The Danish parliament on Thursday voted yes on a bill to deport Syrian refugees, saying Syria is a safe place for its citizens to return.
And 62 members of the Danish Parliament declared their support for the 'safe return of Syrians to their country'.
resolution, while 32 others voted against it.
The Danish government's decision to revoke residency and deportation has affected dozens of Syrian refugees, most of them from Damascus.
The Ministry of Immigration said that 900 people who came from Damascus suburbs will be re-evaluated by the Immigration Department, and it is expected that most of these 900 cases will be decided during this year 2021.
A Member of the Danish Parliament and former Minister of Immigration and Integration, Inger Stojberg, has made some high-handed statements on her Facebook account calling all Syrian refugees to return to their country. The Danish authorities must put an end to the rising volume of xenophobic speeches.
The Syrian refugee pledged to return to his homeland in the event that conditions return to normal, the Danish authorities say.
The MP used condescending language when addressing the services Syrian refugees had received since their arrival. This included education, health, protection and other basic services. These rights that the state is obligated to provide are in accordance with the relevant international laws, most notably the 1951 Refugee Convention and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.
“You have received Danish lessons, guidance and education,” Stojberg said whilst addressing the Syrian refugees. “We have entered into agreements and made new arrangements for you.”
“Now is the time for those of you who have had your residence permits revoked, to pack your things, travel home and begin rebuilding your own homeland. And alongside doing that, you are very welcome to send the Danes a big thank you for all the help you received when you needed it.”
Last March, Denmark revoked the residence permits of 94 Syrian refugees after reviewing the permits of about 900 migrants. This decision was based on a conclusion made in December 2019 that considered the governorate of Damascus not dangerous enough to grant international protection to the people fleeing from it.
Euro-Med Monitor had called on the Danish authorities to reconsider their decision to return Syrian refugees
There has been no changes to the circumstances in and around Damascus to justify the loss of international protection for refugees. A critical issue is whether refugees can re-avail themselves of the protection from the country of origin and its primary duty bearers, as enshrined in the 1951 Refugee Convention.
In March 2021, an international commission of inquiry confirmed that protection could not be made available, as the government and other warring parties are neither willing nor able to hold the perpetrators accountable in a manner consistent with international standards.
The Danish government should take resolute measures to put an end to escalating hate speeches against refugees, ensure that its leaders respect human rights and confront every manifestation or discourse that feeds hatred and violence towards migrants and vulnerable groups in the country.
The authorities should also reconsider the decision to deport Syrian refugees, and recognize that Syria is far from being a safe place for its citizens to return.
(Zaman Al Wasl, Mirage News)
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