MINELRES: UNITED E-NEWS 03/05/06: International Refugee Day - 20 June 2006
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Sun May 7 10:36:02 2006
Original sender: UNITED <[email protected]>
UNITED E-NEWS 03/05/06: INTERNATIONAL REFUGEE DAY - 20 JUNE 2006
INTERNATIONAL REFUGEE DAY - 20 JUNE 2006
CAMPAIGNING in SUPPORT of REFUGEES!
PROTESTING against the FATAL REALITIES of FORTRESS EUROPE!
What you will find in this e-mail:
- International Refugee Day campaigning info
- Background information on "The fatal realities of Fortress Europe"
- Campaigning and lobbying tips, ideas...
- link to the ORDER FORM to order campaigning material for free
(posters, stickers, leaflets, postcards...)
http://www.united.non-profit.nl/docs/orderform_ref06.rtf
-link to the up-dated version of the list of deaths (.pdf file)
http://www.united.non-profit.nl/pdfs/DEATHLIST_7182.pdf
UNITED invites you to join the campaign!
As the International Refugee Days approaches, many NGOs involved in
migrants, refugees and asylum seekers' issues are starting to organise
activities Europe-wide to both raise public awareness and to lobby on a
local and national level for the rights and the protection of refugees
across the continent. Each NGO might have a different priority,
according to their targets and their field of action, but it is of
extreme importance that all actions gather together to form one strong
European campaign.
This is why, like every year, UNITED co-ordinates the International
Refugee Campaign by making a on-line list of activities, by distributing
free campaigning material (posters, stickers, postcards, info leaflets)
and by functioning as a reference point. Moreover, all year 'round,
UNITED co-ordinates an on-going campaign called "The Fatal realities of
Fortress Europe", a campaign, which aims at raising awareness on the
tragedy going on at Europe's borders and inside detention and
deportation camps all over the continent. By updating a list of already
7,000 documented deaths of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants who
lost their lives in the attempt of entering Europe or because of
detention/deportation companies, UNITED has created a powerful lobby and
awareness-raising tool that all organisations can use for campaigning.
If your organisation is also hosting, organising or supporting an
activity related to the International Refugee Day, please check the link
to the order form and return it to us as soon as possible, filled with
info on your activity and with the amount of material you will need.
OPEN BORDERS - OPEN MINDS: CAMPAIGNING AGAINST THE FATAL REALITIES OF
FORTRESS EUROPE...
UNITED for Intercultural Action protests against the building of a
"Fortress Europe", which leads to the death of desperate people looking
for safe refuge.
UNITED collects data on where, when and under which circumstances the
refugees died. All the cases contained in the list are documented. The
list does not pretend to have a strong scientific basis. Nevertheless,
it is extremely important for the purposes of the Campaign to raise
awareness on this issue throughout Europe. Although the lack of a strong
scientific basis prevents quantitative analysis to be based on the list,
qualitative research is possible. It is essential to reach researchers,
journalists, and artists who, by making a creative use of the list,
contribute to the awareness-raising with their work and their projects.
It is only by making the list as public as possible, that a concrete
action against the cruel and inhuman consequences of Europe�s exclusion
policy is possible.
GET ACTIVE!
Please find below how your organisation can also be part of the
campaign, join the movement and take advantage of the possibilities
UNITED offers to whomever shows interest into the campaign.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR CAMPAIGNING IDEAS...
Please, inform us as soon as your organisation start planning an
activity. Tell us via e-mail where and when the activity will take
place, who will be involved and what is going to happen! We will include
your activity into a comprehensive list of Europe-wide activities. Many
people will have the chance to know about your activity!!! For this
purpose, you can use our standard 'order form' (link to our web side
above).
DO YOU NEED MATERIAL?
United has recently produced new material for the refugee campaign, in
particular, the poster about 6,800 documented deaths by European
migration policies, which served also as a info leaflet, since it
carries extensive info on the back. But also postcards, stickers...they
are all for you to chose on our web site!
You can order the material by filling the on-line order form on our web
site (link above).
ADOPT A CASE! GIVE THE CAMPAIGN A HUMAN FACE...
The impact of the list of deaths is caused by the sheer numbers. Behind
them, though, there are human beings. In order to make our point and
spread the message of the campaign across Europe, it is necessary to
give the list a human dimension. As a matter of fact, the list is a
powerful tool for campaigning both as a whole, and also as a series of
single cases. Here are some cases, but you can ask us for more!!!
Great Britain: suicide in fear of deportation
Manuel Bravo, 35 year-old, hanged himself at Yarl�s Wood removal center
in Bedforshire (GB) on September 15, 2005. Manuel had been living with
his teenager son Antonio in Leeds for about three years, after fleeing
war-torn Angola. His wife Lydia and his other son Mellyu had disappeared
after their return to Angola, and other members of Manuel�s family had
already been killed. Manuel�s asylum claim had been refused, and he was
supposed to be repatriated. He committed suicide in fear of deportation,
and to give his minor son the chance to stay in England.
(NCADC News Service � BBC News UK Edition)
Italy: left drowning in stormy waters
On November 18, 2005 on the beach of Sicli near Ragusa (I), 7 dead
bodies were found. 2 other corpses were rescued off the coast of Sicli
the same day. The bodies belong to the victims of the latest tragedy in
the Mediterranean, the graveyard of "Fortress Europe" southern border.
The boat left Libya on the 15th headed to Italy. When it approached the
coast of Malta in stormy waters, it was already in extremely difficult
conditions. Nevertheless, according to the survivors, Maltese coast
guards ignored the plea for help. When the boat got stranded 100 meters
from the beach people on board had to make their way to the beach
through five meters-high waves. After a while, the boat capsized,
killing some. Some other drowned. The rest finally reached the beach and
were taken by authorities.
