Sweden edition

UN to monitor Swedish migration board

Published: 20 Aug 09 10:59 CET | Double click on a word to get a translation
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/21578/20090820/

The United Nations refugee organ, the UNHCR, plans to spend nine months closely monitoring the work methods of the Migration Board (Migrationsverket). The UNHCR regularly directs criticism at Swedish migration policies.

Sweden refuses asylum to gay Iraqis (18 Aug 09)
Fewer seeking asylum in Sweden (16 Aug 09)
European court halts childrens' deportation (6 Aug 09)

An official from the UNHCR is set to spend nine months following 200 asylum cases on site at the Migration Board, and then formulate a report with recommendations based on the experience.

"This is an evaluation project where we invite the UNHCR to follow up our asylum decisions," the board's legal head Michael Ribbenvik told the TT news agency.

Together with a reference group, including staff from the board and the United Nations, the official will follow the handling of cases through to their conclusion, as well as participating in inquiries and decisions.

The UNHCR has previous been a stern critic of Swedish migration policies, specifically since deportations to Iraq were resumed.

The organ has directed criticism over deportations to Baghdad, among other places, which the UNHCR did not consider to be sufficiently safe.

But according to Ribbenvik, there are no existing conflicts at all between the UN organ and his own authority.

"We work together on a daily basis, and have the whole time been in agreement over the situation in Baghdad. UNHCR criticizes the actions of states, and this is to be welcomed, but we can not always follow the recommendations due to the nature of Swedish legislation," Ribbenvik said.

"I can not think of a better partner in a development cooperation than the UNHCR," he said.

TT/The Local (news@thelocal.se/08 656 6518)

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12:34 August 20, 2009 by Nemesis

This has to be a joke.

The US invaded Iraq. Why don't they take all the refugee's instead? I wonder if the UN would question US authorities? I think not.

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12:45 August 20, 2009 by jonathanjames61

I think this is goodnews of the year,there,s are a lot of Skeletons in the immigration board of Sweden, when duged up will give a clue to why those who contribute 0% to sweden society are granted stay, while those that are ready to work or create jobs for themselfs are left at home being paid every month doing notting, just waiting for the to pshyco:they should know better that we are waiting and watching carefully.

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12:48 August 20, 2009 by bocagill

what dont they investigate the EU and their laws that says when a refugee enters the frist country in the EU thats the counrty they must applied in, i wish sweden would applied the law. just for those people out that are going to call me a racist i am not, i do think people have the right to make a better life for themself but a country just cant open their doors and say all is welcome, sweden cant afford it

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13:24 August 20, 2009 by solomon ayalew

The US states has been the defecto leader western world since the second world war. In invading In Iraq it was doing it in the interest of the western world; i.e., to make oil flow unhampered from the Midle East. Invading Afghanistan opens the route to ex-USSR countries. Again the interest is oil.

For its service, the US expects the western countries pay part of the price tag. This is the reason why the US president is demanding western countries to take Islamic detaines from Guantaumu Bay. This was the reason why European countries are sendinding soldiers to Afgganistan.

Most international agencies are in the straight jacket of US power. As long as Europe keeps itself under the shadow of the US empire, what UNHCR does or it will do will continue to reflect this power.

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13:50 August 20, 2009 by antoniolgj

I think this is a great news...

I hope now UNHCR will force Sweden to follow the law and quick deport all illegal, bogus seekers and Dublin cases.

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14:01 August 20, 2009 by zinno

Dear swedish writers

Do you know how many educated people are coming to sweden as a refugee? you must know that in long run educated refugees are an asset to the country of adaption with out spending a peny on their education. you need to look far.

in the refugee processing there are a lot of unseen personal abuses,

though the refugee law is clear in every country. I hope UN is looking at those cases.

Switzerland will be the next stop for UN. It should have been the first as swiss is the home to UN. We need them to check personal abuses of immigration officers in Bern. UN need to collect complaints first and check them, there is a lot of mis deeds to come out to the world. Yes! the asylum law is clear but the inside story is different!

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14:02 August 20, 2009 by bocagill

wow Ayalew you are so right thats

why most of the oil contracts in iraq are not from american companys so next time please check your facts and maybe you should check out china which has been investing alot in oil in iraq and other muslim country like sudan and has veto power in the UN when it come to human rights in these country

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14:04 August 20, 2009 by antoniolgj

"in the refugee processing there are a lot of unseen personal abuses,"

And they never stop coming because...????

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14:11 August 20, 2009 by magic1964

It´s this the new inquisition ?? and those people from UN are elected by who ?? is this a joke ???

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#10

15:20 August 20, 2009 by apostolos1975

@antoniolgj

What is a Dublin case?

