UNHCR rebukes Italy over refugees

[Talon]

UNHCR rebukes Italy over refugees

By Imogen Foulkes

BBC News, Geneva

The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) has rebuked Italy for allegedly turning away a group of Kurdish asylum seekers from Turkey.

The group of 13 males, at least two of whom are said to be under 16, arrived in Italy aboard a German freighter.

The UNHCR says Italy is obliged, under international law, to hear all claims for asylum.

Earlier this month, officials criticised Italy for its treatment of asylum seekers from north Africa.

'Suicide attempt'

The 13 men and boys were hidden in a container on board the German ship, which docked in Italy two weeks ago.

They claimed to be Kurdish asylum seekers from Turkey, but the UNHCR says the Italian authorities refused to hear their asylum claims and put them back on the ship.

It is now in port in Malta, where the authorities have refused to allow the group ashore.

The ship's next stop is Turkey, but its owner says the vessel will not continue its voyage until the asylum claims have been heard.

The UNHCR says that under European Union law, it is Italy's responsibility to hear the claims, and the agency says turning away asylum seekers like this is a clear violation of the international convention on refugees.

A UN representative in Malta describes conditions on board the ship as extremely tense.

At least one of the asylum seekers has reportedly attempted suicide, since being refused entry by the Maltese authorities.

Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/europe/3945731.stm

Earlier this month, officials criticised Italy for its treatment of asylum seekers from north Africa.

Get bent

[Guest Lottie]

They claimed to be Kurdish asylum seekers from Turkey, but the UNHCR says the Italian authorities refused to hear their asylum claims and put them back on the ship.

Good.

It should be no-ones business except the Italian authorities who comes into their country and who doesn't. Pity the UK doesn't have the same attitude in some (and I mean some, not all) situations.

[Talon]

Agree, legitimate asylum seekers are welcome, but we're now getting tens of thousands of economic migrants flooding into Europe weekly. We can't be expect our economies do deal with the destitute of the world.

[Fluffybunny]

This is a problem that we have been dealing with in the US for a very long time too.

Of course I would love it if we could give asylum to each person that wanted to come here, but there are just limits. Our economy is rocky as is; adding thousands of immigrants every month doesn't seem to be helping the matter.

It is one thing if they are escaping from political oppresion, as in Cuba. It seems that the bulk of our immigrants are from poor nations in south america, or from poor nations in asia. They come here with the hope of making money. That is wonderful, but even the US has it's limits on what it can handle. Political oppression? fine we can help you there...economic oppression? I just don't see how we can help everyone in the world try to make more money, not if we have to sacrifice our economy to do it.

Wait in line like everyone else is supposed to; we let thousand of people in per year legally.

We can't handle too many at once, it just causes more problems than we already have.

[wunarmdscissor]

the thing is economic refugees make immigration look bad its not its the greatest thing on earth,

[Talon]

The only way to tackle the issue is to build up the industries of the Third World, but thats has two problems 1. The cost will mean it'll take a good few generations 2. The environment can't cope with it until we can run industries more effectively on renewable energy.