B.
REVIEW OF COUNTRY REPORTS
According to International Herald Tribune there are some 30,000 Tamils in Europe.
BELGIUM
There are very few cases, 10-15 known to the representative at the meeting.
DENMARK
In 1984 there are some 240 Tamils who constitute the second largest group of asylum seekers after the Iranians. None have received asylum; 20 have been refused by the Aliens Directorate- the rest are in some kind of limbo. Most of them come directly from Sri Lanka. The Swiss report had a considerable impact on the Tamil authorities.
GERMANY
There are
There has been much discussion of the question of group persecution. estimated to be some 5000 Tamil asylum seekers in Germany though no official statistics. In 1983, of the 2548 asylum requests, 2 were recognised, 544 were refused and 616 married, returned or resettled elsewhere. Until June 1984 there were 2589 requests, none were recognised, 240 were refused, 632 resettled in some other way.
From June until November there were 155 recognised, 643 refused and 1188 resettled in some other way. The backlog of the undecided cases is not 5027.
They are not recognised as individuals but as a group. In a judgement of the highest administrative court in Germany on 30.10.1984 the decision was made that there is a flight alternative within Sri Lanka.
FRANCE
There are some 10-15000 Tamils in France, of whom 500 have been recognised. In 1983 2500 applied and 90 were regularised. In 1981 the new Mitterand government decided to regularise the position of foreigners generally in France and many Tamils used this provision to stay and obtain residence permits. But many did not and for those who entered after January 1981 and have no job cannot stay as immigrants Many are thus illegal and decisions were taken recently to deport them to Sri Lanka as illegal immigrants. Some 7 weeks ago one was actually sent back and no information exists as to what happened to him in Sri Lanka. In October the Minister of Internal Security is quoted as saying that any Tamil who applied for asylum overseas would be arrested if he/she returned to Colombo. The Tamils do not come directly from Columbo and most arrive via Germany or through Spain and Italy.
HOLLAND
Most Tamils in Holland come from Germany and 300 are registered as asylum seekers; those in the process may stay until the decision has been taken. So far none have been granted asylum and many are returned to Germany on the basis of country of first asylum since they are in the asylum procedure in Germany.
SWEDEN
As of November Tamils have not been an issue in Sweden; only two cases were reported and the government was waiting for decisions elsewhere in Europe.
SWITZERLAND
This is the main refugee issue concentrated in the Berne area.
in Switzerland as there are some 1800 asylum seekers
Only one positive decision has been made and that
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