BEFORE THE INHUMANITY OF EUROPEAN MIGRATION POLICIES, NOT WITH OUR CONSENT
"I express my deep sorrow at this tragedy and assure for the missing and their families my remembrance in prayer. I address a pressing appeal for the international community to act decisively and quickly to avoid similar tragedies from recurring. They are men and women like us, our brothers and sisters who seek a better life. Hungry, persecuted, injured, exploited, victims of war ... They sought happiness.”
Pope Francisco, April 19, 2015
May 2015
Due to the dramatic situation we are living through in the Mediterranean Sea; the Southern border of Europe and fast becoming world's largest mass sea grave, CLC-CVX(Christian Life Community) in Europe, through its Migration Network, want to express theirdeepest sorrow for this human tragedy. A tragedy which has not had the deserved attention of the people of Europe until after the events of 19/04, and Pope Francis’ visit. A tragedy whichmight unfortunately be repeated.
From the European Christian Life Community Migration Network we would like to express our profound disagreement, frustration and sadness at the measures taken by European political leaders.
After a quick response decided in a meeting of Member States, Home and Foreign Ministers in Luxembourg on Monday 20 April, and the emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday April 23, we continue to observe in disbelief and helplessness that the measures taken continue mainly to reinforce border controls, rather than considering and responding to search and rescue tasks.
The European CLC-CVX Migration Networkcondemns:
-The lack of measures taken to provide long-term solutions to that which we know to becomplex and multi-faceted problems.
-The continued linking of political cooperation to border outsourcing controls
-That Europe continues to develop international relations that favour the exploitation of natural resources and raw materials of developing countries. Relations that offer advantages to outsourcing and subcontracting which in turn generates exploitative working conditions, all with the collusion of and to the benefit of the political powers of the developing countries involved.
-That Europe is not developing asylum policies to its full capacity; rather it is limiting such policies and not applying legally established rights.
-That Europe continues to legislate and tackle this issue from a perspective of fear, justified by the image of a Europe under siege which threatens our way of life and our welfare. This diminishes universal rights and social guarantees for all and establishing as rights theprivilegesof a few.
We condemn and want to make visible those measures which continue to be unjust and create more inequality,we also want to statethat they are part of the main reasons why these migration movements that Europetries to reject are occurring and that they cause a great loss of life.
As European citizens we demand that the EU starts to give solutions that:
-Facilitate the rescue and ensure the assistance of those who have no other option but to risk their lives through migration.
-Prosecute trafficking networks and ensure safe and legal ways of applying for international protection in all the EU Member States.
-Develop asylum policies and ensure their proper implementation, ensuring access to the right of asylum and understanding such as a universal human right, as is the right to life.
-Favour migratory and social integration policies in the Member States to respect the fundamental rights of those who come to Europe, contributing to social cohesion from the hospitality and welcome.
-Implement effective medium and long term policies for development cooperation, with budget allocations, alongsidenew international relations, that allow for the overcoming of the structural causes which generate the existing profound inequality.
-Stop legislating from fear and start to develop policies based on the defense of human rights.
-Develop a new system of solidarity sharing between the European member states, as it is proven that “Dublin Convention” overburdens some countries and creates a lot of distress amongst asylum seekers.
Because we will not be silent accomplices, and we are willing to perform the actions that are at our disposal to promote our requests come true. Being aware that they have an impact on our style and way of life, we explicit our commitment and accept the consequences in our lives flowing from them. We express it publicly and invite to subscribe and join us to all persons or entities who feel identified with our cause.
European CLC Migration Network
European CLC
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