EU Wants Turkey to Be a Refugee Dumping Ground 

by Stephen Lendman

EU nations, Turkey and other rogue states complicit with Washington are responsible for the severest refugee crisis since WW II.

Endless wars of aggression forced millions of desperate people to flee for safe havens internally or abroad.

Over a million refugees sought refuge in Europe last year. Thousands more arrive daily, undeterred by winter cold and hazardous journeys. Unknown numbers never arrive, perishing en route. 

Those making it aren't wanted, confined under squalid conditions, a previous article saying they're treated like nonpersons, met with scorn, barbed wire fences and other barriers on arrival, attacked with tear gas when protesting for desperately needed help.

On Monday, EU and Turkish officials met in Brussels, ignoring Ankara's daily violations of Syria's ceasefire, turning a blind eye to Erdogan's war on press freedom, treating a fascist police state like a welcomed guest.

A deal in principle was agreed on to handle the refugee crisis, aiming to curtail the flood of desperate people while largely turning Turkey into a dumping ground for unwanted people.

Terms include closing the main Western Balkan route to Europe - taken by 880,000 refugees last year, 128,000 through February this year. Aegean waters will be patrolled by NATO and Turkish coast guard vessels. EU border agency Frontex is involved.

Refugees will be deported from Greece to Turkey, supposedly but not likely settling a similar number in EU countries.

Germany's Interior Minister Thomas de Maziere said his country's refugee policy changed, henceforth willing only to accept small numbers, unwilling to take them from Greece.

The so-called EU/Turkish scheme assures making the refugee crisis much worse.

Ankara was offered more financial aid than already promised, amount to be determined, visa facilitation for its citizens to European countries, and accelerated talks on EU membership.

Disagreements on details remain to be resolved. Terms will be finalized at the next EU summit in Brussels on March 17 and 18.

EU and Turkish officials agreed to end the "(i)rregular flows of migrants (a term used to denigrate desperate refugees and asylum seekers) along the route of the Western Balkans…This route is now closed," according to a Brussels document.

Turkey, Greece, France, and other EU countries hostile to desperate refugees are virtual open-air prisons. Britain refuses to take its fair share of refugees and asylum seekers.

A previous article discussed Turkish textile industry companies exploiting refugees, including young children, using them as virtual serfs under sweatshop conditions.

Human Rights Watch called child labor exploitation in Turkey "rampant" and hugely abusive. Women are extremely vulnerable.

State-sponsored repression permits these and similar practices, profiting at the expense of desperate people in need.

With Brussels intending to turn Turkey into a refugee dumping ground, expect worse than ever conditions ahead.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. 

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. 

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