"This image of a Syrian baby lying lifeless on the beach is too heartbreaking to ignore. But our Government is doing just that, and refusing to give safe haven to any more desperate families in the biggest refugee crisis since World War II. He will only move if the public outcry is too loud to ignore -- Click here to join the call for urgent action and tell everyone!"
Dear friends across the UK,
This image of a Syrian baby lying lifeless on the beach is too heartbreaking to ignore. But our Government is doing just that, refusing to give safe haven to any more desperate families in the biggest refugee crisis since World War II.
David Cameron’s refugee policy is Britain’s shame.
Britain has let in fewer than 300 Syrians while Germany expects 800,000 refugee applications this year! But Cameron is coming under intense pressure from his party, local councils and even the Daily Mail to change his position. MPs return to Parliament on Monday -- they could hold an emergency Full Day Debate and finally replace his policy of cruelty with compassion. But it won’t happen unless enough of us demand it.
EU leaders are tabling an ambitious humanitarian policy right now, but the UK has totally opted out. We have no time to lose! Join the urgent call for Cameron to throw these desperate refugees a lifeline -- and we’ll deliver it straight to Parliament next week -- then share on email, Facebook, Twitter... everywhere:
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/
Every day, hundreds of traumatised and persecuted families are crossing to Europe. With no peace in sight to wars like Syria, their choice to board a boat may be the only one they have. All they want is safety. The UN says nearly one million people need urgent help, and increasing safe and legal routes is the best way to reduce the numbers risking their lives, and curb violent people trafficking.
There is a viable emergency plan: 1. an urgent and massive increase in relocation and resettlement of refugees, that shares responsibility across the EU, and reunites families, 2. financial and technical support to countries on the frontline of the crisis like Greece, and 3. ensuring no security actions hinder rescue efforts or put those seeking sanctuary at risk.
We know massive public support can influence politicians -- when the Icelandic government said it would only take 50 asylum seekers, 10,000 Icelandic people said they would house them. Now the government is reconsidering their commitment. And since people across Germany started campaigning to welcome refugees, Merkel has responded.
In the UK it is up to us! Let’s urgently get hundreds of thousands calling on Cameron to drastically increase sanctuary for refugees. Click to join this urgent call to ensure Britain responds to this crisis in a humane way that represents our country's values, then tell everyone:
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/no_more_drownings_uk/?bOksxab&v=64424
This heartbreaking human drama is beyond many of our worst nightmares. And already nearly 2,000 Avaazers have signed up to volunteer in refugee assistance programmes, we gave $500,000 to a crucial rescue operation in the Mediterranean, we ran a massive aid mission to the Greek islands, and then lobbied fiercely until Europe signed an initial refugee deal in July. But the UK government response is a disgrace. It’s time to turn that around before one more innocent child is drowned.
With hope and determination,
Loup Dargent
On behalf of Luis, Alice, Sam, Lisa, Nick and the whole Avaaz team
MORE INFORMATION:
A dead baby becomes the most tragic symbol yet of the Mediterranean refugee crisis (Washington Post) https://www.washingtonpost. David Cameron has misjudged Europe’s refugee crisis (Financial Times) http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ Europe's halting response to migrant crisis draws criticism as toll mounts (New York Times) http://www.nytimes.com/2015/ EU ministers to meet in two weeks to find solution (The Guardian) http://www.theguardian.com/ Migrant crisis a failure of European policy, UN says (Aljazeera) http://www.aljazeera.com/news/ Europe 'must open official channels for migrants' (BBC) http://www.bbc.com/news/world- |