MEDIA RELEASE         The Tragic Result of European Refugee Policies: Death Toll rises to 2000 16 June 2000 International Refugee Day MEDIA RELEASE 14/06/2000 UNITED for Intercultural Action European Network against nationalism, racism, fascism and in support of migrants and refugees More than 2000 refugees and migrants have died in and around Europe since 1993 as a result of European refugee policies. Instead of finding a safe place and a better perspective for their life people have drowned, suffocated, been beaten to death by racist attackers, gagged to death by policemen or committed suicide in dispair. These deaths can be put down to border militarisations, asylum laws, detention policies, deportations and carrier sanctions, summarised as "Fortress Europe". As possibilities for legal entry for refugees and migrants are more and more restricted, and as borders are made more impermeable, people are forced to take more and more dangerous routes. The cases that have been documented by UNITED include amongst others: Nearly weekly people drown during their attempt to cross the Mediterranean. On the 31st of December 1999, 39 people drowned in the Adriatic Sea when their rubber boat sank. A Reuters news item quotes a Spanish report about 120 assumed deaths in the first four month of this year of people who drowned while attempting to cross the Strait of Gibraltar. On 6 May an Algerian asylum seeker desperately committed suicide at the detention centre at Frankfurt/Main (Germany) airport after being held there over 8 months. In August last year a stowaway clinging to the underside of a lorry was crushed to death while disembarking in Dover (Great-Britain). UNITED protests against the deadly realities of Fortress Europe. It will be impossible to shut the borders totally. As capital and goods freely cross borders, people will continue to follow. We need to work towards long-term solutions for global problems instead of dnying these facts. A full list with all 2000 cases, is available from the UNITED office, or you can download it from the UNITED website www.unitedagainstracism.org This press release is related to the International Refugee Day on 16 June. Organisations highlight the situation of refugees in many European countries. UNITED supports activities by producing a poster informing about refugees and refugee resources. UNITED for Intercultural Action is the European network against nationalism, racism, fascism and in support of migrants and refugees, supported by more than 500 organisations in 40 countries. Since 1993 UNITED monitors all deaths of the people who became victims of the policies that can be summarised as the creation of "Fortress Europe".   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