[OccupyComms] REFUGEE CAMP WITHIN THE NETHERLANDS: HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATED

[Mark Barrett]

reposted at
http://www.peoplesassemblies.org/2012/05/refugee-camp-within-the-netherlands-human-rights-violated/

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Pieter-Jan Hollevoet <pieterjan.hollevoet at gmail.com>
Subject: [Squares] REFUGEE CAMP WITHIN THE NETHERLANDS: HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATED

Please have some attention for this. With different organizations and
OCCUPY we have set up a refugee camp for people that are denied access
to Europe and can't return back home. The goverment tries to block
humanitarian aid and had officially asked the Red Cross not to provide
basic human rights. Dozens of volunteers are helping, against the
decisions of the Dutch government and are trying to make this human.
WE ARE CALLING FOR ALL REFUGEES IN THE NETHERLANDS AND SURROUNDINGS TO
JOIN THIS CAMP - we want to show the international public how inhuman
today's European politics are. WE CALL for all revolution groups
within Europe to do the same and unite humanity within this camps.

PLEASE USE YOUR NETWORK TO FORWARD THIS MESSAGE. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

More information you can find on www.helpterapel.nl

HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATED IN SHADOW OF THE HAGUE PEACE COURT


THE NETHERLANDS, Ter Apel | More than 350 refugees, which have been
denied access to the Netherlands are camping to protest the Dutch
decision they should return to their home countries. That many of the
Iraqi’s, Iranians, Somalians and Afghani’s are facing death when they
are sent home, doesn’t bother the local politics. In fact, Dutch
politics even deny their basic human rights, such as water, food and
shelter. Volunteers from all across the country are trying to help,
but many are stopped by Dutch police.

They have been camping for 9 days now, and what used to be a small
emergency solution grew to a massive protest camp. Refugees and
volunteers from all over the Netherlands are flocking together to
protest the Dutch policy of immigration (under the rule of Secretary
of Immigration, Leers) which clearly violates the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, the European Human Rights Declaration and
the International Treaty of Refugees. That The Netherlands, which
houses the International Court of Justice in The Hague gets away with
these violations, is a huge thorn in the eye of both the global
community and the members of the United Nations.

A van, stuffed with goods by volunteers, has been stopped by the
police. “We simply could not deliver the chairs that we were bringing.
People are sitting on wet grass soil in one of the rainiest countries
of Europe, but the police finds it more important to stop volunteers
than to assist the public health and provide for human rights”, one of
the volunteers tells. “It is clear that politics are tangled up in
their own bureaucracy and can’t see or think clearly anymore.” The red
cross, who originally wanted to assist, was officially asked not to
help in this situation. The city council also decided to close and
block the water provision. Camping beds are forbidden by police.

“You have to help steer in the right direction,” Secretary of
Immigration Leers says, “helping illegal immigrants to human rights is
not the right direction”. In public statements he states clearly that
this way they want to discourage political, economical or even
humanitarian refugees to seek for more human alternatives. That
thousands and thousands have to sleep on the streets without the basic
human right on housing or even water or medical care being met, while
a record of empty buildings are locked down and empty for years,
doesn’t come to their hearts. Police rather forcefully evicts mothers,
fathers and family that try to make use of empty space.

Dozens of volunteers from around the country have picked up on the
idea through the social media. They are printing flyers, collecting
foods, medicines, tents and goods in almost every city and try to
provide the camp as much as they can. “It’s amazing,” someone says,
“it’s like we are all working for this goal of humanity and this
feeling gives us energy to go on. The Dutch people and the public’s
opinion is also very clear on this. We need to help them. They have no
other option.”

Artists are also joining the call and are organizing a love and unity
festival on Saturday at the camp site in the North of Netherlands to
draw more attention to this human cooperation. A team of lawyers just
made a call to  bundle the complaints refugees or citizens have on
immigration policies, and the UNHRC has also visited the camp today.
Minutes after that visite, the Dutch police issued a new order to
forbid field beds that are used in humanitarian aid.

Now a nationwide call is launched to refugees and volunteers in a
dozen of languages, to all humanitarian organizations and volunteers
to join in this collective strive. Though the politics continue as
usual, a refugee camp within the borders of Europe, denying the very
basic human rights. might actually finally showing publicly how
disconnected today’s European politics are from humanity.

Join on in the help and the support.
Main focus now is transport, medicines and blankets.

[ website: www.helpterapel.nl | Twitter: #helpterapel | Facebook:
Occupy Ter Apel ]

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