Migrants, Border News.

 

       Border News, an excellent site for information about migrants fleeing the imperialist created hell-hole that is the Middle East, when they reach the flash-points on the borders of fortress Europe. While the EU flounders around trying to appear at being humane, states across the fortress are continually slipping in tighter controls on the movement of people. From Germany to Sweden, Turkey to Spain, the states are turning the screw on freedom of movement. Of course once the controls are in place, it will be almost impossible to remove them, at least under the present system of authoritarian state control.

From Border News:

General News

German Chancellor Merkel promises a “sensitive reduction” to the flow of refugees in Germany. Germany has reached one million claims for asylum so far this year.

Turkey is returning refugees to war zones. Since making a deal with the EU in September, Syrians are being arbitrarily detained in Turkish detention centres and sometimes forced to sign declarations of “voluntary return” to Syria.

The European Commission announces plans for a European Border and Coast Guard, proposed ‘targeted’ changes to the Schengen Agreement and plans to introduce a special travel document to make it easier for EU countries to return ‘irregular migrants’ to their countries of origin.

17th Dec – Sweden decides to introduce ID checks on all modes of public transport to Sweden, beginning January, 4 2016, including all ferries, trains and buses.

Turkey / Greece

Attempts to cross the Aegean Sea are on a constant high despite seasonal weather conditions. About 25,000 people arrive in Greece per week, as more and more sea crossings turn into fatal accidents.

Alarm Phone demands immediate transfer of all refugees stranded on the Greek military island Farmakonisi – Travellers stuck on the Greek military island face inhumane conditions

14th Dec – Alarm Phone documented, but not prevent a pushback at the Greek-Turkish land border close to Lavara. Four cases of travellers stranded on Greek islands (Kalolimnos, Kastellorizo, Farmakonisi and Strongyli). Travellers on Kalolimnos reportedly suffered police violence.

15th Dec – About 120 people stuck on Farmakonisi without food, water or medical assistance. Five boats in distress near Chios. In one case travellers report that masked men attacked them.

15th Dec – Three bodies recovered after a new shipwreck in the Aegean. 17 survivors, 3 missing.

16th Dec – About 400 people stranded on Farmakonisi. Some wait more than 4 days for transfer to Leros. On Farmakonisi, stranded travellers again left without food, water, medical assistance and shelter from the cold. Some travellers picked up, some left on the island, while others keep arriving.

16th Dec – Lifeless bodies of two Iraqi children found by fishermen on the coast of Çesme, Turkey.

16th Dec – A little girl and a man dead in another shipwreck near Lesvos island.

18th Dec – Eight people, including five children die on International Migrants Day, attempting to cross the Aegean Sea to Greek islands. Four people were Syrian nationals and four from Iraq.

18th Dec – Another shipwreck near Bodrum: 4 dead, 4 survivors

19th Dec – New shipwreck in the Aegean – 18 drowned migrants

19th Dec – 1.5 years-old girl dies in a shipwreck near Oinousses island.

20th Dec – A boat in urgent distress near the Turkish coast is rescued by the Turkish Coastguard, but two children later die in a Turkish hospital.

20th Dec – Two dead migrants near Ikaria island.

22nd Dec – Turkish coast police reports 11 refugees drowned off Kuşadası shores.

23rd Dec – 13 people dead in the Aegean, among them 7 children

24th Dec – New shipwreck with 18 dead migrants.

More details on Calais/UK, Morocco/Spanish Border:

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