David Cameron urged to accept lone children

[Anthea]

Syrian conflict: David Cameron urged to accept lone children

The government is coming under increasing pressure to accept 3,000 child refugees from the Syrian war who have made it into Europe unaccompanied.

A group of former Jewish refugees who came to the UK in the "Kindertransport" rescue efforts of the 1930s have urged the PM to "demonstrate compassion".

Ministers argue that offering sanctuary to lone children could result in more falling into the hands of traffickers.

MPs will vote on the issue next week, with ministers facing possible defeat.

In a letter to David Cameron, Sir Erich Reich, chairman of Kindertransport-Association of Jewish Refugees, called on the PM to do more to help "the most vulnerable victims" of the Syrian conflict.

He said it was "incumbent on us to provide sanctuary to those in need".

Political correspondent Ross Hawkins

Conservative rebels are increasingly confident the government will accept more unaccompanied child refugees. One former cabinet minister told me ministers would probably make concessions, adding: "If we fall from the moral high ground into a ditch it doesn't do us much good."

A government source said there was a mood for compromise before Monday's vote. But the last thing ministers want is an announcement that smacks of a complete U-turn.

A widely-discussed idea would see the authorities accept more lone refugee children who have family in the UK under existing rules; only a tiny number have come in on this basis. It isn't yet clear though how many more could be swiftly located and helped.

What matters now is not simply whether the government shifts its line - that looks highly likely - but how many more lone children it accepts. Even rebellious Tories certain the government will retreat are unsure by how far.

The government has said it will accept up to 3,000 refugees, mostly vulnerable children, from the Middle East and North Africa by 2020.

In September 2015 the government said the UK will accept up to 20,000 refugees from Syria over the next five years.

But critics say the moves will do nothing to help the thousands of unaccompanied refugee children who have made it to Europe, but are at risk of trafficking and abuse.

Ministers in turn argue that accepting such children could encourage more families to put their children at risk by sending them to Europe alone.

Chancellor George Osborne said discussions were under way about what more could be done to help unaccompanied children.

"Britain has always been a home to the vulnerable and we've always done what we need to do to help people who are fleeing persecution, that's why we are taking people from the refugee camps as a result of this terrible Syrian civil war.

"And we're working with others, with charities, with other political parties talking to people about what we can do to help the unaccompanied children as well - where we're already providing financial support.

"So we're in those discussions and those discussions will go on and you'll hear what we've got to say in due course."

The echoes of the past haunt many of my fellow Kinder and I whose fate similarly rested with members of the British parliament

Last week MPs voted against an attempt to force the government to allow 3,000 unaccompanied child refugees into the UK, but the issue is set to return to the Commons.

In his letter, Sir Erich, who was among thousands of Jewish children rescued from Nazi Germany, said he had learned of the rejection of the resettlement proposal "with great sadness".

He added: "I strongly urge you and your colleagues to reconsider how we can intervene to help some of the most vulnerable victims of an internecine conflict that has claimed the lives of thousands of people and displaced millions.

"The echoes of the past haunt many of my fellow Kinder and I whose fate similarly rested with members of the British parliament.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-36200366

[Anthea]

FACT:

Western world views teenagers as young people no longer children but not yet an adult

A time when many youngsters are still studying and feeling their feet

FACT:

In most countries children go straight from being children to being adults

Breadwinners killers but definitely not the happy-go-lucky youngsters that we in the Western World view teenagers to be

FACT:

When media mentions children coming to Europe and show us photos of sweet little 5 year olds

These supposed children may well be 17 year old hardened jihadist killers

FACT:

Europe is being hoodwinked by thinking of single orphans

Europe has mostly nuclear families whereas Syrians have extremely large extended families

It is very difficult for a Syrian child to become an orphan and not have a single relation left living

FACT:

We are ALL aware that ISIS are training young orphans whose families have been killed by ISIS enemies

These youngsters are trained to kill westerners

CONCLUSION:

Let the cute 5 year olds in - keep anyone over 10 OUT