Public intervention for migrant workers in hunger strike in Greece by i-RED, RED Network, PICUM, Greek Forum of Migrants, Migrants' Rights Network
Public intervention for migrant workers in hunger strike in Greece
By
i-RED l RED European Network combating racism & xenophobia l Greek Forum of Migrants l Migrants' Rights Network (UK) lPlatform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM)
i-RED, the RED Network, the Greek Forum of Migrants, the Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM), and the Migrants’ Rights Network,
propose the following solution to the current impasse after more than a month of hunger strike by migrants and asylum seekers in Athens and Thessaloníki and urges,
1. the Greek government to:
- Examine expediently under an emergency procedure and on individual basis, the claims of protection by the migrant workers and asylum seekers, currently in hunger strike.
- Implement without any delay short term solutions – in addition to mid and long term solutions provided by the new asylum law – for the provision of emergency humanitarian assistance to and for the protection of the fundamental rights of vulnerable groups by setting up a mechanism to coordinate key social and institutional actors (government, local authorities, the National Commission for Human Rights, the Ombudsman and relevant civil society organisations).
- Evaluate, assess and review in the medium to long term the efficiency of the current migration regulations, especially regarding access and admission in the territory for work and security of status and workers’ protection.
2. the hunger strikers and their supporters to:
- End their hunger strike recognizing that their fight has been successful in making the public aware of critical issues and in mobilising wider support for their concerns.
- Cooperate with the state agencies in order to identify their individual needs and claims without any delay, in view of the availability of a wide range of solutions in the current legal framework.
- Not a single life must be lost.
Ultimately European societies must be the most sensitive to humanitarian and fundamental right issues and they will be judged by their response to the crises and their challenges.
Athens, 1 March 2011
The RED Network, is an independent research network lead by i-RED (Greece) building the RED early warning system composed of 17Research and Civil Society Organisations in EU Member States. It aims at critically recording and fighting stereotypes, which are the causes of racist and discriminatory attitudes, speech, actions and violent incidents. It perceives itself as a ‘watchdog’ and a reliable source of information.
