Refugee crisis: Chaos as Hungary seals border

[lostinblue 1,989]

Refugee crisis: Chaos as Hungary seals border

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Hungary closed one of the main routes Tuesday that migrants are using to reach the European Union -- plugging the final hole in its border fence with Serbia, implementing harsh new rules for anyone attempting to enter illegally and leaving hundreds massed on its border.

A railway carriage fortified with razor-wire was wheeled in to block the remaining gap in the fence with neighboring Serbia, closing a route that tens of thousands of refugees have used to escape bombings and terrorism in their homelands.

Refugees were trickling into Hungary, according to a government spokesman.

Zoltan Kovacs told CNN's Hala Gorani that 70 people had their asylum applications accepted and 40 were rejected. About 275 people were arrested at the border.

"Thirty-five of them, mainly women and children, have already been transferred to shelters within the country, according to the European protocol," Kovacs said.

Hungary is a member of the European Union; Serbia, to its south, is not but is in negotiations to join.

Under laws that took effect Tuesday, anyone caught climbing the fence faces up to three years in jail. Hungarian authorities said arrests had already begun.

"We call this as a temporary fence. Obviously it is ... a must decision (rather) than a nice decision," Kovacs said.

"We don't like building fences, but up until we are able to reinstate border control on the natural border/green borders of the country, we have no other choice."

Registration and entry to Hungary will now be possible only at two assigned entry points, he said.

Hungary also plans to expand the fence along its border with Romania to the east, Norbert Domotor, spokesman for the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on Tuesday, although he said construction had yet to begin.

In a statement, Amnesty International slammed Hungary's actions as "ugly" and "draconian."

"For refugees fleeing from terrifying conflict zones to be met by such an intimidating show of militarized force is shocking, and a woefully irresponsible response to people already traumatized by war and brutality," said Gauri van Gulik, Amnesty International's deputy director for Europe.

"This 'raise the drawbridge' mentality will simply redirect, but not put an end to, desperate and dangerous journeys."

Unprecedented influx

Hungarian authorities took action after an unprecedented influx of migrants entering from Serbia.

A record 9,380 migrants made the crossing Monday, Hungarian police said, nearly double the previous record of 5,809 migrants set a day earlier.

The closing of the border left throngs of refugees, carrying everything they had on their backs, stranded on the Serbian side.

At the main border crossing, a crowd of more 1,000 gathered as a Hungarian police helicopter circled overhead.

Migrants banged on the fence, chanting, "Open, open"; children peered at Hungary through the cracks and asked when the border would open again.

Some pitched tents, and aid workers brought them food and water.

U.N. workers and Serbian authorities encouraged people to relocate to a camp about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from the border, but few took them up on the offer in case they missed a temporary opening of the border.

Stephane Moissaing of Doctors Without Borders said he had seen authorities open the border crossing twice Tuesday, with several hundred people rushing through each time.

Simka Somer, vice president of the Red Cross in Serbia, said refugee camps in Serbia had largely emptied as migrants made for the border.

The Kanjiza camp, the biggest in Serbia and closest to the Hungarian border, had about 30 migrants staying on Tuesday, according to Ivan Miskovic, spokesman for Serbia's Commissariat for Refugees and Migration.

By contrast, Red Cross worker Monika Cesko said she believed 6,000 to 7,000 people were at the camp over the weekend.

Serbian official: 'We know how it feels'

Aleksandar Vulin, Serbia's minister of labor, employment, veteran and social policy, said Hungarian authorities had not coordinated with his country on plans to close the border.

"We heard some rumors that they would close some border, but officially we received nothing," he said.

"We want the migrants to be able to travel freely without criminals and smugglers," he said, adding that "every migrant had an opportunity to apply for asylum and travel through Serbia."

His government was taking care of about 5,000 migrants, providing food water and medical supplies, and busing those who accepted a ride to the camps.

"We know how it feels; we are Serbs," he said, referring to his country's war-torn recent past. "We are always sympathetic to people who suffer."

Call for emergency summit

At a news conference in Berlin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her Austrian counterpart, Werner Faymann, announced they had called for an emergency EU summit in one week to address the escalating crisis.

