REFUGEES PROTEST AGAINST THEIR WORSENING SITUATION IN THE NETHERLANDS
We, the refugees in the streets in the Netherlands, protest the 27th of September 2011 from 1pm till 5pm on the Spui Square in The Hague. We are supported by STIL (a Utrecht-based solidarity organisation for refugees and migrants without a residence permit) and PRIME (a The Hague-based organisation for asylum seekers, refugees and undocumented migrants). There will be a number of speeches at the protest provided by Tofik Dibi, (member of parliament for Groen Links), Marry Mos, (chairwoman of Groen Links Utrecht), Jan de Kruif, (chairman of OMDUW, a group of 21 churches in Utrecht who support refugees and homeless people), Stella Ismail (Vluchtelingen Organisaties Nederland), Sharon Gesthuizen (member of the parliament for SP), Gerda Later (lawyer), Helen Hintjes (International Socia Studies ISS), Ahmed Pouri (PRIME) and many others. During the protest, refugees from several countries will also voice their demands.
We – the undocumented refugees – have joined forces to defend our basic human rights. The main reason for this protest is that our basic needs such as the right to work, shelter, food and healthcare are not met and as a result we face some of the greatest problems any human can face. What have we done to deserve this?
We came to the Netherlands for sound reasons but we did not get a fair asylum procedure. Instead, the only aim was to reject our asylum claims. We feel that everyone is entitled to their basic human rights. We are fighting for the acknowledgement of our basic human rights and for a humane immigration policy. We know that we cannot leave the Netherlands, our future lies here. Other countries where we would go would send us back to the street of the Netherlands.
We are protesting against the criminalisation and exclusion of innocent undocumented migrants and refugees. We do not belong in the prison. Our only crime was that we were born in the wrong country! We are not criminals and deserve to be a part of society. We have the right to use our talents to create a healthy society. We were born free and equal, and we demand to be treated with dignity. It is incomprehensible that in a country that calls itself a justice state of the 21st century people have to demand for their basic human rights to be acknowledged. It is incomprehensible that our problems are systematically downplayed and denied by the government. For these reasons, it is still important to demonstrate for human rights in the Netherlands. Join us in our demonstration! We ask for your solidarity!
For further information, please contact The ‘Vluchtelingen op Straat’ working party:
vluchtelingenopstraat[at]gmail.com
STIL: +31 (0)30 271 3463
PRIME: +31 (0)70 380 3058
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