Urgent appeal for the evacuation of the Greek refugee camps
President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen
President of the European Parliament, David Sassoli
President of the European Council, Charles Michel
Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic, Kyriakos Mitsotakis
We urge the immediate evacuation of the refugee camps and hotspots on the Greek islands to avert a
catastrophe amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
More than 42,000 people are trapped on the islands in hopelessly overcrowded camps and in horrific
conditions. Recommended measures like social distancing or frequent hand washing are simply
impossible. There is no hope of containing any outbreak within the camps. It would endanger the
elderly and those with underlying health conditions, both refugees and the local population.
Time is of the essence. We urge emergency action to guarantee the health and safety of the asylum
seekers, the local population and the humanitarian aid workers on the islands. The European
Commission, the European Council and the European Parliament must make every effort to urge
member states to fulfil their responsibilities and accept asylum seekers from Greece.
We demand that access to the universal human right to seek and be granted asylum, as guaranteed
by the European Charter of Fundamental Rights, should immediately be restored and upheld. This
includes accepting asylum applications and considering them in fair asylum procedures, not punishing
people who cross borders in order to make an asylum application, and fully respecting the principle of
non-refoulement, which is currently being circumvented by illegal pushbacks.
We, the undersigned civil society organisations are confident, given our long experience in caring for
and advising refugees, that it is well within the EU’s capacity to cope with the current crisis on its
external borders. We stand in solidarity with the refugees and offer our help to avoid this looming
humanitarian catastrophe.
23.3.2020
Organisation |
Country |
AG Globale Verantwortung |
Austria |
AIDOS – Italian Association for Women in Development |
Italy |
AITIMA Greece |
Greece |
Akis Kulturverein |
Austria |
Alpine Peace Crossing |
Austria |
Alternative, Grüne und Unabhängige GewerkschafterInnen – AUGE/UG |
Austria |
AOI – Associazione ONG Italiane |
Italy |
Arbeiter Samariter Bund Wien |
Austria |
Arcobaleno |
Austria |
ARSIS – Association for the Social Support of Youth |
Greece |
Asylinfreistadt |
Austria |
asylkoordination österreich |
Austria |
AsyLex Legal Advisory |
Switzerland |
Attac |
Austria |
Aufstehn.at |
Austria |
B7 Arbeit und Leben |
Austria |
Bauern helfen Bauern Salzburg |
Austria |
Begegnungszentrum für aktive Gewaltlosigkeit |
Austria |
Beratungszentrum für Migranten und Migrantinnen |
Austria |
Blinklicht Media Lab |
Austria |
borderline-europe Menschenrechte ohne Grenzen e.V. |
EU |
Brot für die Welt |
EAEA |
Café Namsa |
Austria |
Caritas Europa |
EU |
CCME |
EU |
Chong* |
Austria |
Christian Council of Norway |
Norway |
Churches in North |
|
Church of Sweden |
Sweden |
CONCORD ITALIA |
Italy |
Connect Mödling |
Austria |
Coordinadora de ONG para el Desarrollo-España |
Spain |
Defence for Children the Netherlands |
Netherlands |
Deutsch ohne Grenzen |
