In light of current tragic events and reports highlighting State violence against refugees and migrants, the NGO Committee on Migration, member and co-convener of the Civil Society Action Committee, released a statement calling on States to make better choices, to turn to solutions that are practical and humane, encouraging compliance with international law and implementation of commitments.
As per the statement, Civil Society calls on States on all borders to immediately:
- Stop the violence, including force-backs on land and on sea and entrapment on borders
- Stop the bleeding, the freezing, the starving and the dying among the men, women and children trapped without adequate shelter and life-support on any side of any border and stop punishing humanitarian actors working to save and provide basic assistance
- Turn to non-violent solutions that comply with international obligations and commitments
- Reject responses based on xenophobia and racism
- Address with determination the drivers that force people to move, including the wars, inequalities, discrimination and poor governance in which so many States are involved
