BERLIN: Following the restoration of normalcy in Punjab and a radical overhaul of the German asylum laws since July 1993, the unified Germany is no longer a safe haven for bogus asylum seekers from India.

The number of Indians, mostly Sikhs, entering Germany has been dwindling since the reunification and those who manage to give the slip in at the borders prefer to remain illegal immigrants rather than seek asylum on grounds of alleged persecution back home. Many of those who did surrender m the past three years seeking asylum want to do small sundry jobs About 15 Indian inmates of a Berlin asylum seeker camp at Bison registered in the past three years have gradually disappeared. ‘The officer in charge of the 500bed camp said: “They must have been living with their friends. We generally don’t keep track of the inmates. It’s not mandatory for them to report back every evening,”

Germany does not regard India as a country perpetuating political persecution so there is no question: of any Indian obtaining political asylum.

Asylum requests of practically all applicants from India have been rejected and they are awaiting deportation. It is difficult to assess the actual number of asylum seekers or illegal immigrants from India in the whole of Germany. Most of them are from Punjab trying to make fortunes. They sell part of their Jand to buy a return ticket to some East European destination and then try to enter Germany, according to Mr S.K. Up pal, India’s Consulate General in Berlin.

According to a group of young Sikhs in Dresden, at least 30 per Cen to fit hose who try their luck are successful in entering Germany, “The rest 70 per cent are pushed back. It’s not worth it one has to track down for several days from. Neighboring East German towns to reach the border and make several attempts to get in,” one young Sikh said.

Nevertheless, the agent’s asking price in India for getting into Germany these days is Rs 2.50 lakh and this does not include the return ticket to some East European destinations, he said. The new German asylum laws provide that any refugee arriving in Germany overland via a “safe third country” is not eligible for asylum. The “safe third country” has been defined as the one with a democratic set up and respect for human rights.

Article extracted from this publication >>  December 9, 1994