Secretary of State Harbers offers no hope for greater rehabilitation of children

The pressure on the Secretary of State has increased since Tim Hofman's documentary entitled "Back to Your Own Country", which includes the story of Nemr, 9, who can be expelled at any time to Iraq. In the Volkskrant, Harbers says that viewers can only see a "half-story".

"If you look at it from the outside, you think," Help me, it's very pathetic. "It's different for kids, but for parents, it can not surprise., Or longer, that they do not get legal residency in the Netherlands," according to the Secretary of State.

"Still in a few years"

If the forgiveness of a new child returns, Harbers asserts that the end is lost. "Even in this case, there will be a group that will not meet all the criteria, which will then be reported in a few years, and it will be prompted to extend life in the Netherlands for a few more years, in the future. Hope that an arrangement will be made … arrives. "

The Secretary of State's asylum policy troubles intensify. Already 200,000 people have signed a petition for greater rehabilitation of children. A group of Protestant churches have been fighting for weeks against the expulsion of an Armenian family. This family is now hiding in a church in The Hague.

"Huge Incitement"

Harbers says that children's rights should not play a bigger role in decisions about a residence permit. "If you do, it gives parents a lot of incentive to use their children as pawns to get a residence permit, which is not the message we want to give to this country."

In September, Harbers gave the last moment when Armenians Lili and Howick obtained a residence permit. He then announced a new external investigation on the procedures in the Netherlands. This is not ready until June.

& # 39; No conclusion & # 39;

According to the Secretary of State, no case can be drawn from the case of Lili and Howick that the extension of the pardon granted to children is possible. "This decision stemmed from my discretion, which is why I look at a file again upon request and decide, based on all the circumstances, what is unique and poignant."