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#11

15:29 August 20, 2009 by hpunlimited

Is this a joke? the UN clearly has nothing better to do. How about investigating countries that are the CAUSE of all atrocities instead? the UN is a joke and needs to be closed down for good. The only thing the UN does is to suck the western world dry on money and sending it to dictators across the world.

Sweden needs to cancel their UN member ship NOW!

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#12

16:04 August 20, 2009 by antoniolgj

What is a Dublin case?

"The Dublin Regulation aims to "determine rapidly the Member State responsible [for an asylum claim]"[ and provides for the transfer of an asylum seeker to that Member State. Usually, the responsible Member State will be the state through which the asylum seeker first entered the EU."

I wonder how big is the border between Sweden and Iraq?

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#13

16:43 August 20, 2009 by bocagill

The dublin case is suppose to be the EU law but because of human right violation (according to sweden government)in country like greece and italy and spain, the government wont send them back to the country they first entry ,maybe the UN should be investigating them first before sweden

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#14

16:58 August 20, 2009 by xky

why not send the refugee to american?

the F u c k i n g UN will change our country to a islam one.

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#15

17:42 August 20, 2009 by Leprehcaun

This is outrageous and ridiculous. They put SWEDEN under a microscope?! Sweden?! Are you f-ing kidding me?! This is so frustrating.. This country of all?! It's like putting the US under a microscope for not creating enough A-bombs. Are they idiots (ppl with an IQ under 25, not something slanderous, this is a serious question)?

This is yet another proof that the UN is useless and incompetent, we need to leave the UN asap. It's an embarrassment that we pay and support these idiots (idiots medically speaking ofc). But I'm a pessimist, maybe they are imbeciles :'(.

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#16

17:54 August 20, 2009 by Greg in Canada

I'm afraid that the UN is now become a near total waste of time. The UN shouldn't be determining or dictating the refugee policy of any single country that is kind enough to take in refugees. Why pick on Sweden? It's time for western countries to tell the UN to get lost. Either that or even better, let's stop footing the bill for this joke of an organization.

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#17

18:32 August 20, 2009 by antoniolgj

@Xky, Leprehcaun and Gred.

You guys are so right, however I think the Yurpeen Court of Yooman Rites is a far bigger threat to any European country.

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#18

19:02 August 20, 2009 by magic1964

So basicly immigrants come all the way to Sweden spending 6 months in the winter because it´s cruel country.......

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#19

19:43 August 20, 2009 by La Figaro

UN to monitor Sweden Migration Board as it handles asylum cases???!!!

This is a professional joke but what actually pains me most is that Sweden will allow that. This is insanity, betrayal, a sellout, infact I lack words to describe my disgust.

Sweden has taken in more refugees than the US which is WAY bigger & the a great 'refugee generator' yet the UN isn't going there to monitor asylum cases. Didn't the UN under Kofi Anan try to stop the invasion of Iraq, all to no avail.

Will the UK be monitored too? SWEDES AND LOVERS OF SWEDEN, RISE AND SAY NO TO THIS NONSENSE. What will come next? UN to instruct Sweden to accept more refugees ......?

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#20

19:50 August 20, 2009 by mkvgtired

At least now all of us agree that the UN is a wast of money. Westerners foot the bill so minute dictatorships can use the UN as a whip to boss us around.

antoniolgj, "And they never stop coming because...????" Perfect logical reasoning. Too bad the UN doesn't possess the ability to see these obvious conflicts in their logic. For everyone who wants to send these immigrants to the "country of entry" in the EU how is that fair? It is not Spain, Italy, or Greece's fault they are on the Mediterranean. If they had to absorb all of the refugees by themselves their economies would collapse.

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#21

20:00 August 20, 2009 by skatty

Few years ago I read in DN that Migrationsverket had a habit of opening champagne and eating cake in some asylum cases, which they successfully could deport a not desirable asylum seeker in Sweden. I'm not sure if they still have that habit or not, but if they have it then they should celebrate this kind of cases in basement and out of UNHCR watch.

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#22

20:07 August 20, 2009 by Playmaker

yes the un is a waste of money. america thank god does not take in the worthless ones they are smater than that thats why they are the worlds superpower. you dont become a superpower by acting like sweden. and one thing about that is americans were and never will be refugees. you must stay and fight for what you belive and your country. not run like a cowards. for those who like to bash the US. what is it you dont like?

Democarcy, a more true democarcy then anywhere eles. you can vote on rasing taxes for pete sake.

Freedom of speech- being able to critize a sitting president with no recouse on you and your family. search for what ever you want on the internet, and the free press the news people know no limits.

low taxes and cheap housing, and all kinds of crap that people love

a strong and purly voluntary military with no pressure to join and will not overthrow the govt. at will.

i know it is not perfect but no system is. are do you want China, Russia?