Austria |
Diakonie Flüchtlingsdienst |
Austria |
Diakonie Österreich |
Austria |
DIEM 25 |
EU |
Die Praxis, Gemeinschaftspraxis für Beratung I Therapie I Bewegung |
Austria |
Diotima, Centre for Research on Women’s Issues |
CRWI |
Don Bosco Flüchtlingswerk Austria |
Austria |
Dutch Council for Refugees |
Netherlands |
Ecumenical Councils in North |
|
Ehe ohne Grenzen |
Austria |
Eurochild |
EU |
Europäisches BürgerInnenforum |
EU |
European Association for the Education of Adults |
EAEA |
European Network of Migrant Women |
EU |
European Volunteer Centre |
CEV |
European Women’s Lobby |
EU |
Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Finland |
Finland |
FairAsyl, eine Initiative des Werkes der Frohbotschaft Batschuns |
Austria |
Fairness Asyl |
Austria |
Federation of Protestant Churches in Italy |
Italy |
Female Fellows e.V |
Germany |
FENIX Humanitarian Legal Aid |
Greece |
Finnish Ecumenical Council |
Finland |
Flüchtlingshilfe Langenlois |
Austria |
Flüchtlingsprojekt Ute Bock |
Austria |
Fluchtpunkt |
Austria |
Flucht-Punkt -Ländle |
Austria |
FOCSIV – Italian Federation of Christian Organisations for international Volunteering Service |
Italy |
Franziskusgemeinschaft Pinkafeld |
Austria |
Frauenhetz – Feministische Bildung, Kultur und Politik |
Austria |
Frauensolidarität |
Austria |
Freundeskreis FH St.Gertraudi |
Austria |
Freundeskreis aPrRi im Tiroler Oberland |
Austria |
Freundeskreis für Integration Inzing |
Austria |
Friedensbüro Salzburg |
Austria |
Frohbotschaft.Heute, Verein für weltoffenes hristsein |
Austria |
Gablitz hilft – Flüchtlingshilfe |
Austria |
GCAP ITALIA |
Italy |
GIG Gemeinsam in Gallneukirchen |
Austria |
Global Call to Action against Poverty GCAP) Europe |
EU |
Global Health Italian Network |
Italy |
Gmünd hilft |
Austria |
Greek Council for Refugees |
Greece |
Green Budget Europe |
EU |
Happy.Thankyou.Moreplease |
Austria |
haveno Psychotherapie und interkulturelle Kommunikation |
Germany |
HEMAYAT |
Austria |
Human Rights League Slovakia |
Slovakia |
IG Kultur |
Austria |
ILGA-Europe |
EU |
Initiative Minderheiten |
Austria |
Integrationswerkstatt |
Austria |
Internationale Liga für Menschenrechte e.V. |
Germany |
International Teams Austria – Teams für soziale Aufbauarbeit und Integration |
Austria |
Italian Alliance for Sustainable Development |
Italy |
Italian Council for Refugees |
Italy |
IZ – Verein zur Förderung von Vielfalt, Dialog und Bildung |
Austria |
Jesuit Refugee Service Europe |
EU |
Jesuit Refugee Service Greece |
Greece |
Jesuit Refugee Service France |
France |
Josoor |
Austria |
KABÖ Katholische ArbeitnehmerInnen Bewegung Österreich |
Austria |
Katholische Frauenbewegung der Erzdiözese Wien |
Austria |
Khora Asylum Support Team |
Greece |
Klosterneuburg hilft |
Austria |
Kulturrat Österreich |
Austria |
Le Fate Onlus |
Italy |
LEFÖ -Beratung, Bildung und Begleitung für Migrantinnen |
Austria |
LEGAL CENTRE LESVOS |
Greece |
Lifelong Learning Platform |
EU |
M.A.I.S. Ong |
Italy |
maiz-Frauen |
Austria |
Make Mothers Matter |
EU |
matteo – Kirche und Asyl |
Germany |
Menschenwürde Österreich |
Austria |
MiM Miteinander im Mittelgebirge – Freundeskreis Flüchtlinge |
Austria |
MIO – miteinander in Oberschützen |
Austria |
MiSaG, The working group on migration and asylum of the United |
