Athens 24 October 2018
With regard to the intensification of the problems in the islands of Eastern Aegean, both concerning the inhumane living conditions for refugees and the alarming increase of incidents of racism and intolerance, that are taking place because of the implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement, we repeat our standing position:
The dealing with these problems which refugees face, making them victims and hostages of the preventive policy that EU member states implement and of the continuing tendency of banishment of the Refugee Issue in the fringes of or even outside European borders, cannot have any other approach than:
- The abandonment of the EU-Turkey Statement and more importantly the abandonment of the submission of refugees in conditions of endless detention and lock-in, that have caused all the problems we witness the last few years.
- The reinstatement of human life and dignity in the center of the relative political planning, in comparison to the current preventive policy and degradation of human value.
- The strategic planning for the smooth integration of refugees throughout the Greek territory, in a way that promotes the coexistence with local communities, instead of making it difficult, like the current policy of prevention and ghettoisation in distant camps of mainland.
The dealing of the problems that beset the refugee population and have a negative impact in local communities, does not consist of half-measures for the reduction of refugee population or for temporary improvement of living conditions, or of course does not consist of the criminalization of the solidarity towards refugees. The situation needs to be confronted with the abandonment of the political implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement, that is the main cause for the lock in of refugees in the islands and the concomitant problems.
Signing Organisations (in alphabetic order):
AITIMA http://www.aitima.gr
ARSIS – Association for the Social Support of Youth arsis.gr | arsis
Network of Social Support for Refugees and Migrants
http://migrant.diktio.org
Greek Council for Refugees http://www.gcr.gr
Greek Forum of Refugees http://refugees.gr
Greek Helsinki Monitor https://greekhelsinki.wordpress.com
Initiative for the Detainees’ Rights http://www.tokeli.gr
“LATHRA?” Committee for Solidarity to Refugees in Chios http://www.lathra.gr
Lawyers’ Team for Refugees’ and Migrants’ Rights http://www.omadadikigorwn.blogspot.com
PRAKSIS http://www.praksis.gr
Refugees Support Aegean https://rsaegean.org
World without Wars and Violence http://www.kosmosxorispolemous.gr