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#23

20:39 August 20, 2009 by Iraniboy

I'm not an expert in asylum and immigration issues particularly about Sweden. I just explain my own observations. After US attack on Iraq, many lucky Iraqis who could escape fire and hell and pass the Iranian border were lined in Swedish embassy in Tehran. I'm not sure if they were handing in their asylum applications or they had families in Sweden and applying for a visa. But one thing I noticed, there were NO SUCH LINES in other European embasssies. Why? It seems that other countries (apart from Sweden) don't even bother themselves accepting the asylum applications. Besides, current miseries and homelessness is not caused by natural powers. If UN enforce a country to accept refugees of war, it should enforce the invading country to pay for these refugees as well.

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#24

20:56 August 20, 2009 by Playmaker

countries do not envade for no reason. the dictator was a evil man and also broke so many un resoulations it is hard to list. sometimes the weak and helpless need help and only a military can do that. saddam stated in his post capture interview that he lied about the WMD's because he did not want to seem weak to iran and gambled that bush would not invade. he gambled with his own country. it is the resoponsiblity of the iraq people to overthrow him if not then the big bad wolf will. plus there is enough oil in the middel east to pay for all. and who is going to "FORCE" the US to do anything.lol

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#25

21:11 August 20, 2009 by Greg in Canada

Sweden has one town (forgot the name) that has taken in more Iraqui refugees than both Canada and USA combined. That's right - one town.

How much more does the UN expect Sweden to do. Sweden is not even involved in Iraq so what obligation does Sweden have to take in Iraqui refugees in the first place, other than, to quote their immigration minister, "we want to help out."

In a sense Sweden has once again created it's own problems by trying to prove to the UN that it could be mother to the world with such an open refugee policy. Now it's come back to bite them in the ass. Remember that old expression "nice guys finish last". That certainly applies to Sweden's treatment by the UN.

I really hope Sweden tells the UN to f*ck off, but somehow I'll bet they'll instead probably go along with what the UN says.

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#26

21:14 August 20, 2009 by Marc11

To take in refugees is not an act of kindness. It is honoring international obligations, like the Geneva Convention.

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#27

21:48 August 20, 2009 by Greg in Canada

OK. So now tell us - how many of these "international obligations" is Sweden expected to take in?

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#28

01:41 August 21, 2009 by Eurostan

sweden is a country of refugees and aslym seekers ,and a home for lazy parasites from middle east if they listened to these stupid UN .

why only sweden??????????????????. instead UN force US to take refugees because they are the cause.

sweden became banana country and cannot sustain in the long run if they continue taking lazy refugees. instead they must take in people who can work and pay taxes. otherwise sweden will collapse in future.

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#29

03:25 August 21, 2009 by lingonberrie

Acording to cheney and his rabid American patriots, the United States won in Iraq, so Sweden is actually doing the deportees a favor and a service even as the board does an equal favor for Sweden.

Perhaps this also means that there will be a mass emigration of like sorts back to the Middle East, causing no end of joy to places like Malmo as they get their country back.

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#30

09:10 August 21, 2009 by byke

good, the Un should monitor sweden.

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#31

09:28 August 21, 2009 by jacks

Sweden has accepted refugees more than its capacity. It is ridiculous that Swedish authorities allow such monitoring of UN. Instead UN should appreciate work of Sweden and ask Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran, Russia, China and India to start accepting asylum seekers from war torn regions. Not only that UN should focus on starting relief projects locally in affected regions.

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#32

09:48 August 21, 2009 by peropaco

It's still surprises me why would any refugees/immigrants would want to come to Sweden. First they have to deal with the constant bombardments of being inferiors, on not being allowed entrance into many establishments because of their skin colour. Racism in all aspect of its society. Not able to get jobs, inferior education, housing. One thing positive about Swedes; they are equal opportunity racist/haters. They treat every foreigner with the same lacklustre dislike.

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#33

10:28 August 21, 2009 by ameribrit

@ Playmaker.

Please, please tell me that English is your second language. I also am an American living here in Sweden and you embarrass both yourself and your country!

I am torn on this story.

On the one hand I think the UN is well past it's "best before" date. They sit around and make up resolutions but have no real power to enforce them. It is also a non democratic entity, and will be all the time any one of a very limited number of countries carries the power of veto.

On the other hand, Sweden really does need to seriously take a look at the way refugees and immigrants in general are treated here. t.ex. The ID Kort debacle, it being only the tip of the iceberg.

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#34

11:45 August 21, 2009 by wilwallace

Processing of an migrant's applicantion includes becoming a prisoner inside the border of Sweden.

.... an immigrant applying for a passport surrenders their country-of-origin passport and is left paperless - with no way to leave the country in cases of family emergencies or to attend funerals in their country of origin.

Applicant's country-of-origin-passports sat on the desks of immigration officials for three weeks while immigration offices cleared for summer vacation.

