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Put humanity at the core of EU asylum policy

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Amnesty
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Twenty-one humanitarian and human rights organizations respond with dismay to the Dutch Parliament’s approval of the EU’s new asylum plans to offshore asylum protection. With a joint appeal, they ask the government for a humane asylum policy, in line with international law.

EU President Tusk has proposed to block access to Europe to people fleeing violence, persecution and poverty, as a possible solution to the migration and refugee discussion. The hosting and protection of vulnerable people and the processing of asylum claims is being devolved to countries that are much less capable of this than EU countries. In a joint statement, the organizations say: “There is a massive difference between hosting and protecting people in their region of origin, and offshoring asylum protection and assistance to that region”.

HUMANE ASYLUM POLICY

“Closing Europe to vulnerable people fleeing violence is unacceptable”, the statement continues. “We ask the Dutch government for moral leadership and an asylum policy that does justice to the main values which Europe upholds: humanity, solidarity and shared responsibility. Nobody flees violence and conflict voluntarily.”

According to Cordaid CEO Kees Zevenbergen, this campaign underscores the message of the Share the Journey campaign of Caritas Internationalis, the network of Catholic aid organizations of which Cordaid is a founding member. “Millions are in dire need. They flee from war, from human rights abuses or natural hazards. Europe is among the richest regions in the world. It is a matter of pure decency to welcome those who suffer unspeakably and offer them a place to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives. Not doing that, staying indifferent to the suffering of others, leads to the dehumanization of ourselves.”

It is the first time that over 20 Dutch humanitarian and human rights organizations join forces in such a short period of time to express their concerns about proposed changes in Europe’s asylum policy. The campaign is supported by: Amnesty International, Doctors Without Borders, CARE Nederland, Cordaid, the Red Cross, Hivos, ICCO/Kerk in Aktie, Oxfam Novib, PAX, Plan Nederland, Save the Children, SOS Kinderdorpen, Stichting Vluchteling, Stichting voor Vluchteling-Studenten UAF, Tear, Terre des Hommes, Vluchtelingenwerk Nederland, War Child, World Vision and ZOA.