|
Protestant Church in Belgium |
Belgium |
MONIKA – Multicultural Women´s Association, Finland |
Finland |
MORE-Team, JKU |
Austria |
Moviment Graffitti |
Malta |
Mujeres Supervivientes de Violencias de Género |
Spain |
Network for Children’s Rights |
Greece |
Die Notbremsen. Flüchtlingshilfe Pillichsdorf |
Austria |
Ökumenisches Netzwerk Asyl in der Kirche in NRW e.V. |
Germany |
Österreichische Kinderfreunde |
Austria |
OMAS GEGEN RECHTS |
Austria |
OMEGA, Transkulturelles Zentrum |
Austria |
Orthodox Church of Finland |
Finland |
Österreichische Liga für Menschenrechte |
Austria |
PatInnen für alle |
Austria |
Peregrina |
Austria |
Pfarrnetzwerk Asyl |
Austria |
PIC – Legal Informational centre |
Slovenia |
PICUM, the Platform for international cooperation on undocumented migrants |
EU |
Pioneers of change |
Austria |
Plattform 20000 Frauen |
Austria |
Plataforma Portuguesa das ONGD |
Portugal |
Plattform Asyl – FÜR MENSCHEN RECHTE |
Austria |
Plattform für eine menschliche Asylpolitik |
Austria |
Plattform für Menschenrechte Salzburg |
Austria |
PRO ASYL |
Germany |
Protestant Social Centre Antwerp |
Belgium |
Psychosoziale Beratung für Flüchtlinge |
Germany |
Refugee Legal Support |
Greece |
Refugee Rights Europe |
EU |
Refugees Learn |
Austria |
Refugee Support Aegean |
Greece |
Refugee Youth Service |
United Kinkdom |
Reporter ohne Grenzen |
Austria |
Respekt.net |
Austria |
Seebrücke Graz |
Austria |
Seebrücke Innsbruck |
Austria |
Seebrücke Wien |
Austria |
Shalom Alaikum-Jewish Aid for Refugees |
Austria |
SOLIDAR |
EU |
SOLIDAR Foundation |
EU |
Solidarisches Salzburg |
Austria |
SOS Balkanroute |
Austria |
SOS Mitmensch |
Austria |
SOS Mitmensch-Burgenland |
Austria |
SOS Mitmensch – Korneuburg |
Austria |
SOS Racismo federation |
Spain |
Sozialverein Igls – Vill |
Austria |
Steirische Gesellschaft für Kulturpolitik |
Austria |
Südwind |
Austria |
TERRE DES FEMMES |
Germany |
Theater der Unterdrückten Wien |
Austria |
Toleranz für Menschen – Jenbach |
Austria |
Tralalobe – Verein zur Förderung und Hilfe von Bedürftigen |
Austria |
Treffpunkt Mensch & Arbeit |
Austria |
UniT |
Austria |
United Reformed Church |
United Kinkdom |
Unser Bruck hilft |
Austria |
uns reicht´s – es reicht für alle |
Austria |
Velos Youth |
Greece |
Verein frida |
Austria |
Verein Grenzenlos St. Andrä Wördern |
Austria |
Verein Herzverstand – Comedor del Arte |
Austria |
verein konfliktkultur |
Austria |
Verein Netzwerk Gnas |
Austria |
Verein Projekt Integrationshaus |
Austria |
Verein Region Neusiedlersee hilft |
Austria |
Verein Solidarität Igls |
Austria |
Verein Spiel_Raum – Raum für Bewegung, Theater und Anti-Diskriminierung |
Austria |
Vindex – Schutz und Asy |
Austria |
Volkshilfe Österreich |
Austria |
Volkshilfe Wien |
Austria |
Vö-Mit- Miteinander in Bad Vöslau |
Austria |
WECF Deutschland e.V. |
Germany |
Welcome To School |
Switzerland |
Welthaus Wien |
Austria |
Weltladen Horn |
Austria |
WILPF Germany |
Germany |
Willkommen MENSCH in Horn |
Austria |
Willkommen Mensch Haunoldstein |
Austria |
Willkommen. Verein zum Finden einer Neuen Heimat |
Austria |
you-are-welcome / PIR |
Austria |
ZEBRA |
Austria |
Zentrum für Integrative Psychosomatik und Psychotherapie |
Austria |
Züri4refugees |
Switzerland |
#zusammenHaltNÖ |
Austria |