The welcome mat initially rolled out by Chancellor Angela Merkel for the Iraqi and Syrian refugees has suddenly shrunk. Like most observers I too had understood the Chancellor to provide a permanent refuge for those fleeing violence at the hands of the Syrian dictator Assad, ISIS and others.

In the wake of Alan Kurdi's dead body found face down on a beach Merkel became the beacon of hope and the leader in the Western world who defied the racists and Islamophobes in her country to throw open Germany to the refugees. Then Paris was hit with terror attacks followed by the mass sexual assaults by North African and Middle Eastern (looking) men in Cologne. The tide began to turn against Merkel's admirably generous and compassionate approach toward the refugees.

The public mood regarding the refugees has soured in many European countries. In some it was never as welcoming as it was in Merkel's Germany to begin with. Countries such as Hungary, Denmark and Sweden were already cool to the idea of large scale intake of the Syrian, Iraqi or other refugees.

The situation has so deteriorated that in Stockholm a mob has called for violent attacks on migrants. The French Prime Minister Manuel Valls has claimed if the European countries can't protect their borders "the very idea of Europe is being questioned." In Germany Frauke Petry a leader of the far right Alternative for Germany Party has suggested that the police should shoot illegal migrants trying to cross into Germany.

It is heartening to note that there have been voices and demonstration in many parts of Europe condemning the violence and hateful expressions against the refugees and migrants. Today thousands of people marched in 70 French cities including Paris to demonstrate against the continuing state of emergency, some holding placards reading "My France of liberties, where are you?"

In the world's legitimate struggle against the ISIS' fascism we mustn't allow hate or fear to make home in our own hearts and policies.

But unfortunately Merkel has substantially pulled back the welcome mat she had initially rolled out. She now says the refugees allowed into Germany will only be temporary residents asked to return to Syria and Iraq once peace has been established in their homelands.

The legal niceties of the Geneva Convention on Refugees aside, telling the refugees that they are only temporarily welcome in the country runs counter to the need for the refugees to feel at home and integrate into the society; and Merkel had previously exhorted the refugees to learn German and integrate. Now by asking them to return to their homelands once there is peace she has taken away the incentive from the refugees to integrate into German society.And how is that fair to them?

The political winds have changed sweeping away any principles that may have underpinned Merkel's original pronouncements on the refugees.

 

Alas there are no limits to pandering!