THOUSANDS OF ASYLUMSEEKER FAMILIES TURNED OUT IN STREETS

Dutch local authorities that help asylum seekers that did not get a residence permit, will have to report to the Minister for Immigration and Integration Rita Verdonk in the near future. The minister is fed up with the local administrators that give emergency relief which is against the Dutch law. The national organisation of the Dutch municipalities says that in practise everything is different than in theory.

Minister Verdonk is arguing with the local authorities for quite some time now. The question is what to do with asylum seekers that are turned away, but that do not return to their mother country by themselves. At the same time they cannot be expelled and since the migrants cannot stay in the asylum seeker centres, they eventually end up in the streets. Often complete familes with very young children. Both for human as for practical reasons, the local population and the local authorities have to overcome this problem by organising emergency relief.

Around 80 Dutch municipalities threathned to stop supporting the policy of Minister Verdonk. They argue that many asylum seekers and migrants that actually stay in The Netherlands legitimately cannot be left to fend for themselves. They state that the situation is unacceptable on humanitarian grounds and considering the dangers for disturbance of public order.

The situation is getting worse and worse, since the group of asylum seekers that wanders through the Dutch streets is increasing seriously. The group will grow even more because thousands of young asylum seekers do not get any money anymore and are summoned to leave the country.

On the 20 of November last year – the international day of the right for children – the number of harrowing stories is piling up. Politicians, mayors, doctors, lawyers, teachers, relief workers and many more argue that the Dutch state is seriously violating the fundamental rights of people and children. The examples are horrific: a young child: the police took me and my family to a detention centre. I feel like an animal here. Why? I had high marks and even got a 10 for my Dutch.’ A spokesman of a relief organisation explains that a seriously invalid child of nine years young was put in the streets in her wheel chair. He says that in 2003 his organisation counted 1113 homeless migrant children. Only 300 of them found rescue, which means that 800 had to keep on drifting around. A member of the Dutch parliament bitterly sums up the sad situation, ‘This is the real Netherlands of today!’ more features

January 11, 2006