubles the length of detention to 6 months before migrants are issued deportation papers. This can be quadrupled to a year if the authorities consider that migrants fail to cooperate, or documents necessary for their repatriation are missing.
Anti-foreigner sentiment is also increasing in Greece, much of it whipped up by groups such as LAOS and the Golden Dawn, a fascist organisation with many members in the police. On Saturday fascists in a car opened fire on a group of migrants standing near the Golden Dawn offices in Athens, wounding three. The same day on the island of Simi the Pakistani community took to the streets in protest at the brutalisation of 3 Pakistani men by local police. These are just two of numerous incidents that have occurred in recent years and will no doubt not be the last.
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