European Migrant Crisis

[Mr. Ambien]

I was gonna change the title of my other thread about Turkey but it was too Turkey centric so this one will be about the migrant crisis in Europe stemming from the Middle East/Turkey conflicts that has millions fleeing into Europe:

Dozens of migrants found dead in truck in Austria

PARNDORF, Austria -- Austrian police on Thursday discovered the badly decomposing bodies of at least 20 - and possibly up to 50 - migrants piled in a truck parked on the shoulder of the main highway from Budapest to Vienna.

The shocking finding came as Austria hosted a summit in Vienna on Europe's refugee crisis for Western Balkan nations, which have been overwhelmed this year by the tens of thousands of migrants trying to get into Europe via their territory.

Police ordered reporters at the scene 25 miles southeast of Vienna to move away from the vehicle, a white refrigeration truck with images of food items on it.

The state of the bodies in the hot summer day made establishing their identities and even the exact number of dead migrants difficult, but the total number could rise to 50, said Hans Peter Doskozil, chief of Burgenland police.

The truck was apparently abandoned Wednesday and its back door was left open, Doskozil said. It had Hungarian license plates but writing on the side and back of it was in Slovak. The state of the bodies suggested the migrants could have been dead for several days.

Interior Minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner condemned the traffickers.

"Human smugglers are criminals," she said in a statement. "Those who still think that they are gentle helpers of refugees are beyond saving."

Speaking on the sidelines of the refugee crisis conference, Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann said the deadly tragedy showed how critical it was for nations to work together on solutions to the influx of migrants.

"Today refugees lost the lives they had tried to save by escaping, but lost them in the hand of traffickers," he told reporters.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was also at the summit, said she was "shaken by the awful news that up to 50 people lost their lives on their way to look for more security."

"This reminds us that we in Europe need to tackle the problem quickly and find solutions in the spirit of solidarity," she said.

The truck apparently used to belong to the Slovak chicken meat company Hyza, part of the Agrofert Holding, which is owned by the Czech Finance Minister Andrej Babis.

Agrofert Holding, in a statement, said they had sold the truck in 2014. The new owners did not remove the truck's logos as required and the Hyza company has nothing to do with this truck now, the company said.

On one side of the truck was the slogan "Honest chicken" while writing on the back read "I taste so well because they feed me so well."

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/austria-police-migrants-found-dead-in-truck-near-hungary-border/

[Mr. Ambien]

Germany challenges EU to agree on refugee plan

Germany's Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Vice-Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel published a 10-point plan on Monday to reform the way Europe deals with refugees.

“Never before have so many people fled political persecution and war as today, many of whom seek refuge here with us in Europe,” the two Social Democratic Party (SPD) politicians wrote in an article detailing the plan.

"The political framework for action has long since ceased to be national," they continue.

"Only together and only at the European level will we be able to find rational solutions...refugee and migration policy is currently the most important policy field in which we must further the project of European integration with dynamism and conviction."

"Germany stands ready to do its utmost."

Germany's 10-point plan

1. Create humane conditions for refugees across the EU

2. Create a common European code of asylum

3. Distribute refugees fairly across Europe

4. A common European approach to managing borders

5. Assist countries taking the brunt of the strain

6. Stop loss of life in the Mediterranean

7. Deport those whose asylum applications are denied

8. Define safe countries of origin

9. A new immigration law for Germany

10. Fight the causes of flight in the Middle East and Africa

Fair distribution

Point three of the plan, which calls for “fair distribution of refugees in Europe”, is likely to be welcomed in Germany but resisted in other countries like the UK and newer eastern member states.

“The citizens of our countries are helping to receive and integrate refugees into our society as never before,” Steinmeier and Gabriel wrote.

“This solidarity will only be maintained long-term if people see that the refugee crisis is being approached fairly throughout Europe.”

Safe countries of origin

Germany's eighth action point would mean finding an EU-wide agreement on which countries to designate “safe countries of origin,” especially in the Balkans

“The countries of the western Balkans aim to join the EU, and we have good cause to extend to them the prospect of accession... By the same token, we cannot treat them as persecuting countries,” Gabriel and Steinmeier wrote.

In recent weeks, politicians in Germany have argued that countries in the Balkans should be given this designation so as to ease the burden on asylum processing bureaucrats and speed things up for those most in need.

But opponents argue that a blanket classification for the Balkans would ignore the plight of Sinti and Roma people there.

http://www.thelocal.de/20150825/germany-unveils-eu-refugee-policy-plan

Merkel: Austria tragedy a ‘warning’ for Europe

The "horrible" discovery on Thursday of between 20 and 50 dead migrants on a truck in Austria is a warning to Europe to get to grips with the migrant crisis, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday. Other leading German politicians laid out their plans for handling the influx of refugees.

