• Home /
• Statewatch Database /
• Netherlands: Asylum and immigration (2)

Netherlands: Asylum and immigration (2)

01 January 1991

Netherlands: Asylum and immigration
artdoc April=1995

Enforced repatriation of Tamils and Vietnamese

Refugee groups are increasingly concerned that the Dutch
government is planning to repatriate Tamil refugees to Sri Lanka
since the Dutch Embassy in Colombo entered into negotiations with
the UNHCR. Batty Weerakoon, a lawyer, says that the repatriation
plans of the Dutch government are not based on an objective
appraisal of the situation in Sri Lanka and, as such, go against
international conventions protecting the rights of asylum-
seekers. The UNHCR will, it is also believed, play a role in
enforcing an agreement signed on 9 June between Netherlands and
Vietnam on the repatriation of some 375 rejected Vietnamese
asylum-seekers who were contract workers in the former
Czechoslovakia and other Central and East European countries. The
roles to be assumed by the UNHCR and the International
Organisation for Migration is still to be worked out (Volkskrant
6.5.94, Migration Newssheet July 1994).

Judgment on Zaireans

Following a court ruling in favour of the right of Zairean
refugees to remain in the Netherlands, the Minister of Justice
has announced that no Zaireans will be returned at present
(Volkskrant 27.7.94).

Asylum-seekers on floating ship protest at `filthy food'

One hundred asylum-seekers on the floating ship Goteborg in
Zwijndrecht have won concessions in the preparation of their food
after refusing to eat their evening meal because they found it
`too filthy' to eat. From now on, a small group of asylum-seekers
will be allowed to supervise the catering staff (Volkskrant
29.7.94).

Iranian man sets himself on fire

A 33-year-old Iranian man, suffering from war trauma, received
third degree burns after setting himself alight outside the
social security offices in Soest (Volkskrant 14.7.94).

IRR European Race Audit, Bulletin no 10, September 1994. Contact:
Liz Fekete, Institute of Race Relations, 2-6 Leeke Street, London
WC1X 9HS. Tel: 0171 837 0041