International

The SP political groups in the Dutch national Parliament and the European Parliament have put questions in response to a damning report from Human Rights Watch on degrading conditions surrounding the reception of asylum seekers in Greece. Greece’s reception of asylum seekers is backed up by the European Union’s border guard service corps Frontex. ‘The report is damning about Frontex’s actions and talks about human rights abuses,’ says SP Euro-MP Dennis de Jong. ‘This must lead to immediate changes.’

SP Member of Parliament Sharon Gesthuizen describes herself as ‘dumbstruck’ by the decision of Minister for Immigration and Asylum Gerd Leers to deport a longstanding resident of Limburg in the south-east of the Netherlands. The young Mauro will de deported to Angola, despite a request to the minister, which garnered support from almost the whole range of Parliamentary parties, to allow Mauro to remain in the Netherlands. Supporters of the 18-year old Limburger also organised a special, football-based demonstration on Het Plein, the square in front of the Parliament in The Hague. Gesthuizen wants to arrange an urgent debate with the Minister. ‘Although I disagree with many of the views of this minister,’ she says, ‘I didn’t expect this. It’s a real hammer blow. I find it inhuman and unjust to send this Limburger away to a country where he cannot speak the language and knows no-one.’