Empathy is a new word to COA

No matter the costs

The court about nothing but prestige, lasted almost two hours. COA against Afrisinia. The state versus nine young people. Nine acrobats and musicians, who did nothing wrong, except refusing to be separated. They came to the Netherlands to be free.

What they get, is a series of procedures by different organs of the Ministry of Justice.

Capital - Comma - Point

The problem with procedures is not the thing itself. It is the people following it from Capital to comma to point. Procedures are meant to give an equal fair chance to everybody. In the case of refugees in the Netherlands procedures are exploited to make life as difficult as it can be and, finally, to send the refugee out.

No longer relevant

Today's court in 's-Hertogenbosch proved this once over. COA admitted: The issue is long past and no longer relevant. We just want to win this court to prevent other asylum seekers from objecting to transfers and making our jobs more difficult.

Asylum seeker is client

But, dear COA, maybe it is time to change course. Remember, you owe these refugees your jobs. If nobody asks for asylum in the Netherlands, the whole bunch of you will be unemployed. Refugees are your clients. You better take good care of them, instead of transferring people the moment they start to root.

The way COA operates now, damages people who have already been severely hurt. Nobody flees their country just for fun. The people, COA, you are supposed to shelter, need extra care instead of procedures that make your jobs more easy. They are the ones who left everything and everybody behind. You return to your comfortable houses after a days work. And when you go abroad, you go on a holiday. You pick your destination yourselves and you stay at the places of your choice.

Yes m'am

Imagine your boss sends you to another center to work, 41/2 hours drive from your house, would you turn on your back, paws in the air and say: 'Yes m'am, of course I do whatever you ask to make your job easier for you?' Or would you protest...

Empathy is a new word to COA, a concept worth learning for everybody's sake, not in the least for COA employees themselves.

The courts' verdict will be at March 16th.