I have read the orginal post in this thread, and then read the article, and I find that the original thread creates the impression that the French refused visas to Africans, and gave them to Europeans, which is not true.

According to the article,

"On Friday, the organisers managed to get French visas for four Ethiopians and two Kosovans. Negotiations to get permission to enter France for the four Sudanese and one Eritrean - a refugee who lives in Norway - failed. "

The article goes on to say" Four other Eritreans have visas for the Schengen border-free zone of Europe, which includes France"

It initially looks like the French refused to issue visas to Africans, and presumably because they are from Africa, but as you can see, they have in fact granted visas to more Africans than they have refused(Four Ethiopians have visas, and four Eritreans have visas, as well)

It looks to me like the people who planned the trip did all the paperwork for the British visit, but tried to get the French paperwork done at the last minute and hit some snags. It happens every day, with tours and special travel groups such as performers and sports teams, and ocassionally, with merchant ships and even plane crews, and generally, it gets worked out to everyone's satisfaction.

It is unfortunate for the organization involved, and for the young people as well, that this matter has been publicized the way that makes it harder to resolve. Often, people take the story to the press, with the idea that the pressure of public outcry will get them what they want. It usually does.

What they never think about is that it often makes it harder for the sponsor organization to do similar things in the future. Most important, it often makes things much harder for refugees, migrant workers, and other displace individuals who have no recourse.

I used to be involved with with a community based organization that worked with migrants, immigrants, and refugees, and I can tell you from my firsthand knowledge that there are millions of people living in what amount to concentration camps, unable to return home, and trapped by closed borders and visa restrictions.

Familes wait in these places for years to get travel papers, and there are many children to are born and grow up in them. There are many people who die in them, as well.

Wherever they are from, and whatever happens to them, let these young people and there visa problems, remind you of the millions of refugees whose stories never make it into the Times.