What a 3rd-world-country class act from the land of perfection.

Sweden - land of the perfection (if your are a native) and home to second class citizenery (if you are not a native.)

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#35

13:55 August 21, 2009 by macgowans

Playmaker: "countries do not invade for no reason." Are you serious? I believe the stated reason for invading Iraq was that our (US) intelligence agencies had concrete evidence of WMDs inside the borders of Iraq, and that Iraq posed a clear and present danger to the US and it's allies. Can we agree on that? As it turns out, Iraq did NOT have anything even resembling a WMD. The US lied to the UN and to the world in order to fake a good reason for an invasion of one of the most oil rich countries of the middle east. Are these not the lives of innocent civilians we're talking about? Do they not deserve a decent place to live and raise children, and perhaps a bit of compassion? Our response to the needs of refugees should be as swift as our decision to invade, but far more thoughtful. And we, as US citizens should, indeed, foot the bill for allowing our country to invade a nation that had nothing what-so-ever to do with the attrocities of 9/11.

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#36

14:06 August 21, 2009 by PerKurowski

The migrant working community earns globally, in salaries, something like between the GDPs of India and China and so if the UN really wants to help… why does not the UN allow the migrant community to conform a delegation at the UN (and World Bank) and help them to represent themselves? http://bit.ly/gbEE8

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#37

08:01 August 22, 2009 by lingonberrie

The only concrete that the United States had was set in their brains.

Now the entire country has a large batch mixed and ready for all of the radical red necks and fervor filled christians that cheney used as dupes for the pseduo christian bush.

Their Obama drums are beating for more troops for Afghanistan and Pakistan in perfect time with their cement mixers, and the scoundrel patriots and their plants on the blogs are filled to the roots of their hair.

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#38

12:57 August 22, 2009 by 4xxxx

I agree with peropaco. Why would any one want to come to a country that treats them like second class citizens (or even third). I would much rather be in my home country being treated as an equal. Unfortunately in that home country life may be very painful and short. Swedes think they are the only country taking refugees. If a refugee has a second language it would be English, French, German or Spanish so they would much rather go to one of those countries.

I once worked with a woman from Eritrea whose second language was French, also she had relatives in France but she was sent to Kiruna in the middle of winter!! She is still trying to get permission to move!

With higher unemployment brought on by bad government management and recession Swedes are having to take more menial jobs (cleaning the toilets) so there is less work for others An that is not there fault.

A little question to finish. Why has Stockholm the highest number of academic dishwashers in the world?

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#39

13:50 August 22, 2009 by hjoian

always a hot debate when it comes to immigrants...my 50 ore worth....as someone still fighting to get a "right of residence permit",im personally happy that someone is looking into how migrationsverket works. In regards to immigration in general,i do think Sweden has done too much,but i dont know if this is volantary,or as some people suggested,at the will of the US. I know there are some American posters here,and i have nothing against Americans,but your goverment sure does suck,and before you get angry about this,so does the UK goverment! As regards to the UN,if they have any clout ,Bush and Blair should be taken to the hague and tried for crimes against humanity,the whole Iraq thing was going to happen regardles,WOMD was just the excuse. Its a pity that a body such as the UN,set up to ensure global rights has now become a pawn in a bigger game...

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#40

18:27 August 22, 2009 by 4xxxx

Hello!!! Someone has censored the last part of my comment again. Freedom of speech is not big in Sweden!!!

Or what is it you are free to say what you like as long as everybody agrees!

I bet this go's down the pan as well!!!!!!

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#41

20:38 August 22, 2009 by La Figaro

Hjoian, you took the words right out of my mouth, well spoken.

I'm not afraid of HIV, AIDS or SWINE FLU but my fellow MAN & his evil ways.

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#42

09:42 August 23, 2009 by soultraveler3

Sweden is so horrible! /rolls eyes

They take in 1000s of refugees every year, give them asylum, free housing, free food, pay them to go to school and even give them an allowance every month.

As a non-refugee immigrant I honestly can't understand why they're being investigated. If a person came here as a refugee isn't it only supposed to be temporary? If the country of origin is safe again the person should be sent home.

Bush and Blair definately made things worse in the middle east, but no one can honestly say that things haven't been a mess over there for a long time. It's ultimately up to the people of those countries and the people of all countries to fix their own problems.

Sweden has alot of refugees that were doctors, lawyers, engineers, etc. back home. If it's safe enough send them home and let them start to help their countries again.

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#43

10:09 August 23, 2009 by 4xxxx

Refugee status generally dose mean a temporary stay. If you notice in African and Arab countries when there is the slightest hint of Peace they turf them out.

Sweden is turfing out Iraqis. Can some one explain why there are so many Bosnians still in Sweden. Bosnia has been peaceful for some time now and there economy is not so bad

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