MINELRES: UNITED E-NEWS: 20 June International Refugee Day

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Original sender: UNITED <info@unitedagainstracism.org>


E-NEWS from UNITED
18/06/2002

Underneath you find a UNITED media release. Please feel free to copy,
translate and distribute.
We would appreciate it if you would send any publicity around the
International Refugee Day to the UNITED office.

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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,
info@unitedagainstracism.org, www.unitedagainstracism.org

18/06/2002
MEDIA RELEASE

20 June International Refugee Day
"Restrictive asylum policies cause over 3000 deaths"

On 20 and 21 June in Seville, EU ministers will discuss a common EU
migration and asylum policy. They will certainly try to give in to the
anti-immigrant sentiments that have been at the basis of the electoral
success of several parties in recent national parliamentary elections
in Europe. Such decisions have very serious, sometimes even fatal
consequences for the people involved.

UNITED, the European network of anti-racist, migrant and refugee
organisations has documented 3026 refugee deaths since 1993. Such
cases include the death of 59 people from Nigeria, Sudan and Turkey,
who died on 7 March 2002 when their vessel capsized in rough seas near
Malta. It also includes the death of Mohsen Amri from Iran, who
committed suicide on 12 March 2002 in Birmingham (GB) after being told
his asylum claim had been refused. And it includes the three unknown
persons, who, on 20 March 2002, died in a minefield near river Evros
(GR) trying to cross the Turkish-Greek border.

UNITED spokesperson Saskia Daru says: "European Commission President
Romano Prodi declared as a reaction on the 59 deaths on 7 March 2002,
that Europe had an important role to play "to ensure there would be no
repeat of such tragedies". However, migration and asylum policies are
becoming more restrictive and are leading to the physical and social
exclusion of people, often violating their fundamental human rights.
World-wide armed conflicts and social injustice are the main sources
of migration towards Europe. The fight against illegal migration,
which will be high on the agenda of the Seville EU Council meeting, is
a lost battle, unless the injustice that pushes people to migrate is
fought. Governments are aware of this, but continue to pretend that
the solution lies in more restrictions. They promote a battle against
the powerless, and not the powerful. On 20 June - International
Refugee Day - organisations all over Europe protest against the
rejection that refugees face every day. They join the UNHCR in their
criticism of the new legislation introduced in Italy, Germany and
Spain recently. They want to promote the idea that refugees contribute
to our societies in a lot of ways."

20 JUNE INTERNATIONAL REFUGEE DAY
Non-governmental organisations co-operate in support of refugees
around 20 June, the International Refugee Day 2002. In more than 26
countries activities take place:
- In Austria a big festival for refugees is organised by a
co-operation of many local NGOs
- In Bulgaria an art and film festival takes place
- Dozens of activities are organised throughout Great-Britain during
the "Refugee Week"
Updated list of activities: http://www.unitedagainstracism.org (click
"new")
Updated list of refugee death cases:
http://www.unitedagainstracism.org (click "new")

UNITED for Intercultural Action is the European network against
nationalism, racism, fascism and in support of migrants and refugees,
supported by over 550 organisations in 45 European countries. It
promotes the campaign for the rights of refugees by providing a basis
for information exchange, by producing common campaign material and by
stimulating and motivating local action.

For more information, contact Saskia Daru at +31-20-6834778

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UNITED for Intercultural Action
European network against nationalism, racism, fascism
and in support of migrants and refugees
PB 413, NL-1000 AK Amsterdam
phone +31-20-6834778, fax +31-20-6834582

NB: new email / website!!
info@unitedagainstracism.org  http://www.unitedagainstracism.org
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