(La Repubblica, 19 November 2005)
Greece: shot to death at the border
On September 10, 2005, a 44-year old Albanian woman was reported to be
shot by a Greek border guard near the border with the Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia. The woman received the gunshot to her chest, was
hospitalized in Skopjie and died shortly after.
(Migration News Sheet, October 2005)
Heading to Greece: open fire on a vessel
On September 19, 2005, the Turkish coast guard open fire on a vessel
carrying 27 migrants, mostly Syrians, after it failed to follow warning
calls to stop as it continued to head towards the Greek island of Chios,
off the Aegean port city of Izmir. One man was killed and two others
were injured.
(Migration News Sheet, October 2005)
Safe third countries? Tortured and beaten upon arrival
Rafiq Sjirinov was reportedly tortured and beaten up to death upon his
arrival in Azerbaijan, after being deported from Sweden on August 21,
2004. According to the friends who saw the dead body and followed up his
case, this was to be expected. According to what he stated in his asylum
claim, Rafiq had been the victim of a number of attacks since 1994: he
had been arrested, tortured and mishandled by Azerbaijani police. His
wife had also been arrested, and died as a result of violence. Rafiq
arrived in Sweden in 2002. His asylum claim was rejected. According to
the Migration Board and Aliens Appeals Board, there is no general threat
scenario for asylum seekers in Azerbaijan.
(Migration News Sheet)
SEND A LETTER OF PROTEST! GIVE YOUR CAMPAIGN A STRONGER MEANING!
This publication gives you some information that you can use in writing
your own letter of protest to the policy-makers of your choice (you can
also use the example letter underneath). Include a copy of the poster in
your protest. If you need more co-pies, let us know. There is strength
in numbers, so send the protest letter to all your contacts in politics
(please ask for the updated list of refugee deaths from the UNITED
secretariat).
EXAMPLE LETTER
To the responsible political body in the matter of immigration and
asylum
Attn Mr X / Ms X
Date
Dear Sir, Madam,
Re: Death of more than 6800 refugees at the borders of "Fortress Europe"
We would like to share with you the horror we felt at the news of over
7,100 deaths of refugees.
Since 1993 UNITED for Intercultural Action, the European network against
racism has monitored the deadly results of the policies building a
"Fortress Europe". These deaths can be put down to border
militarisations, asylum laws, detention policies, deportations and
carrier sanctions. They are not singular incidents, but symptoms of
policies that no longer see the humanity of those fleeing their
homeland.
We protest, together with UNITED with its more than 560 supporting
organisations, against these policies.
Borders cannot be shut to those seeking refuge. We have to see people as
individuals, as possible victims of global conflicts. If we do not take
care that the global political and socio-economic situation gets better,
we cannot realistically expect people to stay in situations that we
ourselves would find unbearable.
We expect from you that you will do your utmost to make sure that
policies change and more tragic deaths are prevented.
Yours sincerely,
X. Yzed
President
Enclosed: Publication with the list of documented refugee deaths
You can address your mail to:
The European Parliament
Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence
Policy and/or
Committee on Citizens' Freedoms and Rights, Justice and Home Affairs
rue Wiertz
B-1047 Brussels, Belgium
or directly to any member of the European Parliament, at the same
address
Council of the European Union,
General Secretariat / Justice and Home Affairs
rue de la Loi 175
B-1048 Brussels, Belgium
or
Committee on Migration, Refugees and Population
Parliamentary Assembly
Council of Europe
Avenue de l'Europe
F-67075 Strasbourg Cedex
Or to National Parliaments
Please find out the addresses of your national Parliament and the
appropriate Members and Commissions from the public relations desk, or
check your library.
MAKE YOUR CAMPAIGN MORE VISIBLE! DISTRIBUTE THE POSTER AS MUCH AS
POSSIBLE!
Take several copies of this poster to all the meetings, conferences and
seminars that are focusing on migration issues. Try to stress the
importance of its contents as well as the brutality of its figures
(please ask for the updated list of refugee deaths from the UNITED's
office).
It is important to bear in mind that all these deaths were due to
policies that criminalise a basic human right: the right of choosing
freely a place to live.
When possible and appropriate translate the contents of this publication
into your language. If you do so, please send a copy to UNITED. In case
you need a picture of this poster just contact us and we will provide
it.
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UNITED for Intercultural Action
European network against nationalism, racism, fascism and in support of
migrants and refugees
Postbus 413 - NL 1000 AK Amsterdam
phone +31-20-6834778 - fax +31-20-6834582
[email protected] - http://www.unitedagainstracism.org
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We depend on YOUR help in 2006!
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Though far most of the work at the UNITED secretariat is done voluntary
- still money is needed to keep the network functioning in 2006 and to
secure the cooperation and information flow throughout Europe.
Your donation is most welcome:
- in cash to UNITED Postbus 413 NL-1000 AK Amsterdam
- by bank (preferable) to:
UNITED, Postbus 413 NL-1000 AK Amsterdam
Account: IBAN NL77PSTB0002343715, BIC: PSTB NL2A - Bank: Postbank,
Postbus 1800, NL-1000 BV Amsterdam
(From NL: postbank 2343715)
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UNITED is the pan-European network against nationalism, racism, fascism
and in support of migrants and refugees, supported by over 560
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UNITED for Intercultural Action
European network against nationalism, racism, fascism and in support of
migrants and refugees
Postbus 413 - NL 1000 AK Amsterdam - phone +31-20-6834778 - fax
+31-20-6834582 - [email protected] -
http://www.unitedagainstracism.org
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