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UNDER HEAVY SECURITY, authorities on the Greek islands of Lesbos and Chios deported 202 migrants and refugees on boats bound for Turkey – the first to be sent back as part of a controversial European Union plan to limit the amount of migration to Europe.
The operation started at dawn with migrants escorted onto small ferries by officers from the EU border protection agency, Frontex, to nearby ports on the Turkish coast, under the programme which has been strongly criticised by human rights groups.
“All of the migrants returned are from Pakistan except for two migrants from Syria who returned voluntarily,” Giorgos Kyritsis, a spokesman for a government refugee crisis committee, told state TV.
There is no timetable for returns. Examining (asylum) applications will take some time.
About 4,000 migrants and refugees are being detained on Greek islands since the agreement came into effect 20 March.
Kyritsis said 136 migrants were deported from Lesbos and 66 from the nearby island of Chios, where riot police clashed with local residents hours earlier during a protest against expulsions.
‘Dangerous deal’
“This is the first day of a very difficult time for refugee rights. Despite the serious legal gaps and lack of adequate protection in Turkey, the EU is forging ahead with a dangerous deal,” Giorgos Kosmopoulos, head of Amnesty International in Greece, told the Associated Press from Lesbos.
Turkey is not a safe third country for refugees. The EU and Greek authorities know this and have no excuse.
The operation was supervised by a lieutenant general of the Greek police and occurred peacefully, as ships departed from Lesbos to the Turkish port of Dikili.
The deportations started with migrants who did not apply for asylum or had their applications declared inadmissible.
“Even if this first group is not refugees, what we are seeing here is symbolic kick off of what might be a very dangerous practice of returns to Turkey,” Kosmopoulos said.
The EU and Turkey reached the deal last month, after European countries struggled to avoid a repeat of a surge in migration in 2015, which saw more than a million people reach the continent, many fleeing civil war in Syria.
In return for re-admitting migrants, Ankara was promised more financial aid an visa-free travel in the EU for its citizens.
A total of 50,000 migrants, and refugees are stranded in Greece following EU and Balkan border closures, but only those who arrived after March 20 will be detained for deportation.
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All the migrants are from Pakistan and only two from Syria?!! Then the Pakistanis can’t be genuine refugee cadidates and gives weight to the argument alot of people from non war torn countries took the opportunity to get into Europe while the gates were open!
Careful now icaniwont, you’re getting very close to being open to be called a racist…
And those two were voluntary. What would possible make you want to go back?!
“Frontex, the EU’s border agency, told the BBC that most of the 136 people who left Lesbos on Monday were Pakistanis.”
quelle surprise….
And wait until the summer starts and the boats get going from Libya, the new base for ISIS.
No deal anywhere to send those back.
They’ll be rounded up – again – shipped to a safe port in Italy, from where they’re free to track north and west. Last year about 96% of such migrants left Italy and headed to northern Europe.
Peter Sutherland is already clearing his throat.
Why is it controversial though. Has Europe really lost complete control of her borders and her rights and responsiblilites to deport illegal immigrants. Every country has that rights to do this but in European countries it has become practically impossible because of the globalist, so called human rights agenda, where human rights have lost all of their real meaning and been replaced with whatever a PC political or judge says it means. Deporting 200 Pakistanis from Greece shouldn’t be a big deal and we certainly shouldn’t need Turkey’s permission. Why has Europe totally emasculated herself.
Good point but you referred to Europe as feminine 3 times!!
Not allowed associate the emasculation of Europe with women apparently. The journal should really add “not ideologically sound” to their comments policy.
Europe didn’t lose any border. If a person needs to leave his/her country, he/she will at any risk. What Europe is losing here, is her principles… Today’s kids in Europe are being taught that, when someone asks for help, you ask them to leave. If need be, you pay for them to leave. Please, kids, don’t ask any question about the infinite number of opportunities for a better future. Their excuses are made up. We all understand it. Don’t ask about a vision of your possible future.
So we should disregard our immigration laws and allow a few billion people in search of nicer things in life into Europe because kids and stuff? Have a feeling your kids will suffer regular wallet inspections as they age!
Who cares what people need? It’s not automatically our responsibility to provide the world with what they need. Few more ad hominems and another guilt trip or two or you just might have a point to make! Vacuous nonsense.