"We were all shaken by the horrible news that up to 50 people died… These were people coming to seek safety," Merkel said in Vienna during a conference with leaders from the western Balkans.

"This is a warning to work to resolve this problem and show solidarity.”

Police said that a vehicle was found parked on a strip of highway in Austria, with between 20 to 50 people found dead inside. Officials said those inside were likely refugees being smuggled into the country by people traffickers.

The gruesome find comes as Merkel and Balkan leaders met to discuss how to tackle together the biggest migration crisis to hit Europe since the Second World War.

"Western Balkan transit countries are facing huge challenges" dealing with tens of thousands of refugees trying to reach the EU, Merkel said. "It is our responsibility to help them."

Migrants’ futures are ‘important for our country’

Merkel was not the only German leader on Thursday to comment on the tragedy in Austria and the need for better strategies for the refugee crisis. Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière expressed his dismay over the tragedy.

"I am furious and stunned that so many people suffocated because criminal traffickers making money off of people transported them in such horrendous conditions," De Maizière said at a press conference.

The interior minister was visiting the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) to discuss ways to support what has become a “centrally important” office in the country as Germany has estimated that 800,000 people will apply for asylum status in the country this year.

Those who are accepted to stay in the country will need jobs and ways to settle into German life, such as through language and integration classes.

http://www.thelocal.de/20150827/merkel-austrian-tragedy-a-warning-for-europe

[TOMapleLaughs]

Canada has spent millions on humanitarian aid in the region, but also spends millions to wage war in the region. This approach is confusing to say the least. While targeting ISIS, the odds of friendly fire and civilian casualties are high, and people will of course still flee from war zones. It's been 14 years since Bush promised to "rid the world of evil-doers." One has to think that the war on terror has failed.

While Harper has indicated an expansion on the military operation there, he hasn't indicated an advancement of humanitarian aid.

http://globalnews.ca/news/1901996/humanitarian-aid-takes-backseat-to-isil-mission-expansion/

We should probably leave the warmongering to the experts and go back to 100% humanitarian aid. Mulcair has indicated this is what he wants to do.

[otherwise]

There is a lot that needs to be done to help people who are fleeing war zones and dictators across the middle east and north Africa. I think if people want to leave these places we (the west) should help them. There are milions of people being displaced and they need a place to live and work. There are Refugee camps in Africa where people have lived for 25+ years, these camps are supposed to be temporary but they become permanent. It's extremely difficult to get out of one of these camps and get to a new safe country. One problem with many EU countries is they try and portray the migrants and bad people when really the majority of them are just normal people trying to get to a safe place.

I think Canada needs to take more refugees/migrants.

[otherwise]

Residents of one of Libya’s most notorious people-smuggling hubs have staged an anti-smuggling protest after the discovery of up to 200 corpses in waters close to the town.

The bodies were found on Thursday by one of Libya’s few coastguard vessels about a kilometre from Zuwara, the western port that is a major departure point for refugees hoping to reach Italy.

The incident is the latest tragedy of the European migration crisis, and if the death toll is confirmed it would mean that more than 2,500 people have drowned in the Mediterranean so far in 2015 – a record figure for this stage in the year.

What is nevertheless clear to aid workers is that the number of both deaths and departures from Libya remains high.

The north African country is no longer the primary springboard for people attempting to reach Europe by irregular means, after the Turkey-Greece crossing emerged as a far more popular route in 2015, particularly for Syrians. The war in Libya, stricter visa regulations for Syrians in Egypt and Algeria, and the comparative ease of crossing from Turkey are three factors that have made Libya a less desirable and less accessible departure-point for those fleeing the Syrian civil war.

But Libya is still experiencing record numbers of departures. An unprecedented wave of people from African countries such as Eritrea, Somalia and Nigeria are still using it as a means of reaching Europe – and thousands are still dying in the attempt.

The UN announced on Friday that 300,000 people have reached Europe by sea so far in 2015 – around a 40% increase on the figure for the whole of last year.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/28/libyans-protest-people-smugglers-up-to-200-drown

There is more in the article I just thought this would be some more info for people who don't know about this.

[Buddhas Hand]

I remember a few weeks back seeing refugees trying to get into the back of trucks that were crossing the channel , many others trying to use the cross chanel tunnel to get to the UK.

Here in Aus we have had refugee's coming by boat for decades.

Not all australian's buy into abbott's stop the boats BS. Many of us are totally ashamed of our country's treatment of asylum seekers.

As this series illutrates most aussies when confronted with the reality of the refugee's situation want our country to help them.

www.sbs.com.au/programs/go-back-to-where-you-came-from

[johngould21]

...and we're worrying about what our starting lineup is going to be this season. Syria is suffering through genocide, folks.

