Amnesty fears Seville backlash over immigrants

Date: 30/05/02

By Martin Banks

NEXT month's meeting in Seville of EU leaders is in danger of being 'hijacked' by a wave of anti-immigration sentiment, it has been claimed.

Amnesty International fears the three-day European Council summit will be dominated by discussions on how to reduce immigration and the number of people seeking asylum in the EU.

Dick Oosting, director of the charity's Brussels office, said: 'At a time when the EU is debating its own future, it must clearly restate the human rights values it purports to hold dear and use all measures to see that those values are respected in practice.'

Speaking on Tuesday at the launch of Amnesty International's annual report, Oosting said: 'Our fear is that Seville will be politically hijacked by the upsurge in popular anti-immigration sentiment which is spreading across Europe and that measures designed to create a fortress Europe will top the agenda.

'Rather than discussing ways of controlling immigration, the leaders should instead be concerned with respecting international human rights obligations.'

Dutch-born Oosting added: 'In Europe, Amnesty International is alarmed by the atmosphere of suspicion and disregard for refugees and immigrants being encouraged by some European politicians. Exaggerated claims and unfounded fears must not go unchallenged by European governments and institutions.'

The 300-page report says the events of 11 September have led to a 'backlash whipped up by politicians more concerned with popularity than human rights' and calls on the EU to counter growing anti-immigrant sentiments. It documents human rights abuses across the world during 2001, including executions (47 countries), 'disappearances' (35 countries), torture and ill-treatment (111 countries) and prisoners of conscience (at least 56 countries).

Amnesty International fears the forthcoming European Council in Seville will be dominated by discussions on how to reduce immigration and the number of people seeking asylum in the EU.

http://web.amnesty.org/ai.nsf/recent/POL100042002!Open http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/engPOL100042002!Open

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