Christian refugees in Czech Republic to be deported back to Iraq
A group of Christian refugees staying in the Czech Republic will be deported back to Iraq because they "abused the good will" of the country. They were given asylum, but they rejected it and attempted to cross the border to Germany, apparently unsatisfied with whatever future they imagine to have in the host country.
"By rejecting asylum and leaving the accommodation facility we offered to them, they started acting on their own account," Martin Frydl said, as quoted by RT. "However, we are in touch with the Interior Ministry, and we will be jointly seeking the best possible solution."
Frydl is a spokesman for the Generation 21 Endowment, the group that runs the resettlement project. They arranged for 153 Iraqi Christians to be accommodated in the Czech Republic, 89 of which already arrived from January to April. However, according to CTK Ceske Noviny, the program was halted by the government when 25 of the refugees asked for their travel documents to be returned to them. The refugees apparently wanted to go to another country like Sweden and Germany.
According to reports, the group of Christians who tried to flee were staying in Okrouhlik near Jihlava. They rode a bus to Essen on Saturday but were stopped and detained by authorities at the Czech-German border. The two countries then agreed to let the refugees return to Prague, but they are to leave the Czech Republic by April 7.
Interior Minister Milan Chovanec posted a series of tweets regarding the matter. He said, in a translated version on RT, "The seven-day deadline, which the Iraqi Christians got along with their passports, is meant for them to be able to arrange the return home. This time cannot be used to break laws or to move to another Schengen country. I asked the Czech police to use all legal means so that these people, who abused the good will of the Czech Republic and her citizens, are returned to Iraq."
Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3 ESV)
— Steed Lobotzke (@CoachLobotzke) December 9, 2016
Even though the program was suspended, it will continue for those are already in and wish to remain in the Czech Republic.
Reuters reported in February that roughly two-thirds or 65 percent of the people in the country are against taking in refugees.
