Page 9 - Aruba Today
P. 9
WORLD NEWS 9
Wednesday 6 January 2016
New Year assaults spark fresh migration debate in Germany
FRANK JORDANS A police car passes the central railway station in Cologne, Germany Tuesday Jan. 5, 2016. City any suspects, so we don’t
Associated Press officials and police in Cologne are holding a crisis meeting following a series of sex assaults in the know who the perpetrators
BERLIN (AP) — A string of western German city on New Year’s Eve. Mayor Henriette Reker called Tuesday’s meeting to dis- were. All we know is that
sex assaults and robber- cuss the police response to the assaults that occurred around Cologne’s main train station, next the police at the scene
ies during New Year’s cel- to the city’s famous cathedral, during the night. perceived that it was most-
ebrations in Germany has ly young men aged 18 to
fuelled debate about the (Oliver Berg/dpa via AP) 35 from the Arab or North
country’s ability to inte- African region.”
grate large numbers of of 200,000 asylum-seekers “It’s completely improper Cem Ozdemir, a Green Albers urged witnesses to
migrants, after police said in Germany a year, a de- ... to link a group that ap- Party lawmaker of Turk- come forward, especially
that men who targeted mand its lawmakers are peared to come from North ish origin, described the if they recorded videos
dozens of women in the likely to repeat at a meet- Africa with the refugees,” attacks as “horrible and of the attacks. At least 90
western city of Cologne ing with Merkel on Wednes- Cologne’s mayor Henriette deeply misogynist.” criminal complaints have
appeared to be of “Arab day. Reker told reporters after “Women must feel safe ev- been filed, including one
or North African origin.” Others in Germany cau- a crisis meeting with po- erywhere, no matter where allegation of rape, police
Political leaders including tioned against tying the ref- lice Tuesday. Syria, Albania or when,” he said. said. Police said the at-
Chancellor Angela Merkel ugee question to the issue and Kosovo were the top Cologne’s police chief tackers had gathered in
condemned the attacks, of street crime when the full three countries of origin for Wolfgang Albers said no ar- large numbers near the
though many also warned facts of the incident aren’t asylum-seekers in Germany rests have been made yet. city’s main train station,
against hasty conclusions known yet. last year. “We don’t currently have drinking alcohol, releasing
about the perpetrators. fireworks and mingling with
But to some Germans al- other revelers.
ready uneasy about the Separately, police in the
one million asylum-seekers northern city of Hamburg
their country took in last appealed for witnesses
year the incident seemed who observed similar sex-
to confirm simmering fears. ual assaults and thefts in
“Is this the ‘cosmopolitan the St. Pauli district on New
and colorful’ Germany Year’s night.
that Merkel wished for?” German Justice Minister
asked Frauke Petry, leader Heiko Maas said the at-
of the nationalist party Al- tacks shouldn’t be used
ternative for Germany. to bolster an anti-refugee
Petry’s party, known by its agenda. “In criminal law
German acronym AfD, has what’s important is prov-
called for a clampdown ing a crime, and everyone
on the number of asy- is equal before the law,”
lum-seekers allowed into Maas said. “It doesn’t mat-
the country, a sentiment ter where someone comes
shared among a growing from, it matters what they
number of supporters in did and that we can prove
Merkel’s own center-right it.”q
bloc.
“It’s unacceptable that British premier says ministers can campaign for EU exit
women are sexually mo-
lested and robbed by LONDON (AP) — British of 2017. open dissent could publicly principle of free movement
young migrants on the government ministers will He says he will argue to stay expose divisions within the among member states.
streets and public squares be able to campaign on in, as long as he gets a new party, which has long been Cameron said he supports
of German cities at night,” either side in an in-or-out deal for Britain. But Cam- split over Europe. free movement but wants
said Andreas Scheuer, referendum on European eron told lawmakers that Cameron hopes to seal a to ensure Britain’s welfare
general secretary of the Union membership, Prime “it will be open to individual deal at an EU summit next system is not “an artificial
Christian Social Union, the Minister David Cameron ministers to take a different month and to hold the ref- draw” for migrants.
Bavarian wing of Merkel’s said Tuesday — a decision personal position while re- erendum later this year. But He conceded that the wel-
party. that averts a showdown maining part of the govern- his goals — especially wel- fare issue is “difficult” but
“Whoever won’t accept with anti-EU forces within his ment.” fare limits for immigrants said “I believe there is now
our rules for living together, Conservative Party. If Cameron had insisted on intended to control migra- a pathway to an agree-
including respect for wom- Cameron has committed a common position, anti- tion — face opposition ment.” “What matters is
en, can have no place in to holding a referendum on EU Cabinet ministers might from other EUleaders, who getting the substance right,
our society here in Ger- Britain’s membership in the have resigned. But some see the welfare curb as not the speed of the deal,”
many,” said Scheuer. His 28-nation bloc by the end Conservatives say allowing violating the fundamental he said.q
party has called for a cap
