Refugees

I read earlier this week that people fleeing Syria, or other war zones and refugees in the first country they arrive in. If they then move on, they become economic migrants. Syrians prefer to move on from Greece or Turkey (for example) to northern europe because they have better opportunities to find work.

I genuinely don't know if this is accurate or whether it's the kind of twisting of reality that is so often used by countries who want to prevent an 'influx' of asylum seekers.

I often wonder what I would do if I had my 2 children and my country descended into hell with bombs and chemical weapons. I would certainly run with them, as nothing is so precious as their lives. I would then once I had escaped that hell try to get them to a country where they stood a chance of a better life. Sod my status!!

Surely Margaret is allowed to post about her own personal experience without having to qualify this in any way?

It's obvious that not all the migrants will be granted refugee status and the media has made it clear most are from Syria, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The images we see don't always match the accompanying text though. But how many bother to read all the blurb when they can just look at the pictures?

Certain agencies estimate that 1 in 5 is not a Syrian. Many of the migrants are swotting up on Syrian facts ( on their smart phones) while on their trek north. They have been told that they will be asked questions appertaining to Syria.
Or, if you have the money(about ??1,500) you can buy a bonified Syrian passport. These passports were stolen by isis from government buildings when they took over the towns. They then sold them onto people traffickers.

Oh so where do these other migrants come from?

Forgive me if I'm being thick but how do they manage to charge their smart phones?

whitewave those seeking refugee status are mainly from Syria, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

merlot I've been wondering that!

Solar chargers?

Thank you. Shows how behind the times I am.

I wondered about the phones too. My guess is most aren't working a lot of the time because the batteries need charging, but there will be ways to get them charged some how. I always have a spare battery in my bag, so it would make sense for them to be carrying several batteries for a phone. For a long journey I have a little power pack too that's not much bigger than a lipstick. A lot of the close ups show phone in a pretty poor state with broken screens, etc. Looking at photos doesn't waste much battery and I've noticed some people holding up a phone to show the screen with people on it - presumably family members.

PS I use my little power pack mainly with my tablet, but it works with my phone because the connections are all standard.

There are are a lot of Serbians and Albanians joining in with the migrants.

whitewave, I agree with you, if my country was in the state that Syria is, I'd get my children out if I possibly could. I saw a Syrian man on the news yesterday, he looked exhausted and said he'd been a doctor in Syria, "but now look at me, I'm nothing".

This is a world wide, rather than simply a european issue. The last thing needed is a polarisation of views and demonisation of people seeking asylum.

And all this death, pain, misery, caused by one man who just wants to hold on to his power

They still have conscription in Syria.I think I'm right.

There was an interview on Radio 4 the other day with a former refugee now settled in the US, Marmark who said he left Syria to avoid military service. I don't expect Assad is sympathetic to conscientious objectors. And merlot I heard a German welfare worker explaining that one of the things they were providing was some way for the refugees to charge their phones. I keep thinking of all the people who delayed leaving Germany, Austria, Poland, Czechoslovakia, France in the 1930s and then found they'd left it too late. And the people who went across the nearest border and then thought they would be safe.

Quite honestly if someone can come up with a solution will be an absolute genius and have the eternal thanks of the world.

I keep trying to work it out find it utterlyimpossible -so depressing

Which "one man" do you mean, Anya? Assad?
I think there's more to it than that - the rebels in Syria were following on the rebellions in various other Arab countries, some of whom toppled their leaders. With results worse than what came before. Someone wrote a very informative post early on about the tribal system in these countries, not adapted to democracy.
Not to mention interference from the West including our current govt.
Our eldest lives in Kuwait, and a year or so ago I asked him what he thought about the uprisings, would Kuwait be next? He said no it will be Syria next.

Over the years, when I've seen dreadful scenes like those everywhere at the moment (usually something threatening world peace), I tell my DH we need to move to the Outer Hebrides. It's a joke, but it means I am scared. I just want to run away as far as possible. Is this how WW3 begins?

At the beginning there was no more to it than that - Assad. Remember the calls to arm the rebels?

It started in March 2011, so over 4.5 long years now.

Just been reading an article in the Guardian about refugees from Afghanistan who have been living in Dachau in the herb garden buildings for five years waiting to be granted asylum.
There are lots of empty buildings in the former East Germany where refugees can go, but that's where nearly half the racist attacks happen because there are few jobs for the German workers, let alone refugees.

Crystal ball gazing here. All these new people in Germany by invitation. Massive repopulation. Few jobs, ill prepared housing, existing population uncomfortable- a few nasty outbreaks so far. Large and increasing numbers of young men gradually finding no useful occupation, boredom, excitement seeking, gangs developing, increase in criminal behaviour, increase in depression amongst women and the elderly, a sense of the futility of it all creeping in. Result- potential for real trouble. Angela Merkel has done a great job for Germany and Europe but this action by her could be all that's remembered. Could be a bitter legacy.

I'd like to know where is Angela Merkel, she seems to have gone very quiet. In my opinion she has made the problem worse saying come to Germany we will take all refugees.

I think only the families should be helped, the young fit men should be sent back to where they came from. They are mostly economic migrants looking for a better life.