No welcome mat for asylum seekers; in September, the House of Representatives followed the Senate in voting for what will soon be the most severe asylum legislation in Europe. By the time you read this article, the new law will likely be official paving the way for a referendum by Swiss citizens. Will they be able to turn back the clock?
| Auteur | Heddema, Renske |
| Fonction | POLITICS |
The Swiss Federation is often associated with its humanitarian traditions. Mother of the Red Cross and host to numerous international organisations, neutral Switzerland cherishes its reputation as a safe haven for many.
During the war in the former Yugoslavia, Switzerland gave shelter to tens of thousands, taking in more refugees per capita than any other European country. The policy after the war has been just as ambitious, with financial incentives for returning families and even for their home towns.
Today, however, Switzerland seems to be abandoning this humanistic approach in favour of a harsh policy that challenges international humanitarian law. While the number of refugees has steadily dropped since the war in the Balkans, most European countries have proceeded to increase their controls at the border.
Through a better international cooperation in Europe, the barriers to asylum have reached new heights. Once an asylum seeker has been refused asylum in one of the 25 EU countries, it is now impossible to apply in another European country, Switzerland included. Everywhere in Europe, stricter legislation has been adopted concerning family reunion and integration of refugees.
However there is one guideline that European countries are collectively putting in place--a common procedure for humane treatment at borders and return of illegal 'third states' residents.
The guideline is based on international humanitarian law, and aims to soften the harsh protocol facing refugee claimants attempting to enter European countries. Critics say Switzerland's new asylum law would certainly violate the spirit of the guideline.
No soft landing
With Justice Minister Christoph Blocher at the helm, the fight against fraudulent asylum seekers has become the cornerstone of the Swiss refugee policy. Mr. Blocher seems to take it that most asylum seekers are actually economic refugees rather than political refugees.
Challenging the political left, Blocher has predicted that granting asylum to refugees who move to Switzerland for economic reasons would soon bring "half of Africa over here." Shocking as Blochers' phrasing may have sounded to many, he made his point very clear. At the end of the day, Swiss parliament voted by a clear majority for his proposals.
According to the Swiss Refugee Council (SFH), the harshest element in the would-be legislation is the procedure of non-admission at the border. Asylum-seekers need a valid passport or ID card. Any other...
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