@eddie. I did. Didn’t actually think about it really even when I used the emasculation reference.
Regardless of your opinion on immigration in Europe the bigger mess is what they are doing now is actually illegal – Turkey is not a part of Europe and therefore the EU can not be sure of the treatment and rights and the migrants.
‘Hey……. that’s not the wallet inspector!’
You live in your bubble. There aren’t billion of ppl migrating to Europe. It’s not easy as you imply it with your ‘we have no border’ moan. Ppl keep on dying because it’s dangerous to migrate. Nothing automatic in migration and welcoming ppl in a distress Ireland experienced not so long ago. ‘Who cares what ppl need?’ You forget that could apply to you. It makes more sense to understand that solidarity and tolerance come together. At least, more than your little wallet.
You keep letting people in freely and the billions will come. Guilt tripping and false equivalences with the past cannot substitute for valid points. Genuine refugees should be accommodated in safe and accessible refugee camps in neighbouring countries, economic migrants should be deported without a second thought and barred from re-entry to any European state. Mentions of the famine, children’s little feelings, or any other unassociated nonsense will be dismissed as irrelevant.
Liam, obviously, You’re not listening because you’re too busy building a fantasy world around your ego.
In Greek mythology Europa was a Phoenician princess who was abducted and taken to Crete by Zeus in the guise of a bull. The continent of Europe is named for her.
I’m listening, you’re just not making any points. So far we have, “won’t somebody think of the children” – plea to pity; “lots of Irish people went to America” – false equivalence; “this might happen to you someday” – another plea to pity.
If the only points you are able to make are fallacious, expect to be ridiculed, but don’t be so arrogant to assume that you are being ridiculed because you’re being misunderstood, you’re being ridiculed for saying ridiculous things.
Liam, I can’t deal with your hysteria. Just bang your head on the walls of your bedroom, borders of your fantasy world. Enjoy your day.
And the fallacy trifecta is complete with some ad hominem. Good talk, maybe leave debate to grown ups who actually understand the word in future, there’s a good girl.
Liam apart from being arrogant and insulting that other man posting on here who exactly are you trying to impress with your nonsense academic vocabulary, ?….speak English not trinity s*ite
http://Www.dictionary.com
There you go Marc, a useful tool if any of my “academic language” contains big and confusing words.
Thanks Liam. …I learned a long time so to take any person who spouts such nonsense with a pinch of salt. Relying on nonsensical language to bolster a discussion is boring
You not understanding words doesn’t make them non-sensical. Btw, trifecta is a bookie term, hardly academic vocabulary, but you’ll learn all about that with the link.
Turkey is an Asian country predominantly. I fail to see how they should be able to join the EU in any circumstances.
The goal is to make their border part of our border.
Turkey is basically 50% European. If you even go to Istanbul is like a different world across the river. The more countries that make the EU standard the better the world will be for it.
The Istanbul bit is only a slice.
In the recent general election the government ran a platform of Islamist policies to appeal to the broad part of the general public. It won by a landslide.
Allowing Turkey into the EU is providing a corridor for ISIS, Taliban, Al Qaeda and every other Islamic fundamentalist nut from the Middle East, as well as Pakistan and other countries, to reach Europe.
And there are millions of them.
@james. Istanbul is 50% European. The rest of Turkey is 98% unapologetically conservative Islamic. Come to think of it, Europe itself is heading that way too. Just a matter of time.
Merkel and her cohorts should be held accountable for bringing about this crisis. Peter Sutherland and other elites have openly sought and encouraged this invasion Europe so as to destroy all national identities and create an easier to rule European state all part of their precious new world order agenda and nobody seems to get it ? There is no humanitarian motive whatsoever it is a carefully planned solution to a created problem.
Riot police clashed with “locals” in a protest against expulsion.something tells me the local left wing amnesty chapter is not representative of general local opinion.it’s not about the news..tis about the spin
If Turkey is “not a safe country”, why are they being speedboated into the EU?
Sending them back to Turkey isn’t really deporting them though is it?
It’s true. While any deportations are a positive development, the fact that we’ll receive a refugee for every migrant deported doesn’t do much to protect the integrity of the union. A sort of robbing of Peter to pay Paul. And when word spreads among the walkers that the Asian route is a problem, the horde will undoubtedly choose the North African route.
