Athens, 5.03.2020 – The Racist Violence Recording Network (RVRN) strongly condemns the recent incidents targeting refugees, asylum seekers, and humanitarian workers on the Greek Aegean islands and at Evros. In recent days, the member organizations of the RVRN witness numerous and escalating xenophobic and racist incidents, by groups of some […]
Athens, 5.03.2020 – The Racist Violence Recording Network (RVRN) strongly condemns the recent incidents targeting refugees, asylum seekers, and humanitarian workers on the Greek Aegean islands and at Evros.
In recent days, the member organizations of the RVRN witness numerous and escalating xenophobic and racist incidents, by groups of some locals against newly arrived refugees and migrants, as well as attacks against staff of international organizations and NGOs, members of the civil society and journalists, due to their association with the defence of the rights of refugees. Such targeted attacks have escalated with physical assaults on staff providing services to refugees, arsons in facilities used for shelter and for services to refugees, NGO vehicles and blocking of the transfer or the disembarkation of new arrivals with the parallel use of racist comments. We are deeply concerned that if there is no appropriate response by the competent authorities, these attacks may continue to multiply, without excluding the possibility for some of them to turn fatal.
The Racist Violence Recording Network has many times in the past emphasized the link between the rise in xenophobia and racist manifestations with both the absence of a coherent and human-centered migration policy, based on international standards and safeguards, and the prolonged critical overcrowding and dire conditions at the island reception centers which hinders the harmonious coexistence and burdens both the refugee and migrant population and the local communities. The rise of these incidents is further inextricably linked to the institutional targeting of refugees and migrants through the public discourse used by political leaders and the media in the context of, inter alia, the tensions created recently at the Greek-Turkish border. Targeting is also exacerbated by decisions, such as the recent suspension on the registration of asylum applications, which constitutes a violation of international law: access to the asylum procedures needs to be urgently restored for the protection of those who need it.
Taking the above into consideration, RVRN:
The Racist Violence Recording Network was established in 2011 and comprises of 47 Non-Governmental Organisations and civil society actors, as well as the Greek Ombudsman and the Migrants’ Integration Council of the Municipality of Athens, as observers. It is coordinated by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and the Greek National Commission for Human Rights. The participating organizations provide medical, social and legal services to victims of racist violence or victims of other hate – or bias- motivated violent attacks, or have been established by the groups which are usually targeted by racist violence themselves.
RVRN members: Aitima, Solidarity Now, Antigone-Information and Documentation Centre, University of Aegean Anti-Racist Observatory, Arsis, Doctors of the World (MdM), Amnesty International, Network for Children’s Rights, Network for Social Support of Refugees and Immigrants, “Pleiades – Hellenic Action for Human Rights”, Hellenic League for Human Rights, Hellenic Red Cross, Greek Council for Refugees, Greek Forum of Migrants, Greek Forum of Refugees, Human Rights Commission of the Bar Association of Rhodes, Positive Voice, Medical Intervention, Caritas Athens, Caritas Hellas, Centre for Research on Women’s Issues “Diotima”, Center for Life, “Babel” Day Centre, Centre for the Support of Repatriated and Migrants – Ecumenical Refugee Program, Network for the Support of Refugee and Migrant Rights (Patras), World Without War and Violence, LATHRA? – Solidarity Committee for Chios refugees, METAdrasi, Rainbow Families, Group of Lawyers for the Rights of Refugees and Migrants, Group of Lawyers for the Support of Refugee and Migrant Rights (Thessaloniki), Homosexual and Lesbian Community of Greece, Association of Afghans United In Greece, Association of Social Workers of Greece, Greek Transgender Support Association, Faros tou Kosmou, Forum of Migrants in Crete, Refugee Support Aegean, Act Up Hellas, ASANTE, Colour Youth – LGBTQ Youth Community of Athens, Generation 2.0 RED,HIAS in Greece, HumanRights360, Melissa Network, PRAKSIS, Α21.
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