ONE RECOGNISED REFUGEE IN THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF 1996
During the first four months of 1996, 1 (one) asylum seeker was granted refugee status in Norway. In addition, 425 were granted residence on humanitarian grounds. The number of applicants was 1114.
During all of 1995, the number of applicants who obtained refugee status was 29. 1,909 asylum seekers were granted residence on "humanitarian grounds". The total number of applications was 4,357.
Critics argue that the documentation required by the authorities is so extensive that hardly any asylum seeker is able to meet the requirements. They also stress that there is a major difference between refugee status and residence on humanitarian grounds, in that the latter status paves the way for right wingers to insinuate that Norway is taking in bogus refugees and thereby pursuing a "too liberal" immigration policy. Such accusations tend to lead to a more restrictive policy.
At present, about 70 refugees who have been denied asylum, most of them Kosovo-Albanians, have sought sanctuary in Norwegian churches, where the police according to tradition have no access. The Archbishop and many pastors and priests demanded amnesty for the refugees on 17 May, Norway's national holiday, but Prime Minister Brundtland quickly rejected the demand, arguing that an amnesty for this particular group of refugees would trigger constantly new demands of other groups.
The extremely restrictive Norwegian asylum policies have drawn international attention. The UNHCR has announced a review of the country's asylum practice.
Thomas Mathiesen