This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/05/world/europe/syrians-asylum.html
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Syrians Seeking Asylum End Standoff in France | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| PARIS — A three-day standoff between security forces in the French port of Calais and several dozen Syrians ended Friday evening when the Syrians backed down, a migrant association in northern France said. | |
| The standoff began on Wednesday when about 60 Syrians who had fled the conflict in their country but felt they were being harassed in France began occupying a gangway at the Calais ferry terminal. When the French police intervened Friday, two of the Syrians climbed onto the roof of the terminal building and threatened to jump or stay there until their demand for asylum in Britain was met, according to Maël Galisson, the coordinator of Migrant Services Platform, an outreach group. | |
| “These are Syrians who have come from cities in Syria like Damascus and Dara’a to escape from the Syrian conflict,” Mr. Galisson said from Calais. “They have not had a warm welcome in France and so would prefer to go to Britain.” | “These are Syrians who have come from cities in Syria like Damascus and Dara’a to escape from the Syrian conflict,” Mr. Galisson said from Calais. “They have not had a warm welcome in France and so would prefer to go to Britain.” |
| But Mr. Galisson said the Syrians finally agreed to end their protest late Friday afternoon, when British border officials arrived and convinced them that their goal of attaining immediate asylum in Britain — skipping proper controls — was in vain. | |
| According to French news media reports, the British officials told the migrants that their requests for asylum would be considered on case by case, taking into consideration factors like whether they already had family in Britain. Mr. Galisson said some of them did. | |
| “They are very disappointed because they were hoping to go to Britain and find a better life,” he said. “But they realized that they would not be able to leave and that staying on the roof was futile.” | “They are very disappointed because they were hoping to go to Britain and find a better life,” he said. “But they realized that they would not be able to leave and that staying on the roof was futile.” |
| Mr. Galisson said some of the Syrians would remain in France and seek asylum. They had been evicted from makeshift living quarters in an abandoned storage area on Sept. 5, he said, and most will probably try to live there again until they can find more permanent lodging. | |
| The remainder, he said, will go either to Germany or to Sweden, which announced in early September that it would grant asylum to all Syrian refugees who applied from within Sweden. | |
| Earlier, Migrant Services Platform posted a statement on its Web site in which the Syrians appealed for refuge in Britain. | |
| “We are here for one or two months and the French government and police have treated us very badly, and shown no interest in resolving our situation,” the statement said. “They have systematically expelled us from our homes and put us on the street. We are here for one thing, and that is to ask for asylum in England.” | “We are here for one or two months and the French government and police have treated us very badly, and shown no interest in resolving our situation,” the statement said. “They have systematically expelled us from our homes and put us on the street. We are here for one thing, and that is to ask for asylum in England.” |
| During the protests, the Syrians held cardboard signs bemoaning their plight in France. One said, “We sleep on the streets, take us to the UK pls.” | During the protests, the Syrians held cardboard signs bemoaning their plight in France. One said, “We sleep on the streets, take us to the UK pls.” |
| For more than a decade, migrants have come to Calais in hope of sneaking across the channel to Britain, which is viewed as a more hospitable destination for asylum seekers, Mr. Galisson said. He said that while it could take up to 18 months to get asylum in France, in Britain it could take half that. | For more than a decade, migrants have come to Calais in hope of sneaking across the channel to Britain, which is viewed as a more hospitable destination for asylum seekers, Mr. Galisson said. He said that while it could take up to 18 months to get asylum in France, in Britain it could take half that. |
| Syria’s neighboring countries have absorbed more than two million refugees since the Syrian uprising began more than two years ago. | Syria’s neighboring countries have absorbed more than two million refugees since the Syrian uprising began more than two years ago. |
| The refugee flood has also been building in Europe in recent months. In mid-September, the United Nations refugee agency said boatloads of Syrians were crossing the Mediterranean and arriving in Italy. It said the new arrivals were gathering pace, with several thousand arriving in August and September, including unaccompanied children. |