UN Chief Hits at Balkan Restrictions on Migrants
Date
11/25/2015 8:24:49 AM
(MENAFN- The Journal Of Turkish Weekly) UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday told Macedonia Serbia and Croatia - three countries that last week limited transit rights to migrants from war-torn states - that the restrictions violate human rights. “Profiling asylum seekers on the basis of their alleged nationality infringes on the human right of all people to seek asylum irrespective of their nationality and to have their individual cases heard” Ki-moon said. Under the new restrictions imposed last week only Syrians Afghans and Iraqis are being let through while others from Iran Bangladesh Pakistan and elsewhere are being blocked. The United Nations refugees agency reported that some 1000 people are already stranded mostly on Macedonia's southern border with Greece the main entry point for migrants and refugees on their way towards Western Europe. The UN says at least 60 of them are on hunger strike and 11 reportedly stitched up their mouths in protest. Macedonian media on Tuesday conveyed images of protesting migrants at the border with stitched mouths and half-naked bodies inscribed with slogans that demand freedom of movement. The build-up of migrants at the borderhas been worsened by deteriorating weather conditions in the area which has been hit by rain and wind over the past several days. After the Macedonian government said it was seeking more help and instructions from Brussels about what to do the UN chief called on all countries in the region to respond with compassion solidarity and shared responsibility noting that the current situation highlights the urgent need for coordinated border management. Ki-moon also urged European governments to "significantly improve" their capacities for reception and to speed up implementation of the relocation programmes for refugees. He reminded them that "collective expulsion and refoulement are strictly prohibited under international law.”
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