COA acknowledges delayed response to safety reports on Silja asylum ship

The Central Agency for Asylum Seekers (COA) has admitted that reports regarding integrity and social safety at the Silja asylum ship in Rotterdam were not addressed for too long. This admission follows allegations of racism and intimidation directed at staff members by management.

Reports indicate that employees faced derogatory language, including being referred to as ‘tea towels’ due to wearing hijabs, and being called ‘letterboxes’ for wearing burkas. One manager reportedly wore a sweater labeled ‘fortune seeker’ and allegedly used discriminatory language regarding staff with migration backgrounds and female employees.

Staff members have described a culture of fear, citing high turnover, high absenteeism, and intimidation by leadership. Some employees reported that after submitting a formal letter of complaint to the Ministry of Asylum and Migration, they faced retaliation. The COA stated it takes these signals ‘very seriously’ and has commissioned an external agency to conduct an independent fact-finding investigation into the allegations.