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The anti-immigration crusade in the West reached new levels in recent weeks. On July 12, the liberal government of Britain finally got its wish when it reached an agreement with the conservative-dominated government of France to close down the Sangatte Red Cross camp by April 2003. Months of fierce negotiations and lobbying came to an end. The camp will be no more. The asylum seekers_nearly 1500 Afghanis, Kurds, Iraqis, and Iranian_will be "voluntarily" returned home.
A bill passed in the lower house of Italy early last month is to make fingerprinting mandatory for non-EU immigrants. Of course, provisions are being made to exclude those holding a U.S. passport. The anti-immigrant forces gained momentum after the arrival here of 1000 mainly Iraqi-Kurd asylum seekers in March. Similar tough policies enacted in Denmark, Spain, and elsewhere in Europe. In England, isolated camps are built in remote areas to house those seeking refuge from unbearable economic and political conditions at home. An educational apartheid is proposed in England by the labor government efforts to build separate schools for the children of asylum seekers. |
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