Somalis on the red carpet. Interested? :)

[Paragon]

 

PARIS, France, July 10 (UNHCR) – A group of 92 people in need of international protection received the red carpet treatment at Roissy-Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris on Thursday, as they completed the last leg of a long and hazardous journey via Malta from their homes in Africa and Asia.

 

French Immigration Minister Eric Besson greeted the newcomers after they flew into a cloudy Paris on Thursday afternoon from sunny Malta. The group, including 20 children, was made up of people from various nationalities. More than half (57) were Somalis. There were also 18 Eritreans, nine Sudanese, three Ethiopians, three Sri Lankans and two people from Côte d'Ivoire.

 

"I wish you all the best in France. I wish you peace and happiness in your new life," Besson told the new arrivals, whom France had agreed to accept from Malta as a gesture of European responsibility sharing and solidarity. "Your future starts here," he added.

 

Every year hundreds of desperate migrants and asylum-seekers arrive in Malta, a tiny island nation of 400,000 inhabitants, after making the perilous boat trip across the Mediterranean Sea from North Africa. They have fled poverty, persecution or war.

 

To help Malta, the French government agreed to receive 96 people whom the Maltese authorities had given either refugee status or subsidiary protection. Of these, 92 arrived in Paris on Thursday, while the rest, an Iraqi family of four, will come at a later date.

 

"France is proud to be the European country that receives the most asylum-seekers," Besson told journalists covering the arrival. "This not a case of immigration but of asylum, which is a completely different thing. To those chased out of their country by oppression, France will do everything necessary to integrate them."

 

The minister also told the new arrivals about some of France's core values, including liberty, equality and fraternity as well as religious tolerance and secularism. He said they were expected to do their best to become self-sufficient and integrate, particularly by learning French.

 

"It's good to learn French to be able to communicate with people and find a job," said Abdirisaaq, a 21-year-old man who fled Mogadishu in Somalia and made his way through Kenya, Sudan and Libya, before making the sea voyage to Malta. "Today, I feel as happy as the day that I was saved from the sea and touched land after fours days at sea," he said.

 

After receiving refreshments and talking to officials and journalists, the group was taken by bus to collective centres in the towns of Nanterre, Poitiers, Créteil and Oissel, where they will stay until they find employment and accommodation.

 

Halimu, a Somali woman wearing white flowing robes and with henna patterns on her hands, said in fluent English before heading to an accommodation centre in Oissel: "I'm very happy because I will start my life again, improve my education and eventually reunite with my husband and children."

 

By William Spindler in Paris, France

 

Source

 

PS: I had to change the title of the topic to spread good news in here. Seems good news isn't as popular as other kinds of news especially in relation to Somalis/Somalia.

[Dhagax-Tuur]

Only time I ever felt French authorities were up to any good. I'm sure though, there's gotta be some demographic issue underpinning their decision (that is the cynic in me talking..)

 

Good luck to them all.

[The_Siren]

Good luck to them indeed, those tahreeb-ing men and women sure do have some kinda guts. I have nothing but respect for them- just thinking of all the sacrifices and hazards they've faced is enough to make me shiver.

[Libaax-Sankataabte]

They will all move to the UK soon.

 

The journey from Libya to Malta has been deadly for many Somalis. I am glad they have now found a permanent home.

[Paragon]

^They have a smile on their faces because of the opportunity present? Not by the current red carpet but being flown closer to the UK? Lol.

 

A nomad is a nomad, I guess.

[nuune]

The thing I like about Soomaalideena is dat they are alwayz well dressed and fashioned even in drastic conditions.

 

 

Wilkommen

[Som@li]

Good move, and though some may move , I don't all will move.

 

They look happy

[N.O.R.F]

Originally posted by Libaax-Sankataabte:

They will all move to the UK soon.

As soon as they receive their documents they will hop across the channel . Good on the French, for once.

[Cabdow]

Raggan fransiiska waligood naxriis laguma sheegin ee allow yaa ogaada where that red carpet leads to, prison? Ubadi

[Juxa]

ingiriiska is the final destination lol.

 

we await them with much anticipation of course

 

welcome

[Ibtisam]

Look at the little kids, I cannot believe they took boats with babies

[Oz]

^ It was a matter of life or death. You can't expect the mothers to leave their babies behind. Welcome to London, it is the place to be.

 

London still is empty

[wacdaraha_aduunka]

lool @london is empty,,,, at least u can breathe now as the wave from the eastern europe is deminishing as they're moving back.

[Abyan]

Dabshid, your avatar reminds me of Shyhem. Halkee buu u dambeeye, or is he around with another shaati....

[Oz]

He probably is Shyhem!