Greece migrants: Caritas
Europa says humane and dignified response needed
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| Refugees and migrants gather at the Turkish-Greek land border (ANSA) |
Caritas Europa's Advocacy and Policy officer for asylum and
migration says a humane and dignified response is needed to the current migrant
situation and this response needs to be a European one.
By Lydia O’Kane
Tensions continued Wednesday along the Greek-Turkish border
as Greek authorities fired tear gas and stun grenades to deter migrants
crossing over the border from Turkey.
Turkey’s decision to open its borders to migrants comes
after dozens of Turkish troops were killed amid a Russia-backed Syrian
government offensive into Syria’s northwestern Idlib province.
Thousands of migrants have been making their way to the
border since Turkey announced last week it would no longer honour a 2016 deal
with the European Union to stop illegal migration movements to Europe in return
for aid.
Humane and dignified response needed
Speaking about the border clashes, Advocacy and Policy
officer for asylum and migration at Caritas Europa, Leila Bodeux said that “a
humane and dignified response is really needed and this response needs to be a
European one, so it means that Greece cannot be left alone.”
Currently, Greece is hosting tens of thousands of people in
deteriorating conditions in migrant camps. Ms Bodeux noted that “migrants
living in camps on the Greek Islands have been left in limbo who include women
and children who don’t have access to basic services.”
Many, she said, “have fled the conflict in Syria, but there
are also migrants from Afghanistan, from Iran and African countries.”
“We need to see solidarity towards Greece which means
relocating also people who are being stuck in the Greek islands, to other
European countries.”
EU leaders on Tuesday pledged 700 million euro in aid for
Greece and called on Turkey to abide by the terms of the 2016 agreement.
As the EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell visits Ankara
to discuss Turkey's decision to drop the migrants accord, Caritas Europa along
with other humanitarian organizations are calling for the urgent evacuation and
relocation of unaccompanied minors to other European countries.
Ms Bodeux underlined that there needs to be a “European
solidarity mechanism” based on sharing to make sure that the responsibility to
take care of people in need of protection “does not fall only on front line EU
countries."
Globalization of indifference
At his Angelus on Sunday, Pope Francis asked the faithful to
join him in prayer for the many men, women and children who are displace by
war.
Asked about the importance of the Pope’s voice at this time,
the Advocacy and Policy officer said his words are greatly needed at this time
because what really needs to be tackled is the “globalization of indifference”.
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