[canuckster19]

What they don't tell you about, at least in Sweden, are the hypocrite politicians who talk about multiculture while living in all white neighbourhoods. The same politicians who own the refugee asylums charging the Swedish taxpayer three to five times the normal amount of what it costs to house, feed and clothe an average Swede.

Or how about the complete refusal to age test what Swedes call "ensamkommandebarn"(Children travelling alone). Denmark just did a study where they found only 30-40% percent of those who seek child refugee status are actually children. Less than 2% are female.

The whole immigration thing is a big f-ing racket, Sicilian mafia funding the boats to and from Libya while the politicians are raking in the dough playing on people's conscious that they shouldn't be racist.

I'm all for the idea of helping those in need, and it's likely most of these people are. But the amount of money the government is stealing from the people and the amount of lives cost in this endeavor is nothing short of human trafficking.

As I said Canada, next time Europe goes to hell, and I see it happening again in my lifetime, don't come over here again and save it. No more Canadian lives should be lost because Europe can never get it's s--- together. F--- this useless continent.

[King Heffy]

It would be nice if our government spent as much money as they do on deporting legitimate refugees and creating more by waging war. Been a while since our government wasn't a disgrace to us internationally.

[canuckster19]

It would be nice if our government spent as much money as they do on deporting legitimate refugees and creating more by waging war. Been a while since our government wasn't a disgrace to us internationally.

Oh god, stop buying into the liberal hogwash and the delusion that the international community really cares what Canada thinks.

[King Heffy]

Oh god, stop buying into the liberal hogwash and the delusion that the international community really cares what Canada thinks.

Bottom line is I don't want my tax dollars going towards blowing up some third world country. I'm embarrassed to be Canadian thanks to the facist regime we're currently subjected to and would have no issue with allowing legitimate refugees to come to Canada.

[canuckster19]

Bottom line is I don't want my tax dollars going towards blowing up some third world country. I'm embarrassed to be Canadian thanks to the facist regime we're currently subjected to and would have no issue with allowing legitimate refugees to come to Canada.

Yes, long live the Kalifat, have fun with that, Islamic refugees will never come to Canada, there isn't a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow like in Sweden and Germany.

[johngould21]

Yes, long live the Kalifat, have fun with that, Islamic refugees will never come to Canada, there isn't a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow like in Sweden and Germany.

Why in hell are you living there? Oh, right, you're earning a paycheck.

[riffraff]

Canada has spent millions on humanitarian aid in the region, but also spends millions to wage war in the region. This approach is confusing to say the least. While targeting ISIS, the odds of friendly fire and civilian casualties are high, and people will of course still flee from war zones. It's been 14 years since Bush promised to "rid the world of evil-doers." One has to think that the war on terror has failed.

While Harper has indicated an expansion on the military operation there, he hasn't indicated an advancement of humanitarian aid.http://globalnews.ca/news/1901996/humanitarian-aid-takes-backseat-to-isil-mission-expansion/

We should probably leave the warmongering to the experts and go back to 100% humanitarian aid. Mulcair has indicated this is what he wants to do.

Stop bombing.

Start helping.

Agreed.

[Offensive Threat]

One has to think that the war on terror has failed.

No kidding. Over a million total dead and trillions of dollars (yes thats thousands of billions) later the US Gov has not only not brought peace to the region but has left it much more violent and politically fractured than they found it. And Bush sleeps like a baby every night.

Even if it was a "success" of Iraq and Afghanistan becoming stable democratic countries causing a calming effect across the middle east I would have still said the cost was too high. The fact that they paid the cost, in lives and money, and this ****storm is the result is beyond insane.

But after 9/11 everybody in the US wanted blood and they didnt seem to care too much whose it was. They got what they wanted.

[Buddhas Hand]

My heart is filled with utter sadness by images of Aylan Kurdi I have seen this morning , I have a son roughly his age , words fail me

[nucklehead]

I think Canada needs to take more refugees/immigrants.

Fixed

[Tortorella's Rant]

At least we don't have to hear about more drowning in the Mediterranean since a Canadian fighter smoked 27 of them in Iraq instead.

[drummer4now]

At least we don't have to hear about more drowning in the Mediterranean since a Canadian fighter smoked 27 of them in Iraq instead.

Dont worry those things are classified as "collateral damage" aka their lives don't really matter because they happen to be at the wrong place and lets not talk about it.. sarcasm

[-DLC-]

My heart is filled with utter sadness by images of Aylan Kurdi I have seen this morning , I have a son roughly his age , words fail me

Me too. I tried NOT to see them, but accidentally did. Gutted me and I shed tears....just an absolutely heart wrenching thing to let babies wash ashore. His little feet....I won't shake that image.