15,000 francs for every Eritrea returnee?

3,200 Eritreans are to leave Switzerland. The refugee aid fears that those affected submerge. Commoners seek a readmission agreement with Eritrea.

Simonetta Sommaruga recently ruled that rejected asylum seekers would be sent back to the "illegitimate state of Eritrea". However, the State Secretariat for Migration now intends to lift the provisional admission of 3,200 Eritreans. This was reported by the SRF "Rundschau".

The new regime is provoking strong reactions: Swiss Refugee Aid, for example, warns that displaced Eritreans could submerge or settle in other European countries: "Eritrea does not accept compulsory returns. However, no Eritrean travels voluntarily - the fear of repression is far too great, "says spokesman Michael Flückiger. Those affected would be forced into illegality.

«To live an existence in shelters»

"You should not work in Switzerland then and only received emergency aid. With less than ten francs a day, they must live in shelters. »This creates unrest and is a dangerous policy. No other country in Europe drives such a tough line with refugees from Eritrea. "The asylum numbers are falling sharply. Switzerland should take its humanitarian responsibility and integrate people instead of pushing it to the margins of society, "Flückiger demands.

Toni Locher, Honorary Consul of the Eritrean State in Switzerland, shares the fears: "No one is persecuted on return. But without return assistance and new jobs at home, hardly anyone will return voluntarily. "He proposes a generous return of CHF 15,000 in the form of loans.

«Missed recording practice»

According to Locher provisionally taken by the measure in the precariat are pushed. "This is not fair and a consequence of the failed Eritrea policy under Simonetta Sommaruga." Most of the Eritreans in Switzerland still receive protection, although 99 percent of them are economic refugees. "Here you have to start, instead of punishing people you have already lured."

FDP Vice-President Christian Wasserfallen says that among the 3200 provisionally admitted, each case must be examined individually. But he welcomes the decision of the SEM. In order for repatriations to be possible, Switzerland must act now: "There is no way around opening a message in Eritrea," he says. "One of the big problems is that the state of Eritrea is very non-binding and confusing. It needs local people. "In a first step, a migration agreement could then be concluded, after which a readmission agreement is possible in the medium term.

Israel forgave generous repatriation assistance

Loans for voluntary returnees are an option for water traps, even if CHF 15,000 is too high. Israel provides returnees with a four-digit amount in US dollars (about CHF 3400, editor's note). "This model could work," he says.