Asylum Advantages And Disadvantages

2028 Words9 Pages
A lone man named Ahmed limps along a small mountain road, malnourished, exhausted, and dying of thirst. He has walked these dangerous roads for the past few days, sleeping in day and walking at night in an attempt to dodge the fatal daytime temperature. Although he started with many others, most have fallen behind because of the lack of resources. He has walked almost 20 miles, and still has 20 more to come. Although small cars occasionally rumble past, non dare to stop and give him a lift, as if they do, the drivers risk being arrested for human trafficking. Finally, a day later, a completely crowded Doctors Without Borders bus passes him and stops, giving him the rest he desperately needs. Hours later, the bus finally rumbles to a stop at Mytilene, where they can rest, get food and water, and get processed for an asylum. Many, however, do not apply for asylum right away, knowing that the country’s economy might not bode well for job prospects, and that under the Dublin III treaty, they must apply for asylum in the first EU country they arrive in. As a result, refugees often aim to bypass the asylum process and be resettled in countries in northwestern Europe, such as Germany, the Netherlands or Sweden. Eric Kempson, a British expat who has lived outside Molyvos for the last 15 years wakes up everyday not to the sound of an alarm or Taylor Swift, but to the song of diesel engines roaring past their home day after day. According to him and his wife, Philippa, up to 17