Controversial? Well I suppose in the twisted mind of the Liberal media, it is controversial
I think mostly it’s about Syrians being returned to Turkey where there are claims of them being forcibly pushed back into Syria
Tony. What is your solution to this then. Give a credible workable and realistic solution to this crisis. Something amnesty and the far left cannot seam to do.
Safe, secure camps in Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan funded by the west. Conditions favourable for long term habitation until the conflict ends and they can return home. No meed for anyone to enter Europe.
Liam, who are you to define what a person needs? Maybe, your majesty sees things we don’t see, from the height of their throne.
Let the Saudis pay. They started this.
Vincent, I’m talking of the overall situation not just this one boat.
Liam, ever been to a refugee camp. I can tell you that safe and secure is NOT how I’d describe them
Are you a troll or something? If not, your bleeding heart makes me want to vomit. If things were left up to the likes of you we would all be f@#ked a lot quicker than we already are!
What exactly is “bleeding heart” about a genuine concern that Turkey is potentially sending people into a war zone? Does labeling me a bleeding heart out of recognising the lies and oppression of Erdogan mean that you are pro this deal? Pro Turkey in the EU???
Tony, The Pakistanis will presumably be returned to Pakistan – there’s no war there. The Syrian’s are returning voluntarily. What’s your problem with that? “The deportations started with migrants who did not apply for asylum or had their applications declared inadmissible.” Should illegal immigrants be returned or not? What exactly is YOUR solution to this problem – my guess is open borders.
Bingo, like I said above I’m referring to the full picture not just this boatload. Where people are not genuine asylum seekers I have no problem with them being sent home. It can only improve the picture for genuine cases.
Turkey is letting them into Turkey and then turning a blind eye as they flood out of Turkey. Maybe this will encourage them to secure their borders. Your answer does seem to suggest that there is a difference between Turkey returning them directly from Turkey (after arrival in Turkey) and Turkey returning them after they have gone to Greece and been returned to Turkey – ultimately it has to be Turkey that sends them back. The madness has to stop!
And you think Turkey is going to stop it?
Something closer to home:
Limerick asylum centre worker claims extremists have infiltrated the system
A MAN working in a Limerick refugee centre claims that staff have been subjected to physical attacks and mental abuse by individuals and gangs of radical Muslim men living in the centre.
The man, who has asked to remain anonymous out of fear of reprisals, is of Middle Eastern origin and has been living in Ireland for nearly a decade.
And so it begins here, Those known radicals should be removed from that asylum center and deported, no point in letting their poisonous Ideology take root here in Ireland, as it has in the rest of Europe.
Like 10 holes in the boat only 5 fingers to stop the leak.
We need to figure out how to free up that second had for the other 5 holes
Yeah Tony, except the vast vast majority of this lot are from Pakistan. They must have gotten severely lost if they needed to flee Syria in the direction of Europe.
What does Turkey get in return?
“The European Union has promised to give Ankara €6bn (£4.7bn) to help the estimated 2.7 million Syrians now stuck on Turkish soil. It will also become easier for Turks to get European visas, and the EU will pay greater lip-service to the idea of Turkey becoming a member state. For each Syrian returned to Turkey, Europe has promised to accept another Syrian living in a Turkish camp – though if the Aegean flow stops, this mechanism is not likely to see much use.”
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/18/eu-deal-turkey-migrants-refugees-q-and-a
My question is this, – How much did Turkey pay the EU. to export these migrants to the in the first place…??
Why can’t we do the same? The Direct Provision centres are full of people who have made multiple appeals and are here for years bleeding us dry.
Send in the Gardai now, and GET THEM OUT.
We have enough problems here with out importing more
Should the intake of migrant workers not be suspended until the refuge problem has eased and the most needy are delt with.then issue all the refugees temporary status entrance into Europe until their home country is stable enough for them to return.
Great news!!!!
Good news indeed. Should be sending back 500 a week until all are gone. Should have never opened the borders. F*ck Merkel, she is ruining Europe for the rest of us.
There is too many pakistanis paying European women to marry them so they can get visas to stay. Its an absolute joke.
Who are you to call people thieves?
have your say