Refugees land on Akrotiri

[Mightycrewseven]

140 migrants land at UK base in Cyprus
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34590635

Oh dear, landing on Sovreign territory - flood gates opening......

[Ken Scott]

140 Migrants land at UK base in Cyprus

Breaking News from the BBC website:

Four boats carrying 140 migrants, including children, have landed at the RAF base at Akrotiri in Cyprus, the Ministry of Defence says.
It is believed to be the first time during the current Mediterranean migrant crisis that people have arrived on UK sovereign territory.
The base, on the south coast, has been used to launch British air strikes against Islamic State fighters in Iraq.
A number of Iraqi Kurds are believed to have landed there in 1998.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
If you want to receive Breaking News alerts via email, or on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App then details on how to do so are available on this help page. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on Twitter to get the latest alerts.

This could be a dramatic new development as it will make the UK their first landfall & the first country they claim asylum in. Once news of this gets out it could make the SBAs the most desirable entrance point to the EU.....

Every time I transit through Akrotiri we're told there's not enough accommodation and this is going to fill up the barrack blocks faster than you can say '2 Keos please George'. The Cypriots may not permit the refugees to enter Cyprus so they may even have to be flown out. A very 'interesting' development.

[Ken Scott]

Mightycrewseven just pipped me with his own new thread on this item. Mods - how about combining the 2?

[ORAC]

'We're in limbo': the families marooned at a British military base for 16 years

.....Yet the Richmond villagers are an exceptional case that is unlikely to be repeated. Before Cyprus joined the EU in 2004, it signed a memorandum of understanding with Britain to take responsibility for any asylum seekers who might enter the SBAs through Cypriot territory.......

Extract from MOU

On 20 February 2003 a Memorandum of Understanding was signed on behalf of the Government of the United Kingdom and the Government of the Republic of Cyprus concerning the implementation of the Protocol on the SBAs in so far as it concerns Illegal migrants and asylum seekers. We rehearse the relevant extracts:

“Noting that the United Kingdom through the Sovereign Base Areas Administration has the responsibility for illegal migrants and asylum seekers that enter the island of Cyprus by the Sovereign Base Areas.

Emphasising the importance of the international obligations of the Governments of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Cyprus with regard to asylum seekers, including the prohibition on indirect refoulement.

Bearing in mind humanitarian considerations, such as those reflected in the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, and the need for the Republic of Cyprus and the United Kingdom to work together with a view to devising practical ways and means of respecting the rights and satisfying the needs of asylum seekers and illegal migrants in the Sovereign Base Areas.

In light of the fact that the Government of the United Kingdom has committed itself not to develop the Sovereign Base Areas for other than military purposes and, in particular, not to allow new settlement of people in the Sovereign Base Areas other than for temporary purposes.

11
The Government(s)...have reached the following understanding:

1. For the purpose of this Memorandum of Understanding an asylum seeker is any person seeking international protection relating to the Status of Refugees, or the European Convention on Human Rights, or the United Nations Convention against Torture 1984.

7. The administrative bodies competent for the examination of asylum applications under the Refugee Law of the Republic of Cyprus will be authorised to examine, under the relevant Sovereign Base legislation and on behalf of the Sovereign Base Areas Administration applications of asylum seekers arriving directly in the Sovereign Base Areas. To this effect the Administrator of the Sovereign Base Areas will ensure that the necessary legislation is enacted and in so doing, will reflect, to the extent possible, the laws applicable to asylum seekers in the Republic of Cyprus.

9. Subject to paragraph 13, the Government of the Republic of Cyprus will grant the following benefits to asylum seekers arriving directly in the Sovereign Base Areas:

(a) Free medical care, in case they lack the necessary means

(b) Welfare benefits equivalent to those given to the citizens of the Republic of Cyprus

(c) The right to apply for a work permit in accordance with the relevant laws of the Republic of Cyprus

(d) Access to education

12. The United Kingdom, through the SBAA, will endeavour to resettle persons recognised as refugees or granted any other form of international protection in countries willing to accept those persons, and not later than one year after the decision granting the relevant status has been taken.

13. The United Kingdom will indemnify the Republic of Cyprus for the net costs incurred ...”

[NutLoose]

I should imagine the SWO will be livid with all of those people walking over his "grass"

[Al-Berr]

Apparently the movers have already driven into the boat and it has sunk!

[Blue Bottle]

They will be age's waiting for their baggage ! SBA customs will love this ..

[romeo bravo]

When I first read the headline I thought they were talking about the ATC Autumn Camp that started yesterday

[camelspyyder]

What an easy way to get IS personnel onto an RAF base!

[Linedog]

Where's the bl@@dy marine craft section when you need them?

[dkh51250]

They've done better than most veterans who try to get into the place.

[Cazalet33]

What an easy way to get IS personnel onto an RAF base!

The same thought occurred to me when I saw the story.

If 140 criminal migrants can score what the rounders-players call a "home run" and land on Sovereign British soil, then how easy would it be for a serious opposition to bring in a US-trained force of nutters from Iraq/Syria with serious sabotage kit to land anywhere in Brit territory.

If our "Defence"(sic) forces can't even protect a pissy wee place like Akrotiri from invasion, then what hope has Britain Proper got?

[Army Mover]

Originally Posted by Al-Berr

Apparently the movers have already driven into the boat and it has sunk!

Good to see they are keeping up the standards.

A mate of mine managed to sink a few when they out-loaded Malta. The joint-services yacht club were not impressed.

[papajuliet]

This surely hasn't happened by accident. Akrotiri has been deliberately selected. How many more will now come? What are the implications for the UK now that it has these kind of migrants on it's sovereign soil ?.

[goudie]

Little Arif's has probably set up a Kebab shack in anticipation of more to come!

[ORAC]

What are the implications for the UK now that it has these kind of migrants on it's sovereign soil ?.

Not a lot. Firstly, see my post #2 above, they get handed over to the Cypriot government.

Someone elsewhere queried whether, now Cyprus is in the EU, the Dublin agreement takes precedence and the UK counts as the first country of entry.

The answer is, no, the SBAs are only UK sovereign territory for specific purposes - and were not incorporated into the EU when Cyprus joined. refugees landing there are no more in EU territory than if they had landed on Ascension Island (And why St Helenans don't get UK residence).

Hence, they would only enter the EU when the crossed the SBA boundary - and Cyprus would be their country of entry.

[Nomorefreetime]

Happened in the late 90's, a boat load came ashore after seeing the Red Cross of TPMH. They stayed in the building on the road on the way out of camp at great expense in overtime to the SBA police who guarded them 24/7. Eventually they were taken to Limassol where the Cypriots took responsibly for them. I remember the Padre asking if we had any spare TV's etc to donate to them

[akula]

I see it has been reported that they were given food and water, PAYD or stale cheese sandwiches??

[Brian W May]

Just treat them like visiting aircrew . . . they'll soon depart.

Just a question of time before this happened . . . I wonder if the BBC or Comrade Corbyn gave them a heads up.

[cessnapete]

RAF pilot mate of mine says not a problem. When they see the standard of aircrew accommodation they are put in, they'll soon be on the boat back home.