Amnesty International is concerned that Norway will maintain its international obligations and have a humane refugee and asylum policy!!!

Posted: July 18, 2013 in Human Rights

CHALLENGES IN NORWAY

The government and political parties in Parliament have used expressions as a ‘fugitive power’ and thus given a false impression that Norway virtually flooded with refugees.

Amnesty is very critical of how many politicians choose to communicate attitudes and views on refugee and asylum policy in Norway. Politicians helps to discredit asylum seekers for example by using the term ‘fortune hunters’.

This undermines respect for the individual applicant and the UN Refugee Convention .

Government and opposition parties claim constantly that the vast majority of the refugees who come to Norway not bring identification documents or provide their identity. This is true in most cases.

According to the Directorate of Immigration (UDI) has very many of those seeking asylum identification papers and 93 percent of those who received asylum in 2011 had confirmed or probable his identity during the processing of asylum applications.

REFUGEES IN NORWAY

The actual number of people who have fled their homes in the world today is in great contrast to the number of refugees seeking asylum in Norway.

More than 16 million people are displaced outside their own country. Of these, in 2011 9100 who sought asylum in Norway. That means it is 0.06 per cent of the world’s refugees find their way to Norway and seeking protection here.

WHERE SEARCHING FLUKT?

Stricter rules has led to the term ‘European fortress’ is often used to describe how difficult it has been for a refugee seeking asylum in a European country.

The majority of the world’s refugees come from Asia and Africa, and the vast majority of refugees seeking refuge in neighboring countries. These are often countries with great poverty, yet still receives millions of people in need of protection.

Amnesty POSITION Accepting refugees and asylum seekers is about rights and obligations, not volunteerism and charity.According to the UN Refugee Convention and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of people who are persecuted or life is in danger due to war and conflict the right to apply for asylum in another country.Amnesty believes that Norway as a minimum should follow the recommendations of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

 When the government chooses to act contrary to UNHCR’s recommendations by showing that you follow Norwegian law, it creates an artificial and dangerous contradiction between international obligations and so-called Norwegian law. It is unprincipled and opportunistic political voice picking. WHAT DO AMNESTY? we are consultative body on proposed amendments to the Immigration Act, the meetings with the authorities, and petitions against the Norwegian practice or on behalf of individual asylum seekers. We also participate actively in the public debate. Amnesty working closely with several asylum lawyers and help with documentation on the land situation in a number of asylum cases. In particular asylum requests Amnesty expert witness when the matter is taken to court. Exceptionally, we follow individual cases through the application process if we see that it is of fundamental importance.