Here’s an interesting article on why Swiss pediatric radiologists are refusing to x-ray the hands of suspected illegal aliens for age determination anymore.
Note: The story is in German and wasn’t published on the English version of the site. If you run the link through Alta Vista’s Babel Fish you’ll get the gist of what happened.
From what I understand, the cases of refugees under the age of 18 who come to Switzerland are judged differently than those who are over that age. The restrictions are less harsh. Therefore it is advantageous to the refugee to refuse to disclose her or his age or just say that she or he doesn’t know it (which could quite possibly be the case).
Swiss authorities gave some pediatric radiologists here the task of x-raying the hands of these people. Supposedly, the bone structure in the hand is a give-away to how old the person is. The only problem, according to the radiologists, is that it’s hard to tell if someone is 17.5 years old or 19 years go. Skeletal age isn’t *that* precise.
I really don’t have a set opinion on this. I just find it…strange.
On another note the “She’s Got Balls” award goes to Federal Councillor Micheline Calmy-Rey for summoning U.S. Ambassador Pamela Willeford (whose brother-in-law, Lewis Lucke, is the head of U.S. development assistance in Iraq*) and U.K. Ambassador Simon Featherstone to her office and reading them the riot act about the Iraqi prisoner situation. I doubt if the two even cared, but I still think this was an important act.
Even before the war started, Calmy-Rey offered herself as a go-between to help the U.S. and Iraq broker a peaceful deal. The U.S. refused.
Comments (4)
Yes Micheline Calmy-Rey makes me proud to be a Swiss
Hey, another Swiss commenting ! According to a recent poll, Micheline Calmy-Rey is the favourite councillior of the Swiss population. She’s also mine.
Want to trade for Colin?:-)
no way we are going to trade Micheline even if good ol’ Colin is seeking a way out of the bush…