20
June 2002 International Refugee Day
Restrictive
Asylum Policies cause over 3000 Deaths
On 20 and 21 June in Seville,
EU ministers will discuss a common EU migration and asylum policy.
They will certainly try to give in to the anti-immigrant sentiments
that have been at the basis of the electoral success of several
parties in recent national parliamentary elections in Europe.
Such decisions have very serious, sometimes even fatal, consequences
for the people involved.
UNITED, the European network of anti-racist, migrant and refugee
organisations has documented 3026 refugee deaths since 1993.
Such cases include the death of 59 people from Nigeria, Sudan
and Turkey, who died on 7 March 2002 when their vessel capsized
in rough seas near Malta. It also includes the death of Mohsen
Amri from Iran, who committed suicide on 12 March 2002 in Birmingham
(GB) after being told his asylum claim had been refused. And
it includes the three unknown persons, who, on 20 March 2002,
died in a minefield near river Evros (GR) trying to cross the
Turkish-Greek border.
UNITED spokesperson Saskia Daru says: "European Commission
President Romano Prodi declared as a reaction on the 59 deaths
on 7 March 2002, that Europe had an important role to play "to
ensure there would be no repeat of such tragedies". However,
migration and asylum policies are becoming more restrictive and
are leading to the physical and social exclusion of people, often
violating their fundamental human rights. World-wide armed conflicts
and social injustice are the main sources of migration towards
Europe. The fight against illegal migration, which will be high
on the agenda of the Seville EU Council meeting, is a lost battle,
unless the injustice that pushes people to migrate is fought.
Governments are aware of this, but continue to pretend that the
solution lies in more restrictions. They promote a battle against
the powerless, and not the powerful. On 20 June - International
Refugee Day - organisations all over Europe protest against the
rejection that refugees face every day. They join the UNHCR in
their criticism of the new legislation introduced in Italy, Germany
and Spain recently. They want to promote the idea that refugees
contribute to our societies in a lot of ways."
20 June International Rfugee Day
Non-governmental organisations co-operate in support of refugees
around 20 June, the International Refugee Day 2002. In more than
26 countries activities take place:
- In Austria a big festival for refugees is organised by a co-operation
of many local NGOs - In Bulgaria an art and film festival takes
place
- Dozens of activities are organised throughout Great-Britain
during the "Refugee Week"
Find on this website an updated list
of activities and updated list of refugee death cases.
UNITED for Intercultural Action is the European network against
nationalism, racism, fascism and in support of migrants and refugees,
supported by over 550 organisations in 45 European countries.
It promotes the campaign for the rights of refugees by providing
a basis for information exchange, by producing common campaign
material and by stimulating and motivating local action.
For more information, contact Saskia Daru at +31-20-6834778
Up
UNITED
for Intercultural Action
European network against nationalism, racism, fascism
and in support of migrants and refugees
Postbus
413, NL-1000 AK Amsterdam, Netherlands
phone +31-20-6834778, fax +31-20-6834582
info@unitedagainstracism.org,
www.unitedagainstracism.org
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