"We cannot wait until the middle of October," said Merkel, calling on European countries urgently to formulate a response.

The German leader said three European countries were "actively trying to do something" to resolve the crisis.

"Germany, Austria and Sweden cannot solve the problem on their own," she said.

Faymann echoed Merkel's call for cooperation, adding that European countries need to face the crisis as one and cannot simply "pretend to be ostriches."

Germany is the most welcoming European country for migrants, having pledged €6 billion ($6.8 billion) to take in 800,000 migrants. By the end of the year, it might take in 1 million migrants, its vice chancellor said.

EU officials met Monday in an emergency session in Belgium but didn't finalize a plan.

http://www.krcrtv.com/news/refugee-crisis-hungary-to-jail-trespassers/35277512

Under laws that took effect Tuesday, anyone caught climbing the fence faces up to three years in jail. Hungarian authorities said arrests had already begun.

"We don't like building fences, but up until we are able to reinstate border control on the natural border/green borders of the country, we have no other choice."

A country that gets it. 3 years in jail for entering illegally ....Something we need to do here.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Is that the limit of your interest here?

They closed the border, sure. Are you at all concerned with the conditions those people are living in? It's not as if closing borders makes the problem go away.

[Boiler 46,336]

The Guardian had an email address for the Hungarian Embassy where you can send a message of support.

[lostinblue 1,989]

Is that the limit of your interest here?

They closed the border, sure. Are you at all concerned with the conditions those people are living in? It's not as if closing borders makes the problem go away.

Rioting foreigners telling a country to open it's borders to them If these people are genuine asylum seekers, they should have claimed it in the first safe country they reached and not be trying to force their way into Hungary and get to Germany.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I'm curious why neither of you say anything at all about the humanitarian aspect of this. It's as if its somehow inconvenient to you.

[Pennycat 880]

While I certainly believe that countries, all countries, have the right to protect their borders as they see fit and control who can/cannot enter/live there, there is a LOT wrong with this picture.

First, and not insignificantly, is Hungary's responsibility as an EU country. They wanted to belong for the perks, they have to belong for the responsibility. And part of that is their open border thing.

Second, yes, "true" refugees stay in the first safe country etc. But these people did. But years living in tents, unable to work or provide for your family, relying on the UN for food (and the UN running out of food)---that's not a long term solution, and what we're looking at IS a long-term problem. I think refugee camps, I think temporary. This is obviously not temporary. Add in the fact that some countries (Germany, chiefly) have made it perfectly clear that they are open to refugees, with the ability to send for their families (ahem--THAT is why you see so many "single men"...they are making the dangerous trip and want to get to countries that will allow them to petition for their wives/children/elderly parents so that those more vulnerable people can get on an airplane like a human being).

However, for reasons not entirely clear to me, these open countries seem to not take asylum requests from the camps (??? seriously, this is a confusing point), seriously incentivizing doing exactly what these people are doing. Think about it: hang around in a 4 year old tent in Turkey or Jordan, unable to work or provide any way to a better life for your family for god only knows how many more years to come or go to a place where they'll let you work, provide financial support until you can work, and allow your family to come with you? What in the world would any rational person choose?

Third-- I'm not sure that the use of tear gas etc is appropriate, especially when there's children in the mix.

What really needs to happen is a way for people to get out of the camps and legally arrive in and live in whichever countries are open to them. I do personally believe that many if not most western/industrialized countries in this world have a moral responsibility to do so, but I'm not world president so I guess they'll all sort that out themselves. Except the EU, which again---you want the perks of membership, you accept the responsibility of membership, Hungary you mooch. So whatever the EU decides is appropriate for its member states....well.... that's the deal.

[Boiler 46,336]

Turkey will not take asylum requests from those coming from the east, they will apparently from the west. No idea why.

Hungary is the border of the Schengen area, once past there there is supposed to be free movement, but Hungary is supposed to be the one to check those without proper documentation, if they have an asylum claim be the ones to process it.

Germany and Sweden are the destination for most as the benefit systems and work opportunities are much better, Hungary would not be that bothered if for example they just passed through on sealed trains, but then there is nothing to stop an airlift if Germany wants to do so. One 747 could shift 2,000 a day.