Norway criticized by the UN over Somali asylum seekers

Rolleiv Solholm:

Norway has been criticised by the United Nations for the plan to forcibly return Somali asylum seekers to their homeland, after they have been denied residence permit in Norway.

In a letter to the Norwegian government, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR) has expressed concern over the planned compulsory eviction.

In UN's opinion, the situation in Somalia is so unstable that it is not justifiable to return to their homeland those Somalis who have not been granted residence permit in Norway, Aftenposten writes.

- It is unusual that the UN has to send a letter to Norway to underline that we ought to follow their advice. This shows how serious this is, says Rune B.Steen of the Norwegian Association for Asylum Seekers (NOAS).

In its reply to the UN, the Department of Municipal Affairs says that it has a broad knowledge of the situation in Somalia, and that its sources say that it is safe to return Somalis to certain areas in Southern Somalia.

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