2016-001

Perspective–refugess

I am proud to live in Sweden, even though I am English. I have seen first hand for over 20 years the way in which Sweden has offered refuge to refugees from war torn and/or devastated areas of the world.Some of my best friends are from Kosovo and have the highest respect and regard – not to mention deep gratitude – for Sweden. In my local small town (population about 4,000.The area population of the community covering over 1,000 sq.kms is less than 10,000) there are…40+ non-swedish languages.

Now,Sweden has been forced to instigate ID checks at it’s borders, especially at the bridge that links Sweden with Denmark. Note,this is ID checks – it is not a refusal to accept persons from genuine distressed areas.

The statements by HH Ferries group seem to ignore that other operators, Swedish ones, also have to bear the cost of ID checks. Swedish railways, Swebus express, etc.

The Danish government,however, has taken a very harsh line on the issue of immigrants/refugees. It is a line which all of my Danish friends find abhorrent.

You will see from the article above, via thelocal.se , that persons passing over the bridge link between the 2 countries will be checked for the first time when they reach Sweden.

It appears that the Danish authorities make no checks, probably because they do not intend that refugess shall stay in Denmark. Indeed, they are proposing/instituting measures to ensure that is the case - measures which include taking the possessions (few that they are) of refugees - see here.

So that is what this is actually all about. Sweden has been magnificent in accepting refugees, especially in this last critical year. It is not refusing to accept refugess (unlike some countries like Denmark who are actively discouraging refugess) it is simply trying to ensure that,for the future, other EU countries accept some obligation to help in the face of this huge humanitarian crisis and that persons claiming refugee status are genuine cases.

We owe this to the genuine refugees and to the indigenous population.