Netherlands: Asylum and immigration (3)
01 January 1991
Netherlands: Asylum and immigration
artdoc April=1995
Regularisation for illegal foreigners
The Christian Democrats, the Liberals and the far-right parties
have all condemned new measures bought in by the minister of
justice to issue residence permits to foreigners who have lived
in the country for over six years.
The justice department bought in the measures to rectify a
situation whereby residence permits were issued to foreigners on
humanitarian grounds from time to time - a policy which was seen
as arbitrary and unfair. Labour is the only party to support the
new measures (De Volkskrant 5.12.94).
Hard-line on rejected asylum-seekers proposed
The leader of the VVD had demanded that rejected asylum-seekers
who have been allowed to stay in the country by default should
be traced and sent back. Asylum-seekers from Afghanistan, the
former-Yugoslavia and Iraq could be particularly affected (De
Volkskrant 5.12.94).
Deportations challenged
The secretary of state has agreed to allow four Iranians, denied
the right to appeal against the rejection of their asylum claim,
to return to the Netherlands, even though the government
considers Iran a safe country. The four were part of a group of
nine sent back to Iran. A lawyer for the men said that the
Iranians were returned without his knowledge and even though the
court had lost the files of his clients (De Volkskrant 5.11.94).
The `Platfort Solidariteit Tamils Nederland' says that a family
of three Tamils were deported within 15 minutes of arrival at
Schiphol airport even though they made a clear request for asylum
(De Volkskrant 9.11.94). Five Kurdish asylum-seekers have
started a hunger strike in Firenhout demanding that they are not
sent back to Turkey (Trouw 30.12.94).
Fast-track deportation system set up
Two new asylum centres, designed for the fast-track processing
of asylum-seekers, were opened in Rijsbergen and Zevenaar on 15
October. The Minister of Justice says that new facilities are
needed to intern up to 9,000 refugees, whose country of origin
is unknown, and who will be held in captivity until they agree
to be voluntarily repatriated. Asylum-seekers who appeal against
rejection will lose their right to claim benefits while their
appeal is being considered (NN 21.10.94 ).
IRR European Race Audit, Bulletin no 12, March 1995. Contact: Liz
Fekete, Institute of Race Relations, 2-6 Leeke Street, London
WC1X 9HS. Tel: 0171 837 0041