Thread: Afghans in Dublin suicide drama

Afghans in Dublin suicide drama

Some of the hunger striking asylum seekers
Several Afghan asylum seekers on hunger strike in a Dublin cathedral have vowed to kill themselves if they are moved.
The men are said to have tied ropes around their necks and have threatened to jump from a high balcony.

Forty-one men moved into the organ loft at St Patrick's Cathedral on the sixth day of a campaign to stay in Ireland.

They have vowed to starve themselves to death unless they can stay in Ireland, claiming they fear being tortured in their homeland.

Police and negotiators have been trying to end the stand-off throughout the day.

"I understand that there are ropes tied around their necks in a dramatic fashion. I also understand that they have knives or they certainly claim to have knives," a Church of Ireland official told the AFP news agency.

No negotiation

Earlier, about 40 gardai blocked access to the cathedral from 0700 BST and up to 15 officers entered the building later.

One young person was taken from the cathedral to hospital in an ambulance.

Rosanna Flynn, of campaign group Residents Against Racism, claimed some of the children inside the cathedral had attempted suicide during Thursday night.

It is believed the authorities may seek a court order to have those under the age of 18 removed from the cathedral.

The Irish government is refusing to negotiate on the men's asylum claims.

The Afghans have said they will scrap their protest if an international body reviews their applications.

Supporters of the men have hung a banner on railings outside the cathedral, stating: "No-one is illegal." (must have been watching our protest marches)
The men began their protest on Sunday afternoon.

Severe dehydration

A number of the men were hospitalised earlier this week with one reported to be critically ill, suffering from severe dehydration.

The men, who were initially also on a thirst strike, agreed to drink some water after a meeting with government officials was granted.

Irish Justice Minister Michael McDowell urged the men to stop the protest but said he would not negotiate with them.

He said the men had not yet exhausted the asylum appeals process.

The Afghans say they are from a mixture of ethnic and political backgrounds and have denied that any of them were Taleban members.

Irish church leaders have urged the men to give up their hunger strike.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4997332.stm

Wanna bet they bring them here???!!!

Just read this story when I got on and all I could think was, "Please don't give one radical group another stupid idea." When they won't give anything but sketchy details it would make me afraid to just take them at their word. They have an agenda too, it seems. It just all feels so wrong.

The confusing part of this story is why are they not in the USA trying to pull off this stunt. If they did it in the right place, I'm sure that all of their demands would be met.

I read an article that Russia was going to start paying it's citizens to have more children because they needed more people in the child bearing years. Why don't these guys go there? I know it's not as easy as crossing the border but the chinese could and they stow away on freighters. Personally there just seems to be a couple of distinct groups that are immigrating or migrating to INVADE, not to get asylum or citizenship....just to invade. A few cross the ocean, but most seem to be migrating on either the eastern or western hemisphere. I don't know what to think anymore. Latinos here, Muslims there. All mostly young and militant. Just makes me wonder.

Originally Posted by crazybird

I read an article that Russia was going to start paying it's citizens to have more children because they needed more people in the child bearing years. Why don't these guys go there?

Since 1999, I've visited Russia more than 20 times. I am divorced and have been involved in a longterm relationship with a very fine lady from Moscow.
I can tell you this about Russia. Unlike the USA, Russia is for Russians. Multi-culturalism is accepted there to a certain extent but they are much more realistic about the potential downside. They would never tolerate illegal aliens marching in their streets demanding the same rights as their citizens. And the Russian people would never accept an illegal invasion as normal immigration. The invaders would be deported immediately after serving their prison sentence since it is a very serious crime to enter Russia illegally or to overstay a visa. Russia has earned my respect in that regard.

"I understand that there are ropes tied around their necks in a dramatic fashion."

JUMP ALREADY!!!

I say wait it out and they won't have to jump. We and other countries cannot be held hostage by aliens from other countries taking drastic measures to try to force us or any other nation to give them anything.

Since 1999, I've visited Russia more than 20 times. I am divorced and have been involved in a longterm relationship with a very fine lady from Moscow.
I can tell you this about Russia. Unlike the USA, Russia is for Russians

I figured that, since the article was saying Russians have mostly 1 maybe 2 kids because that's all they can afford. But like us.....there's a large amount of boomers and they need to be sure they sustain in the future. They certainly aren't inviting poor immigrants from anywhere to bolster their future population crisis, like we are. This country long ago could have looked at making it possible for a family to sustain on one income instead of just about mandating both parents work to survive, and supporting the family with something tangable instead of empty words. Instead they waited and used this "migration" as an excuse to save us.

I remember when the government and all the 'smart people' were telling Americans that they should limit their families to 2 children. To do anything else was irrespnsible.

Then they convinced women that to be a homemaker and mother just wasn't enough. I do remember when every woman was encouraged to 'have it all' .

Then the Americans were encouraged to spend, spend, spend.

If you can't afford it - whip out the old Mastercard and 'worry about that tomorrow'.

Absolutly remember those days quite well. My dad worked 2 full time jobs till my sister and I got to school age. Then dad worked full time and part time and mom part time till my sister was in highschool. My dad didn't raise me to be the totally independant woman, but he made it clear there may come a time when I needed to help. So he did encourage an education and I always knew the work force would be a part of my life. But I never thought I'd be forced to work at the expense of being the kind of mother I wanted to be. Or that there would be so many men that would feel they never had to work coz the woman could now. My mom handled all the finances and not for one minute did he ever feel less a man for having her do so or did she ever mis-use her so called "power". Then they both worked full time till they were no longer able. Dad washed dishes and did housework. Mom mowed the lawn....there wasn't some power struggle going on all the time. Jobs that needed to be done were done by the person best able to do it at the moment.

But yes they encouraged 2 kids. Preferably a boy and girl for the "perfect" family. We had 2 girls, so I guess we weren't "perfect" But it seemed the amount of effort put out equalled the amount of benefit. Mine were from definatly poor people. But raised to middle class. If it would have gone accordingly.....I should have atleast made it to upper middle class instead of back to near poverty. No not quite back to where my parents started but closer to that point than success. I had 2 children. So in some way I find it hard to beleive we're behind the scale. Everyone rounded out had a replacement you'd think.