The UN, Italy, Libya and Norwegian NGOs are asking Norway to do more for the refugees embarking on life-threatening sea voyages in the Mediterranean. They think the Mediterranean countries are taking on too much of the burden. But the H / FRP government believes that Norway is the country that gives most Syrian refugees residence: – For the Government, it is not relevant to grant additional refugees access to apply for "humanitarian visa" in addition, the message from the Ministry of Justice.
(THIS ARTICLE IS MACHINE TRANSLATED by Google from Norwegian)
Mediterranean. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) urges all countries to find alternatives to the dangerous sea voyage from North Africa to Southern Europe. Following the May crash, the following call came from spokesman Adrian Edwards:
"We urge governments around the world to provide legal alternatives to dangerous sea voyages and ensure that desperate people in need of refuge have the opportunity to seek protection and seek asylum."
In just over four months in 2014, more than 170 refugees have fled across the Mediterranean to Europe. The high season for crossings, summer, has not yet begun. Last year at least 700 people drowned in the same way.
"The real number of deaths is probably far higher," says senior adviser Pål Nesse in the Norwegian Refugee Council.
- We are very concerned about the safety of the growing number of people crossing the Mediterranean to find protection or work in Europe. The more people who cross, the more who risk drowning, says Nesse.
He believes Norway must take responsibility. Through the close European border cooperation, as well as the Schengen and Dublin arrangements, Norway becomes part of Europe even though the country is not an EU member, he points out.
- In practice, the Mediterranean is also Norway's border, says Nesse.
And it is not just the UN that is asking for help. Both Italy's Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and Libya's Interior Minister Salah Mazeq have warned Europe after the accidents this month.
"Europe has left us!" Renzi said recently. Mazeq asked the world and Europe to take responsibility for the refugees waiting for a chance to cross the sea. It is happening at the same time as rebel groups are attacking the parliament in Tripoli and again there is civil war danger in the country.
Norwegian border
What does the Norwegian government do with the call from the UN organization, where Norway itself is the sixth largest donor? And what about the warnings from the countries on the border between Africa and Europe. We ask whether Justice Minister Anders Anundsen (Frp) will do anything in response to UNHCR's call.
- Unfortunately, the Minister does not have the opportunity to comment on this today, writes senior communications adviser at the Ministry of Justice, Andreas Skjøld-Lorange, in an email to Ny Tid.
The Ministry of Justice's communications adviser instead sends press information from the Ministry. Among other things, it says:
"Following the tragic drowning accident off the Italian island of Lampedusa, the EU decided to create a Mediterranean intervention force to prevent more drowning accidents. As a result of our Schengen affiliation, Norway shares responsibility for the external borders, and Norway contributes to the implementation of measures initiated by the Action Group. ”
According to the Ministry, the intervention group has implemented three measures: Prevention of dangerous voyages on the sea, strengthened monitoring of the sea so that rescue vessels can support, and strengthened reception capacity in southern European countries.
In addition, the Ministry of Justice states that "The EU is working on a regional protection program in North Africa in cooperation with the UNHCR. In connection with the latter, it may be appropriate to offer particularly vulnerable refugees transfer to a European country. ”
Unacceptable
Thus, it may look like a European needle eye is being opened to "particularly vulnerable refugees". Nothing is said about the criteria that underpin such a selection. However, little indicates that these people will be offered space in Norway. Further down in the "information" from the government it says:
“Figures from FRONTEX show that Syrians are among the largest groups traveling across the Mediterranean to come to Europe. Norway has, as is known, offered to transfer 1000 Syrian refugees this year. With that, Norway is among the countries that offer resettlement to most Syrian refugees. For the Government, it is not appropriate to grant additional refugees access to apply "humanitarian visas" as well. "
The government has not answered Ny Tid to follow-up questions related to this. According to figures from the UN, it is estimated that Sweden will receive more than 23.000 refugees from Syria in 2014, ie more than 20 times as many as Norway. Sweden has a general amnesty for everyone from the war in Syria. In Jordan, they have received 1,3 million refugees from Syria, they have only slightly more people than Norway, in a much smaller area.
- Must do more
A large proportion of those in Libya who want to come to Europe are refugees from Syria. Although the Government here boasts how many Syrian refugees are being accepted, and how much Norway is doing for the refugees in the Mediterranean, Norwegian NGOs are not happy. Previously, the seven largest aid organizations have asked the Government to triple the number of Syrian refugees.
- While neighboring countries have welcomed over 2,5 million refugees, European countries have expressed their willingness to take less than 1 percent of this as quota refugees. 14 European countries are unwilling to take anyone at all, says Nesse in the Norwegian Refugee Council.
- In Norway, we should receive significantly more quota refugees who can not be protected in the region. Lebanon – the size of Rogaland and with a lower population than Norway – has received over one million refugees from Syria. Then it will be embarrassing to claim that Norway's capacity limit has been reached with 1000 quota refugees, half of which we cut correspondingly in the quota from other countries, says Nesse.
The Norwegian Refugee Council believes that there is a connection between the strict control of immigration and the unsafe boat traffic.
- Strict visa regimes and border controls make it virtually impossible to access Europe legally for people from the Middle East and Africa. In Europe – as in Norway – visas are almost never granted to people from these countries who are likely to seek protection or work. Boat traffic is therefore largely taken over by human traffickers and others who offer irregular transport. It becomes more lucrative to run this type of business – and the market is increasing for transport in crowded boats with poor sea safety, says Nesse in the Norwegian Refugee Council.
The solution
The Refugee Aid believes there are several things Norway can do to help the refugees.
- A major real need is increased support for the protection of refugees in the major recipient countries, such as Bulgaria and Greece. Here, Norway can significantly strengthen its efforts significantly, both through public administration and through private humanitarian organizations in these countries. We can also suspend the repatriation of refugees – who, according to the Dublin Convention, were to be returned for asylum in these countries. Here we could also include Italy, he concludes.
