欧州諸国、シリア難民認定申請を一時停止 アサド政権崩壊で

【ベルリンＡＦＰ＝時事】シリアでバッシャール・アサド政権が崩壊した事態を受け、英国、ドイツ、フランス、イタリアをはじめとする欧州諸国は９日、シリア出身者による難民認定申請の審査をすべて凍結すると発表した。オーストリアは、近いうちにシリア難民を本国に送還する準備を進めるとの考えを示している。（写真はシリアのバッシャール・アサド政権の崩壊を喜ぶ人々。フランス・パリで）
　ドイツは、アンゲラ・メルケル前首相の下、主に２０１５～１６年に約１００万人のシリア難民を受け入れてきた。
　ドイツ外務省の報道官は「アサド政権が終わったという事実だけでは、残念ながら（シリアが）将来、平和的に発展していく保証にはならない」と指摘。
　ナンシー・フェーザー内相は、多くのシリア難民は「今ようやく故郷に戻れる希望を抱いている」が、「シリアの現在の状況は非常に不透明だ」と想定されるリスクについても言及した。
　連邦移民・難民庁は「状況が明確になるまで」難民認定申請の審査を凍結するとした。
　反移民を掲げる極右政党「ドイツのための選択肢（ＡｆＤ）」の共同党首、アリス・ワイデル氏はＸ（旧ツイッター）で、「ドイツで『シリア解放』を祝っている人々には、もはや国外に避難すべき理由がないのは明白だ」とし、「彼らは直ちにシリアに帰るべきだ」と主張している。
　国際人権団体アムネスティ・インターナショナルは、ドイツによる難民認定の審査凍結を非難し、「現在、シリアの人権状況は全く明らかになっていない」と強調した。
　国連人権機関の代表も、シリア難民の帰還については「忍耐と警戒」が必要だと警鐘を鳴らした。
　約１０万人のシリア人が暮らすオーストリアのカール・ネハンマー首相は内務省に対し、「シリア人の難民認定申請をすべて保留とし、すべての難民認定を見直すよう」指示したと発表。内相は「シリアへの秩序ある本国送還と強制送還プログラムを準備するよう指示した」としている。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2024/12/10-18:37）

Britain, Germany, France, Italy and several other European countries said Monday they would freeze all pending asylum requests from Syrians, a day after the ouster of president Bashar al-Assad.
While Berlin and other governments said they were watching the fast-moving developments in the war-ravaged nation, Austria signalled it would soon deport refugees back to Syria.
Far-right politicians elsewhere made similar demands, including in Germany -- home to Europe's largest Syrian community -- at a time when immigration has become a hot-button issue across the continent.
Alice Weidel, of the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany, reacted with disdain to Sunday's mass rallies by jubilant Syrians celebrating Assad's downfall.
Anyone in Germany who celebrates 'free Syria' evidently no longer has any reason to flee, she wrote on X. They should return to Syria immediately.
World leaders and Syrians abroad watched in disbelief at the weekend as Islamist-led rebels swept into Damascus, ending Assad's brutal rule while also sparking new uncertainty.
A German foreign ministry spokesman pointed out that the fact that the Assad regime has been ended is unfortunately no guarantee of peaceful developments in the future.
Germany has taken in almost one million Syrians, with most arriving in 2015-16 under ex-chancellor Angela Merkel.
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said many Syrian refugees now finally have hope of returning to their Syrian homeland but cautioned that the situation in Syria is currently very unclear.
The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees had imposed a freeze on decisions for ongoing asylum procedures until the situation is clearer.
She added that concrete possibilities of return cannot yet be predicted and it would be unprofessional to speculate in such a volatile situation.
Rights group Amnesty International slammed Germany's freeze on asylum decisions, stressing that for now the human rights situation in the country is completely unclear.
The head of the UN refugee agency also cautioned that patience and vigilance were needed on the issue of refugee returns.
- 'Repatriation and deportation' -
In Austria, where about 100,000 Syrians live, conservative Chancellor Karl Nehammer instructed the interior ministry to suspend all ongoing Syrian asylum applications and to review all asylum grants.
Interior Minister Gerhard Karner added he had instructed the ministry to prepare an orderly repatriation and deportation programme to Syria.
The political situation in Syria has changed fundamentally and, above all, rapidly in recent days, the ministry said, adding it is currently monitoring and analysing the new situation.
The French interior ministry said it too would put asylum requests from Syrians on hold, with authorities in Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway announcing similar moves.
Britain's interior ministry said it was taking the same measure whilst we assess the current situation.
The Italian government said late Monday after a cabinet meeting that it too was suspending asylum request in line with other European partners.
The leader of the far-right Sweden Democrats, a coalition partner in the government, said residence permits for Syrian refugees should now be reviewed.
Destructive Islamist forces are behind the change of power in Syria, wrote their leader Jimmie Akesson on X.
I see that groups are happy about this development here in Sweden. You should see it as a good opportunity to go home.
In Greece, a government spokesman voiced hope that Assad's fall will eventually allow the safe return of Syrian refugees to their country, but without announcing concrete measures.
- 'Populist and irresponsible' -
In Germany, the debate gained momentum as the country heads towards February elections.
Achim Brotel, president of a grouping of German communes, called for border controls to stop fleeing Assad loyalists reaching Germany.
The centre-right opposition CDU suggested that rejected Syrian asylum-seekers should now lose so-called subsidiary protection.
If the reason for protection no longer applies, then refugees will have to return to their home country, CDU legislator Thorsten Frei told Welt TV.
CDU MP Jens Spahn suggested that Berlin charter flights to Syria and offer 1,000 euros ($1,057) to anyone who wants to return.
A member of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats criticised the debate as populist and irresponsible.
Greens party deputy Anton Hofreiter also said it is completely unclear what will happen next in Syria and deportation talk was completely out of place.
Many Syrians in Germany have watched the events in their home country with great joy but prefer to wait and see before deciding whether to return.
We want to go back to Syria, said Mahmoud Zaml, 25, who works in an Arabic pastry shop in Berlin, adding that he hopes to help rebuild his country.
But we have to wait a bit now, he told AFP. We have to see what happens and if it is really 100 percent safe, then we will go back to Syria.
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