Sexual assaults challenge Germany’s welcoming attitude toward refugees

The consequences of dozens of sexual assaults and robberies reported in the German city of Cologne on New Year’s Eve, with the perpetrators described as “Arab and North African men”,  has been felt elsewhere: in the thousands of refugee centers across Germany.

There is no evidence that refugees were involved in the attacks. Nevertheless, even the possibility of their involvement was enough to inflame parts of German society.

In an effort to prevent a backlash against refugees, the Berlin-based tabloid B.Z. printed two front pages Wednesday. The first read: “Group of a thousand asylum seekers out of control.” An explanation accompanied the headline: “This is how the B.Z. would look if we trusted the Internet.”

On its second page, the newspaper presented its real cover, which read: “Those are the facts: We do not know who the perpetrators are.”

Many other Germans, however, have reached a different conclusion.

[The Washington Post]

The impact of the refugee crisis on Europe’s open borders

The year 2015 was the year Europe felt “swamped” by refugees and other migrants. It was also the year border-controls were re-imposed – officially only temporarily – across Europe.

On Monday Sweden imposed ID checks on those crossing from Denmark, especially on those coming by train bus, or ferry. Deputy CEO of southern Sweden’s Chamber of Commerce reacted,  “The commuting system is the blood system of a metropolitan economy,” he said. “It will stop the blood flowing.”

The Oresund Bridge is Europe’s longest road and rail link. As such it has been touted as a poster boy of EU unity and of passport-free travel through peaceful post-war Europe (amongst the member countries of the borderless Schengen agreement).

No longer. Sweden says it has imposed the controls to limit illegal immigration. Public services have become compromised after Sweden received more migrants (refugees and others) per capita than any other European country in 2015.

Denmark reacted to the Swedish move today by imposing controls on its border with Germany. Again, migrant-related but almost inevitably also politically motivated.

Germany then reacted by declaring that Schengen [the 1985 European treaty that provided for the removal of border controls between participating countries] could well be doomed.

[BBC]

Humanitarian disaster looms as Syrian refugees left stranded in Jordanian ‘no man’s land’

Amnesty International says Jordan must take immediate action to assist up to 12,000 refugees who have been denied entry to the country and are struggling to survive in desperate, freezing conditions in “no man’s land” on the Jordanian side of the border with Syria. Those stranded include pregnant women, young children, elderly people and people suffering from serious medical conditions.

Hundreds of refugees have been arriving on a daily basis in recent weeks but have been denied access to Jordan by the authorities. UNHCR announced on 8 Decemberthat the number of refugees on the border has risen sharply since the start of November, from 4,000 to 12,000 following the recent intensification of conflict in Syria.

Since 2011 Jordan has granted refuge to more than 632,000 Syrian refugees but its policy on allowing those fleeing the conflict has become increasingly restrictive.

Jordan is one of five countries in the region hosting 95% of refugees from Syria and is struggling to cope with the added strain of this influx. Lebanon and Turkey have also effectively closed their borders to Syria’s refugees.

[Amnesty International]