Petition text in German: https://europeansforhumanity.org/about/petition-text-de/
Petition text in French: https://europeansforhumanity.org/about/petition-text-fr/

 

 

The recent developments at the Turkish/European border in the last days have been very alarming. Since Turkey announced to open the borders on the 29th of February, more and more people who are fleeing from war, persecution, and violence are trying to reach Europe in a desperate bid for safety. Alongside the river Evros and on the Greek island Lesbos, refugees are being used as political instruments.

At both locations, the land and sea border, tear gas and fire arm are used to stop people from crossing the border. However, instead of finding a humanitarian solution, the European Commission has recently announced to provide financial assistance of €700m to Greece to expand the border protection.

Furthermore, Greece has temporarily suspended the acceptance of new Asylum applications and is deporting migrants, who arrive this month, without hearing their cases. This is a grave breach of Human Rights.

More than 20,000 people are trapped on Lesbos and are left without aid including food, legal support, and medical care. The criminalization and big risk of being attacked by right-wing extremists has forced all NGOs to stop their work.

A transnational movement emerges

Not willing to tolerate these Human Rights violations, Europeans unite behind #EuropeansforHumanity (EFH). We welcome support from every various organisations, political parties or individuals. However, EFH is not and does not aim to be associated with a political party or ideology. We strive for a pragmatic humanitarian approach to the issues of Human Rights, European values and humane treatment of refugees. We aim to connect organizations active in the fields of rescue, humanitarian aid and refugee politics to foster a Europe-wide network advocating for humane conditions in refugee camps and saving lives of refugees on sea.

EFH started with two spontaneous protests in Riga, Latvia and is now planning to raise awareness and stand up for humanity across all of Europe.

We demand for political leaders to act now!

In the light of the recent developments in Europe and the Aegean islands, we have to change our initial demands and build upon them. Since last week, the Greek government closed down all NGO work on the Aegean islands until at least end of March. This produces a huge crisis for people in the official and unofficial camps who are left without food, medical supplies and services, without heat and humanitarian aid altogether. 

We have extended our demands due to the recent developments

1. Immediate evacuation of Camp Moria on Lesvos and all overcrowded camps on the Aegean Islands  
2. Decentralize Refugee accommodation to avoid a humanitarian and medical catastrophe  
3. Reinstate Humanitarian Aid work immediately OR substitute with government structures  
4. Stop and prevent all violence against humanitarian aid workers and refugees by government forces and right-wing extremist groups. EFH calls the European Commission to terminate firearm action and the usage of tear gas on the EU-Turkish borders immediately.  
5. Stop criminalization of humanitarian aid work  
6. And finally, we demand the European Union and Nobel Peace Prize laureate as well as the Greek government to stand up for its values and immediately reinstate the asylum law.

 

If you would like to get in touch with us or support our cause, please follow us on social media or send us an email.

Facebook @europeansforhumanity
Insta @europeansforhumanity
Twitter @officialEFH
Email europeansforhumanity@gmail.com

 

 

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List of demands (until 15 Mar 2020):

1. EFH calls the European Commission to terminate firearm action and the usage of tear gas on the EU-Turkish borders immediately.

2. Furthermore, we demand the Commission to use our money for humanitarian purposes instead of expanding border security. Because of the horrific circumstances on the Greek islands, we also demand the transfer of refugees to safe places in Europe.

3. We call for the stop of criminalization of humanitarian aid work.

4. And finally, we demand the European Union and Nobel Peace Prize laureate as well as the Greek government to stand up for its values and immediately restore the Asylum law.
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