Village opts to pay a £200,000 fine instead of accepting 10 refugees
A wealthy village in Switzerland has chosen to pay a fine of £200,000 instead of accepting its country’s imposed quota of ten refugees.
Residents in Oberwil-Lieli, one of the wealthiest villages in Europe, voted ‘no’ in a referendum over whether to accept the refugees.
The Swiss government had proposed a quota system across its 26 counties in order to meet its promise of taking in 50,000 asylum seekers across the country.
But Oberwil-Lieli, which has 300 millionaires in a population of 2,200, rejected the refugees by 52 per cent to 48.
One resident told MailOnline: ‘We do not want them here it is as simple as that. We have worked hard all our lives and have a lovely village that we do not want it spoiled.
‘We are not suited to take in refugees. They would not fit in here.’
The mayor of Oberwil-Lieli has denied that they were being racist by refusing the refugees (
The vote has led to a division in the town and led to people slamming residents for being ‘racist’.
A mother-of-two who lives in the village said: ‘It is only right that we do something to help others who are less fortunate.
‘It makes the village look like we all do not care what happens to others and only look after ourselves. That is not how it is.’
This is a big issue around the world at present.. So….. do you think the village did the right thing ?
Get rid of the root of the problem first, then there wouldnt be any refugees in the first place.
Brit, it is simple. Some people cant stop being shameless.
Why would you want to go and live in a village which doesn't allow you in ?
Where all are heroes, I am the Villain
//We want to get in there.//
Khan,Are you too a refugee.
We want to get in there.
Simple that.
Mufti: It is usually because they feel that both these countries offer a better option.... They accept migrans more easily, have good social benefit system and have reasonable weather ..
Yes, there has to be a distinction between refugees and economic migrants. But we have seen so many refugees only wanting to go to Germany or UK. Why so? Any European country was safe for them. Sometimes people behave weird.
Agree with you Mufti .. The answer however is not an easy one..
There has to be a distinction between refugees and economic migrants..
This week over 700 drowned when their boats capsized near Italy .. Tragic..
The world powers need to build proper refugee camps in nutral safe areas to provide shelter and support for these people..
This is a difficult one .. We need to help them , but giving asylum is not always the answer..
I think the village was wrong but I can understand their viewpoint
Syrian refugees should not be the problem of Europe alone. Other countries (apart from Jordan, Turkey & Lebanon) should come forward to take refugees. What are GCC countries doing. How many refugees have they taken despite being rich and having cultural similarity. It would be better to create safe zones within Syria so that other countries are less burdened. Influx of increased no. of refugees is giving rise to right-wing politics in Europe. In this era of religion based terrorism, these fears are not entirely misplaced.
Those who have gone to Europe should adjust with the local culture and when the situation gets better in Syria , they should return.