Today, I found this article in the IHT by Caroline Brothers. I wanted to share with you this pathetic news.
European Union lawmakers voted Wednesday to allow countries in the bloc to hold undocumented migrants in detention centers for up to 18 months and ban them from EU territory for five years.
Approved in this medieval French border city, which is home to a significant population of North Africans and Turks, the legislation establishes common rules for expelling foreigners who are detained on EU territory without permission to be there.
Described by critics like Amnesty International as “severely flawed” and an erosion of human rights standards, but by supporters as a balanced approach, the so-called return directive passed in the European Parliament by a vote of 369 to 197, with 106 deputies abstaining.
(…)
Cimade released a statement Wednesday saying that it deplored the passage of what civil liberties groups have called “the directive of shame,” and said it was studying the possibility of contesting it before the European Court of Justice or the European Court of Human Rights.
(…)
The vote came a day after António Guterres, the United Nations high commissioner for refugees, said that the world was dealing with “a complex mix of global challenges” that could threaten even more forced displacements than the 37.4 million people last year.
To read the whole article, please go here.
Thats a shame! Ya know, I often wonder, who do these politicains represent. The whole point of a democracy is to represent the peoples wants and needs, not to decide for them. This legislation is just represents the power structures feeling toward everyday people. They decide “for us”, but really they are deciding for themselves. They want a police state across the world, where every aspect of life is controlled. I feel for the next generation if people dont wake up and properly teach their kids about life and fighting the good fight.
P.E.A.C.E
Positive Energy Activates Constant Elevation
Could there be any comments ? Who is talking in name of all of us and making decissions ? Why does it surprise us when we voted such creatures to represent us.
I was almost expelled from Italy in 1991 3 weeks after the war started and I was real war refugee at that time….and I will never forget that unjustice, forgive yes, I already did. Italy then, EU now should be ashamed, not ordinary people but those who believe to be untachable and more poverfull then God
If I start to commentI will never end.Such injustice against poor people.All crimes in world seem be made by the serves .Yers,they use people like slaves,underpayed so on,and than prepair such laws.Like saying:Wellcome.Shame on them.A punishment should be same like for all the others.Or,seem they are more equal than others.
This whole detention centers thing is crazy , and it is severely flawed thats for sure ..I hope they contest it its not right ..and human rights should see this clearly ..
Blessings Tania
They are dtention centers in France, in which people are really ill-treated. It makes me think about Drancy and Gurs camps in the WW2, from where people were sent to Germany, by trains…
As Tania, I hope people will contest.
But there are so many things to.
As for the EU decisions, we can’t say a word. They decide behind our back.
Eu, under the idea to become a “secure” block against other big ones, is a real power estate bigger than a presidence. Thus, they could make their business enough higher we couldn’t reach it, in a language nobody understand.
Many years ago, when we received the constitution of Giscard d’Estaing in our letter box, and vote no, it was still used… The vocabulary and turn of sentences were so complicated, that it leads to the “no”. But probably for other reasons I don’t know, and belong to the voters.
As for the Lisboa constitution, only Sweden was polled. I realised it listening to the radio.
If I have to contest all strange concepts that are born from politic’s human brain everyday, I’s spent my life in the streets. And abroad, people will laugh at the french woman I am, saying:: “Those french, always shouting in the street…” :)
Have a sunny John’s weekend.
Again, it never ceases to amaze me how humans can forget they are also humans. I feel sorry for politicians, for through their blind ignorance they will never learn the true meaning of life. Never ever forget that we are ALL potential refugees…..never ever forget that.
Love & enlightenment for the sake of all, Paul
My country, Cyprus the small divided island, is the southest part of EU. I think that we are the country with the most severe problem of illegal emigrants, comparing to its population and size.. I do not agree with the …so-called concentration camps etc. But to be fair with the authorities and knowing that Human Rights is a priority, I know that they have to be housed, fed and the children have schools, medical care e.t.c. I believe that the economy of the world, needs a ..fresh start..and people should feel happy and have whatever they need in their own country and not be forced by war, political reasons start their journey to the unknown with the hope of a better life as their only passport. Love, Thelma
Dearest Paulo and friends,
The entire world has gone crazy. Insanity has spread and is being passed down from generation to generation. Our primitive need for a territory has gone out of hand. Have we forgotten that land is land and it belongs to everyone? How silly man is, making an imaginary line and suddenly acting like that line separates one place from another. Once we separated the land, we segregated the people. What fathoms me is that instead of us working to unite this world, instead of sharing, we aim at separating further because of simple differences in our heritage. It seems the way immigrants are treated, in every country is despicable. Have a look at my country, South Africa, its appalling. People went crazy and just started killing each other a few weeks ago in the xenophobia attacks. Seriously, thousands of people fled their homes out of the country or into refugee camps. Thousands were injured, while even South Africans, who just happened to be in the area, also got attack. Insanity. Like wild fire it spread across the country. Why? Who knows? Politics- of course, in every sense. And now the EU has passed such a law. It just makes me sad to think, no matter what country you are in, from third world to first world, this mind-set exists.
Thank you for being
Yajna
Dear Paul from Austria, I do not feel sorry for politicians at all. Pitty is the very last word to use, I feel angry, so angry that it drains my energy. Ever since I read this article ( Thank you Paulo ! ) I feel as if I got fist into stomack and I wish I could hit back with all my force.
I am fed up of nice words and understanding towards manipulators, that is what they are. It is pure hypocrisy that politicians are spreading through the world that leaves us helpless and powerless to confront unjustice.
They are not blind, but thay want us to be blind, mute and deaf. They take all of us for granted from very first day after ellection !
They are ignorant to sufference, because they so choose to be, because it is easier way. Full stop.
Sorry luce, you missed my subtle sarcasm. I feel as angry as you, perhaps even angrier, but I cannot let this anger destroy me, and neither should you. It all comes out in the wash as they say, and there will be a day when justice is done. We must believe in this. Love, Paul
Yes Luce,
Agree with Paul, and yet, I thought the same as you.
But even in anger, I realized I could not do so many things against their tower, but not building mine…
That’s still a great question for me. I’ve been growing up with learnings about “refuse”, thanks to many french and foreigners authors that were rebel. But if I remember Jean de la fontaine, Saint-Exupery with its “Petit Prince”, I could feel there are many ways to counter to absurdity… True, they surely did not change the way the politics could act, but they helped a little part of us to get out of the fears politics try to implant in us everyday.
Time showed us that anger lead us to nowhere, that revolutions made that the kings are now hiidden but still there. The question is indeed if that love we “send” is worth…
“The imperative love, nothing like to be sad”. Eric Zorg.
Very nicely put wanbliska.
I completely agree, I was misunderstood as well ( as I wrongly interpreted Paul’s words too ). Anger is not solution but it is force that have to be chanaled in good direction. I do not harbour it, I never did and never will, it is too strange to my personality, but every now and then I do feel it’s sting. I do not believe that negative emotions can bring anything good (anger, hate, envy…)and as it is imposible to be imune solution is to fight them. Paulo Coelho’s work helps enormously !
Dear Paul,
I thank you, but see, today I destroyed my castle alone.
How many works from words to acts…