Five volunteers from a Norwegian network are looking in large European cities for 200 Afghani youth who had been asylum seekers in Norway and are now lost to the system.
The 200 Afghani youths now have the chance to apply for a residence permit,but no-one knows where they are.
Assistant communications director, Håkon Fenstad, of the Immigration Directorate (UDI), said that Norwegian embassies in several European cities have been notified to look out for the young Afghani’s.
They have also received application forms in the Afghani languages, dari and pashto, reported Klassekampen newspaper. These have gone to the embassies in Paris, Rome, Madrid, and Berlin, as well as legal aid organizations, consultants, and asylum reception centres.
Mona Bentzen of ‘Refugees Welcome Afghan Lives Matter’, told the newspaper that she and four others had travelled to Paris to assist with the search. Bentzen criticised UDI for their passivity, and for not having done more to find the children.
Attorney General, Eirin Strifeldt, is also in Paris. She said there are many reasons why asylum seekers are difficult to find. Some are rescued, and they make contact, while others have already departed and are in countries such as France.
‘It’s difficult with language and communication, and rumours, and misunderstandings are easy,” said Strifeldt.
© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today
