France - illegal immigration

Probe launched after Kurds seek asylum in Corsica

Article published on the 2010-01-24 Latest update 2010-01-24 16:03 TU

France has launched an inquiry and called for a European summit to combat illegal immigration after 124 self-proclaimed Kurds landed in Corsica.

Immigration Minister Eric Besson stressed that the French Mediterranean island could not be allowed to become an entry point for illegal immigrants and mooted a European conference as an investigation began into who the traffickers were.

The migrants, who claimed they were Kurds from Syria, were dropped off near the southern town of Bonifacio on Thursday by a boat which then departed, officials said.

It was the biggest known mass-scale landing on the island of migrants, who usually try to enter Europe by sea through Sicily, Malta, Greece or Spain's Canary Islands.

The 57 men, 29 women, five of whom are pregnant, and 38 children were initially lodged in a gymnasium in Bonifacio, but on Saturday were flown to mainland France to be housed in detention centres in cities such as Marseille and Lyon.

Each "case will be individually assessed", the immigration ministry said, adding that the migrants "will get an interpreter, a medical check-up, information on aid in case of voluntary return and legal help".

Besson earlier said some of the migrants identified themselves as Kurds from Syria and others said they were from North Africa.

Some of the immigrants resisted being shifted out from the gynasium but were forced into buses. Many had refused a meal late Friday in protest against plans to relocate them.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Saturday urged France to ensure that each of the self-proclaimed Kurds was allowed to seek asylum and to ensure a "complete and fair examination" of each case.