Day: November 16, 2013

Some EU countries turning Syrians back, UN wants it stopped

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment

There is more news today about European countries saying ‘no’ to Syrians attempting to get across their borders, and the UNHCR wants a moratorium on the stepped-up border security some countries are putting in place.

Syrian Muslims arrive on Cyprus

Here is the UN High Commissioner for Refugees:

UNHCR is greatly concerned over reports of some EU countries placing barriers to entry or forcibly returning asylum-seekers including people who have fled the conflict in Syria. UNHCR is calling, globally as well as in the European Union, for a shift away from border protection to protection of people. If practices to prevent asylum-seekers from accessing territory and procedures are taking place, UNHCR calls on states to cease them immediately. Push-backs and prevention of entry can put asylum-seekers at further risk and expose them to additional trauma.

In Bulgaria UNHCR is seeking more information from the authorities on their reported activities at the border to stem the flow of refugees into the country. Media reports say Bulgaria turned back 100 migrants at the border over the weekend and deployed some 1,200 police officers to the border region. Introducing barriers, like fences or other deterrents, may lead people to undertake more dangerous crossings and further place refugees at the mercy of smugglers.  [We have written a lot about Bulgaria’s problems here—ed]

UNHCR is also concerned over similar reports of asylum seekers being pushed back from Greece to Turkey.

[….]

In Cyprus, UNHCR has received reports of Syrians arriving irregularly by boat in the northern part of the country and being returned to Turkey following a brief detention.

[….]

UNHCR is calling for a global moratorium on any return of Syrians to neighbouring countries. This would represent a concrete gesture of solidarity with these countries that currently host over 2.2 million Syrian refugees.

Rather than disrupt economically-struggling countries, the UN must build more camps in the Muslim world (hey! how about Saudi Arabia!) for Muslim refugees until the civil war is over!   It would be cheaper than permanent resettlement of Syrians all over the world!  And, they could stay in their own “culture zones.”

BTW, what ever happened to the UN’s “state-of-the-art” camp in Jordan that was sitting empty last time we heard.

The EU is avoiding dealing with the issue of migration until after elections next spring fearing the wrong moves now would usher in the “right wing” here.

Photo is from Deutsche Welle on Cyprus trying to cope.

Burma: One of the few places in the world telling the OIC to take a hike!

~ Ann Corcoran ~ Leave a comment
Protestors Nov. 15th with NO! OIC stickers and banners. Photo: AFP

The OIC, of course, is the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the Buddhists in Burma (Myanmar) believe they have come to their country to help facilitate the expansion of the Muslim population and Islam in the mostly Buddhist nation.

Here is the story in the Irrawaddy (one of many today) about protests that greeted OIC members from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Malaysia, Egypt etc.   My view is that if they are so concerned about the “plight” of the Rohingya, then resettle them to their Muslim countries!  (emphasis below is mine)

RANGOON — A high-level delegation from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) was greeted by an estimated 3,000 protestors Friday, when the group that includes foreign ministers from Islamic countries arrived in western Burma’s troubled Arakan State.

Monks: Get out OIC!

A group from the 57-member OIC arrived in Burma on Wednesday to meet with officials and investigate the situation of Rohingya Muslims, who make up the majority of the estimated 140,000 people displaced by two waves of violence in Arakan State last year. At least 192 people were killed in inter-communal violence between Arakanese Buddhists and Rohingya, who the government of Burma does not recognize as citizens.

Buddhists have staged demonstrations across the country this week accusing the OIC of trying to interfere in Burmese affairs.

On Friday, the delegation landed at about noon at Sittwe Airport, where angry demonstrators held aloft banners saying “Get Out OIC,” and “We Don’t Want OIC.”

“Our people arrived here at 7 am. We have over 3,000 people,” Tun Hlaing, an organizer of the protest, told The Irrawaddy. “We all shouted to them that we do not want them to come here.”

The Burmese government has approved the visit and reportedly guaranteed the security of delegates, who include OIC Secretary-general Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and Malaysian, Saudi Arabian, Egyptian, Djiboutian and Bangladeshi officials.

Tun Hlaing said the group did not leave the airport, but was taken by Burmese military helicopters to parts of Arakan State where the population is majority Rohingya.

Having watched this situation evolve for nearly 6 years, I believe this is exactly correct:

Tun Kyi claimed the conflict between Buddhists and Muslims in Arakan State is stirred up by international involvement.

And, for the umpteenth time, Americans should be concerned because the federal refugee contractors want more Rohingya resettled in your towns and cities.   Some are already here.  See our Rohingya Reports category with its 158 previous posts to learn more.

Top photo is from this story (Radio Free Asia).   The second photo is from the Irrawaddy.