Topic: Migrant crisis: Pope returns from Greece with 12 migrants (Read 501 times)

EXCLUSIVE - 'Let down by the Pope on Lesbos': Christian brother and sister told they would be rescued by Holy Father then left behind over EU deal to send migrants to Turkey



A Christian brother and sister from Syria say they have been 'let down' by the Pope after he left them behind in a Lesbos refugee camp despite promises they would be given a new life in Italy.

Roula and Malek Abo say they were two of the lucky 'chosen 12' refugees selected by the Vatican to be taken from the desperate camp and housed in Rome.

But what seemed like the chance of a lifetime was cruelly snatched away when they were told the following day they couldn't go. Instead three Muslim families were taken.

Roula, 22, and her brother arrived on Lesbos on April 1 – ten days after the controversial EU deal to return all asylum seekers arriving to Greece from Turkey.

Their application for asylum is being process and they are waiting to learn if they will be sent back to Turkey.

Stuck on Lesbos, Roula told MailOnline: 'If they can do this for 12 people they can do it for more.

'If you have promised to take people back to Italy will something like registration papers stand in your way?'

Future: Roula, a Christian Syrian, and her brother were they had been selected to go to Rome with the Pope but were let down the following day and are now stuck on Lesbos

Dreams dashed: The siblings, who fled Qamishli, Syria, were not among the chosen 12, because they arrived on Lesbos ten days after the controversial EU deal to return failed asylum seekers to Greece from Turkey

Neither Community Sant'Egidio, the charity which organised the trip, or the Vatican would explain the selection process over which migrants were picked.

Spokesman Massimiliano Signifredi called the incident 'regrettable' - adding: 'The problem here is the three Syrians arrived after the March 20 deadline. They arrived just after the agreement between the European Union and Turkey.

Mr Signifredi said: 'Our staff went to Lesbos and spoke with the people who were selected. But everything was decided by the Vatican.

'The question why the Pope took only Muslims is difficult to understand and he was suffering, I think, because he wanted to do something also for Christians as the chief of the Catholic Church. But he couldn't because there is this international agreement [with the EU].'

The Vatican declined to comment. 


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3550138/Betrayed-Pope-Lesbos-Christian-brother-sister-desperately-disappointed-told-rescued-Holy-Father-left-red-tape.html

The latest news is that the three Muslim families have been housed in Rome, Italy. The pope claims that at the moment Vatican does not have the facilities to house them, and he will consider bringing them to Vatican in a few yeas time, once the arrangements for their accommodation can be made. So at this point of time, it is Italy and not Vatican, which is offering asylum to these immigrants.

The pope we deserve and coolest pope if u ask me.

He chose the Muslim immigrants because he knew that they will destroy (Western) Europe quicker. Like many Latinos, the current Pope feels a deep hatred for the "gringos". His aims are similar to those of the now-defunct Partido Nacional de La Raza Unida. He want to destroy the European civilization, before his term ends.

They were fucking sensible, that's what happened with China, Japan and India, Europe let these people in en masse and now look what's happened, I really don't know how the fuck anyone can justify letting in that many people at once because now they're just an angry mob.

How many did China, Japan or India take in?
Its very telling on the issue when you see who the world is demanding take these people in.
Why are places like Japan and Israel allowed to be so closed but have a voice in this matter!

Its a start, where are all their muslims brothers from Saudi and all those oil rich muslim nations  

We shall know soon enough... Or never.

At least these ones seem to be actual refugees, this is how it should have been done in the beginning for fucks sake, assuming they did proper background checks of course and this isn't just the BBC saying this.

Yes. the vatican should help christians FIRST. All of them.

I suppose it's better than nothing...

But, the vatican is the wealthiest business on the planet... they have all the money... and they only help 12 people?!?

WTF?  Where are your priorities?

So funny that they where Muslim because he knew he would get flack if they where Christians,just this fact a lone shows he is doing it so he can keep telling Countries they need to do more. All the well the Vatican preaches from a gated/guarded bubble.
Next we will see Sean Penn adopt a family as well that he will drop off at a intersection once the cool factor wears off. Sorry Sean but that New Orleans trip was funny as hell to see you walking through the water to save people with a bullet proof vest and shotgun.

This trading Syrians for Syrians due to location is confusing as hell. Are these going to be the ones they send back from Greece and had to wait in line or a different batch that has been waiting in Turkey? Whats the difference!

Pope Francis has taken 12 Syrian migrants back with him to the Vatican after visiting a camp on the Greek island of Lesbos.

The three families, including six children, are all Muslim and had their homes bombed during the Syrian war.

The Vatican said in a statement that Pope Francis wanted to "make a gesture of welcome'' to the refugees.

Thousands of migrants are now stuck on Lesbos after last month's EU-Turkey deal to try to ease the flow.

All of those leaving with the Pope were already living on Lesbos before the deal was implemented, the Vatican said.

They were reportedly selected from lots drawn, and will be looked after initially by the Sant'Egidio community, known for their charity work.

Under the EU-Turkey agreement, migrants arriving illegally on the Greek islands from Turkey after 20 March will be deported unless they successfully claim for asylum.

In return, for every Syrian returned to Turkey, the EU will take another Syrian directly from Turkey.



http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36063300