German officials are scratching their heads about why the recent large numbers of Russians from Chechnya (homeland of the Boston Bombers) are coming to Germany seeking asylum. See also “tensions rising” in German cities.
From the BBC:
The number of people seeking political asylum in Germany has soared, and the biggest group by far was from Russia.
In the first half of this year, just over 43,000 refugees applied to stay – that is 86% more than in the same period in 2012.
It is the highest level since 1999, when people fled Serbia’s Kosovo war.
Many this year came from Russia’s Chechnya region, they told German officials. Violence and human rights abuses plague Chechnya.
German Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich said that “in 2012, by far the most asylum seekers in the European Union came to Germany, and in the first half of 2013 we saw almost a doubling of applications.
“The number of asylum seekers in the first half of 2013 was the greatest since the same period in 1999.”
According to the interior ministry, 9,957 people came from Russia and claimed political asylum in Germany, compared with 4,517 from Syria and 3,448 from Afghanistan. [I’m sure Putin is thrilled to be relieved of them!—ed]
Perplexed analysts!
The figures for refugees from Chechnya are perplexing analysts because there has not been a perceptible deterioration of the situation there. No worsening of a vicious war has been reported in the North Caucasus republic.
Germany put the “sugar on the table!” (A commenter used that phrase recently and I love it!)
Seems that a logical explanation is that Germany offers asylum-seekers/refugees more taxpayer-funded goodies, and that is the draw. However, for Muslims it’s a twofer, they can fulfill their Muslim duty (Al-Hijra) by helping to build the Islamic caliphate and live fairly well doing it!
The BBC continues:
One theory being mooted in ministries to explain the surge is that, exactly a year ago, Germany’s highest court ruled that asylum seekers waiting for their applications to be processed should receive the same social benefits as Germans.
That led to higher payments for food and accommodation, as the different regions of Germany implemented the court’s strictures.
Svetlana Gannushkina, a leading human rights activist in Russia, says Chechens appear to have been motivated by rumours that Germany “has opened its doors to Chechens”.
In an e-mail to the BBC, she said “a rumour is circulating that in Germany each family is given a parcel of land and money to build a house”.
Update August 18th: A reader sent us this story from Der Spiegel about the “rumor” and the ramifications. People are desperate to leave Chechnya now being ruled by hard-line Islamists according to this story.
All of our posts on Germany and its refugee/asylum/illegal alien problems are here.