Does Denmark have double standards on refugees? - BBC News

Denmark has been accused of discriminating against refugees by human rights groups, following its welcome of Ukrainian refugees compared to others.

It has passed a law allowing refugees feeling the war in Ukraine to stay in the nation for up to two years and plans to host up to 100,000 and grant work permits.

However, the Danish government has also been working on plans to reduce the number of non-EU asylum seekers.

Last year, it began controversially revoking the residence permits of hundreds of Syrians from the Damascus area, arguing it was now safe for them to return.

The BBC's Hanan Razek reports from Denmark.

#Denmark #Ukraine #BBCNews

[Phamyunx]

As a sovereign state, Denmark has every right to set its own standards.

[pickamove]

Problem is that most refugees from Ukraine are women and children, but from other countries such as Syria come refugees that are fighting aged men. This is likely the issue here, as can also been seen in this video. Danish feel more sympathetic towards the women and children coming from warzone.

[G...]

Maybe all the bbc journalists can "adopt" a homeless Syrian guy to show their solidarity with the organisation they work for.

[jos]

The main issue here is culture and religion.
Ukrainian culture is more similar to the Danish, with perhaps negligible differences. In contrast, Middle East refugees are on the far end side of the spectrum with their own culture and religion causing conflict with the hosts. Just look at Sweden or France.

[jenspeterhansen]

Denmark has a population 11 times smaller than the UK . We have 40.000 Syrians, the same number as the UK. We have now 25.000 from Ukraine. The UK has 12.000. BBC sends a reporter, arabic as I understand it, why don't you have an English reporter ? She talks with Syrians that have been here nearly 7 years.They are very a angry. Next time the Danish TV sends a reporter to England I think it would be a splendid idea to send an arabic reporter and ask what the Syrians in the UK think of the country. In The Guardian you can read how difficult it is for Ukrainians to get in the UK. But of course its much smarter to send an arabic reporter to Denmark and ask the Syrians about the Ukranians in Denmark. Shame on BBC.

[cjm]

As is often the case, Denmark is being wildly misrepresented by the English language media. Denmark is not giving Ukrainian refugees a permanent right to stay in Denmark forever. It is giving them the right to be in Denmark for up to two years.

Syrian refugees were also given a temporary right to remain in Denmark. It was never a permanent arrangement. There is no discrepancy in how Denmark is treating refugees and asylum seekers. Denmark is not giving any refugee a permanent right to live in Denmark.

[hourbee]

Leave Denmark alone. If you want all the migrants then take them yourselves.

[vitigaymer]

European States should be most open to accepting European refugees. Middle Eastern countries should be most receiving of Middle Eastern refugees etc.

I live in Oceania. I hope another Oceanic country would give my family refuge were we to get displaced.

[kjql]

If we look at the dismal integration records of certain groups in Denmark, who can blame them? Maybe Danish society is less welcoming and a bit racist towards Middle Eastern refugees but the fact remains is that these people simply don’t fit in well in Danish society - but they could fit in better in other Middle Eastern countries, so why should Denmark take them in? A government needs to look after the interest of the country and it simply isn’t in Denmark’s interest, both financially and in terms of social cohesion, to admit Middle Eastern refugees.

Maybe it is party Denmark’s fault they integrate poorly but if you know you are bad at integrating certain groups of immigrants why would you take in more of them?

[hanssachs]

These Syrians have been in Denmark for five years and still do not speak Danish; they talk to the reporter in Arabic. In the same breath he claims he would like to assimilate. One wonders how he assimilates without speaking the local lingo.

[TheGQBrotha]

Another big difference, take notice how its mostly women and children among the Ukrainian refugees, because the Ukrainian men legally have to remain in Ukraine to defend and fight for their country if they are of fighting age, something that they are doing. Compare that to the Middle East and African migrants where its mostly fighting age men flooding into Europe

[FreedomX]

I wish, my government would act like Denmark.

[socialghost]

Well if you don’t like how Denmark does things in Denmark, then don’t go to Denmark = problem solved!

[juliewills]

The Danes have a right to decide who they want or do not want in their country.

[oirawolfram]

As a Turkish citizen and an ex-muslim, I support the Danish Government. I know you'd like to live in a world that is peachy all the time but you can't both be civilized and live by Quran. You have to choose one of them. If you want to live by a 1400 year-old book that tells you that you can beat your wife if she disobeys you, you can go live in Turkey where you can do just that. And muslim men who live by Quran cannot be taught things like gender equality (Quran clearly says that men are superior) or LGBTQ+ rights (Quran says they are damned) therefore it is impossible for you to be civilized and entegrated to society and respect others if you are both muslim and man. You do have a choice here; reject the none-sense of the islam and be civilized or go to Turkey and live your religion safely there. It is that simple.

[dlewis]

The lawmaker makes the point - why can't UAE and Saudia Arabia and Kuwait help Syrian refugees? Safe, rich countries that need workers.

[Valjeandk]

Denmark discriminates between people who want to integrate and be a productive part of society, and people who want to set the country on fire.
Seems fair to me.

[RoccosVideos]

Countries need to do what’s in their best interest. Having an unlimited supply of middle eastern refugees isn’t really great for any country. Besides Europe and Turkey have taken tons of refugees. Why don’t fellow Arab states like in the gulf take refugees? Why do they all need to go to Europe? Also why do people feel entitled to be a refugee in any country? They should be grateful they were let in, not complaining about how they don’t feel welcomed enough.

[cocktail]

Ukraine is european country with similar culture religion and values.And most of refugees are woman, syrians on the other hand young men, already stayed for 5 years there and caused many problem and troubles.Denmark wants to stay safe .We saw recent events in Sweden and Norway.Why any arab muslim country wont except syrians?

[nintendokings]

Funny. The whole argument was that ‘it’s not safe to go home! They will only be here temporarily!’
And now that they are indeed safe to go home and being sent back; we see the true colours shine through. They planned to stay...SHOCKER (not)