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Reply-To: edward@hol.nl (Edward)
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Date: Tue, 11 Feb 1997 16:31:20 +0100
From: edward@hol.nl (Edward)
To: Multiple recipients of <zpajol@london.monde-diplomatique.fr>
Subject: [ZPAJOL] Re: Diminishing Asylum Requests and Checks on Aircraft

>X-Sender: edward@mailbox.hol.nl
>Mime-Version: 1.0
>Date: Tue, 11 Feb 1997 10:41:17 +0100
>To: asylum-l@ccsdec1.ufsia.ac.be
>From: edward@hol.nl (Edward)
>Subject: Re: Diminishing Asylum Requests and Checks on Aircraft
>Sender: owner-asylum-l@dns.ufsia.ac.be
>Reply-To: asylum-l@ufsia.ac.be
>
>In answer to Messrs. Jercovich in Belgium, F. Nicholson, Univ. of
>Nottingham and Philip Schrag, University of Georgetown I am appending some
>e-mails which I received from other people who have witnessed this
>procedure.
>
>The Dutch do this regularly on flights originating in certain countries.
>It happened last year to me on a KLM flight which I boarded in Dubai, UAE
>originating from Dhaka in Bangladesh bound for Amsterdam. Another time it
>happened on a flight from Singapore to Amsterdam. I left these flights with
>the first wave of disembarking passengers and did not witness the outcome
>of these checks.
>
>More recently I travelled on Lufthansa LH 625 on January 5th, '97 from Abu
>Dhabi to Frankfurt. I engaged two fellow passengers from the UAE in
>conversation who were bound for the HCI hospital in my home town Glasgow,
>the invalid an old man (accompanied by his son) had one leg amputated and
>through sever diabetes looked like loosing the other.
>
>When we arrived in Frankfurt they were asked to walk to the back of the
>plane for immigration checks after three German Immigration Officers
>boarded the plane in the middle of the parking bay area. All doors were
>left open and with a -15 degrees temperature with snow and wind. I stayed
>with the people from the Emirates to translate and try to arrange a wheel
>chair. I protested that the man could not walk to the immigration officers
>due to his condition. Meantime Indians and non-europeans (even in transit)
>were thoroughly questioned as to their destinations, places of residence
>etc. 20 minutes later two immigration officers arrived and checked the UAE
>citizens' documents thoroughly and we waited for a stretcher for the old
>man. On leaving the plane some distraught, worried looking Asians were
>left on-board.
>
>I do not know what happened to them but the UAE citizens who are still in
>Glasgow will be travelling back on another airline and not Lufthansa
>after their experience in a freezing Frankfurt airport. I too will no
>longer fly Lufthansa. I was tempted to write an article for Al-Hayat on
>the incident but decided to safeguard the privacy of the invalid from the
>UAE who is still at the HCI Hospital in Clydebank undergoing medical
>treatment.
>
>Edward G. Schwienbacher
>European Space Agency
>Noordwijk, NL
>
>Tel: 31-71 565 4713
>Fax: 31-71 565 5643
>
>
>----------------------
>
>e-mails rec'd on the subject:
>
>Quote.
>
>
>X-ROUTED: Fri, 7 Feb 1997 12:13:00 -0500
>Date: Fri, 7 Feb 1997 18:05:43 +0100
>From: searcher <searcher@dclink.com>
>Organization: f
>MIME-Version: 1.0
>To: asylum-l@ccsdec1.ufsia.ac.be
>Subject: Re: One Reason Behind the Diminishing Asylum Requests
>Sender: owner-asylum-l@dns.ufsia.ac.be
>Reply-To: asylum-l@ufsia.ac.be
>
>That is an absoulute fact. I have been there, and have seen it by
>myself. The police do not let any one get out of the plane before
>checking their documents since 1994.
>
>>
>Date: Mon, 10 Feb 1997 23:51:56 -0500
>From: Dr_Pain <Dr_Pain@graduate.org>
>Reply-To: Dr_Pain@graduate.org
>Organization: f
>MIME-Version: 1.0
>To: edward@hol.nl
>Subject: Re: Your Note re. Immigration Checks On-Board Aircraft
>
>Dear edward,
>Well, because of my job I had to travel a lot, some times I changed my
>flight in Middle Eastern countries, such as Iran, Pakestan, Iraq, and
>sometimes India, I used to use the same root for some years, as far as I
>can remember in 94 a especial immigration officers used to check all
>passports and visa IN THE AIR PLANE JUST BESIDE THE DOOR, and if any one
>did not show a valid visa in a valid passport, they were not not allowed
>to leave the airpalne.
>I was almost schocked when the pilot asked all passengers to have their
>documents ready in order to show to the police, it was the first time
>that I faced to something like that. It happened in Germany. Later I got
>used to it. If the exact date is importand to u I can check my
>documents and figure it out.
>
>
>
>From: soopah <k087435@kzoo.edu>
>Subject: Re: One Reason Behind the Diminishing Asylum Requests
>To: asylum-l@ccsdec1.ufsia.ac.be
>Date: Mon, 10 Feb 1997 17:48:07 +0100
>Sender: owner-asylum-l@dns.ufsia.ac.be
>Reply-To: asylum-l@ufsia.ac.be
>
>I, too, must affirm what has been posted regarding "dimishing asylum
>applications". It is in no way, in my opinion and research, due to less
>human rights abuses globally. It is however, as one NGO worker I've talked
>with in Strasbourg said: "a sort of new Berlin Wall which is being
>constructed around Europe. It is not a wall of brick and mortar (although
>in places it may appear as such), but rather a wall of administrative and
>judicial orders. Luckily, there are always those who find a way in."
>
>I've witnessed myself at Schipol Airport in Amsterdam the increases security
>on "high risk" flights: i.e. double checking passengers ID papers and
>visas. Such flights greeted with excess security personnel.
> Does this ever occur from North American-bound flight? No. It is
>additionally an outrage to see Dutch Immigration personnel randomly double
>and triple check "high risk" individuals in the waiting lounges of the
>airport. This happened to individuals seated near me who were of Indian
>descent. When they produced US passports, the officials apoligized
>profusely. I was never asked for my papers.
>
>I could continue tih more personal anecdotes, but won't. It is surely a sad
>commentary.
>
>My hat goes off to all those who work on the behalf of asylum seekers and
>refugees. Never lose hope.
>
>Michael Bak
>
>
>
>Unquote.

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