German to reforms security measures at refugee facilities
The many asylum seekers who had travelled to Germany for
safety "need humane care...the assaults [that occurred earlier this week]
are the opposite of human dignity," Ralf Jäger, the interior minister of
the North Rhine Westphalia, NRW, told reporters in a press conference on
Tuesday, reports DW.
Germany
was shocked this week when a scandal emerged surrounding housing facilities for
asylum seekers, pointing to human rights abuses.
Images released on Sunday showed a security guard at a
refugee complex in the town of Burbach
pinning a man down with his boot. His colleague also appears in the photograph
kneeling next to the victim as if posing
for the camera. Since then, allegations of similar abuses have emerged
from two other NRW refugee housing facilities.
Germany
has experienced a large influx of refugees over the past two years, with more
than 65,000 people applying for asylum in the first half of 2014 alone,
according to UN figures.
Both suspects are smiling in the image released to the
public
Few details about the suspects have been released. However,
investigations pointed to the use of private security agencies as a mistake in
government oversight, namely, that those companies can employ individuals
without carrying out a full background check.
To combat the problem, Jäger announced on Tuesday that only
those who voluntarily submit themselves to a background check by police and Germany 's
internal security agency would be considered for employment.
Currently, eleven suspects are being investigated, the NRW
interior minister told reporters.
"We won't tolerate any violence against asylum
seekers."
'We are angry and ashamed'
The sudden jump in the number of refugees has made
noticeable impact on state resources, among which refugees are equally divided
and then transferred to the care of local authorities. Many local governments
have faced financial and logistical challenges accommodating the large number
of asylum seekers.
NRW interior minister Jäger pledged on Tuesday that his
state would continue to support the many people who had made the journey to Germany to live
a safe, peaceful life.
"Nothing is going to be swept under the rug,"
Jäger said. "We are angry and ashamed [for what has happened]...for that I
apologize personally to these victims."
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