Call to day of action on Friday 15th April against deportations to Turkey and for the acceptance of refugees.
Since Monday there have been deportations of refugees from Greece to Turkey. To Turkey, where democratic rights and freedoms are currently under attack and a war is being waged against the Kurds. To Turkey, where Amnesty International reports that people are being deported back to Syria. To the middle of a warzone.
At the same time, tens of thousands of refugees are stuck at the Greek-Macedonian border in Idomeni and in the internment camps on the Greek islands. Almost half the people there are children, whose mental and physical health may be damaged for life as a result of living in these conditions. Many of these people have close family in other European countries. However, laws allowing family reunion are not working – in Turkey the average waiting period for an appointment to discuss the possibility of family reunion is 14 months. In Idomeni it's only possible to book appointments using Skype. The number is constantly occupied.
We wonder where the human rights so frequently evoked remain in all these deals and new bits of legislation. There doesn't seem to us to be an awareness that these are people like us who are being mistreated at the borders. We want to show our solidarity with the demands of the people on Europe's outer borders: open the borders! Stop deportations to Turkey and other countries!
Take part in the day of action on Friday 15th April. Show your rejection of the deal with Turkey! Let's make it clear that there is still space for refugees here! Show your solidarity with the people on Europe's outer borders!