PROPOSITION FOR

"FOR AN OPEN EUROPE WITHOUT DISCRIMINATION"

TO SUPPORT THE RIGHTS AND FREEDOM OF REFUGEES

AND

THE LEGALISATION OF SANS-PAPIERS

11 DECEMBER 1999, AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS

INTRODUCTION:

ON THE OCCASION OF THE LAST 'HUMAN RIGHTS DAY' OF THE 20^TH CENTURY AND WITH THE APPROACH OF THE NEW MILLENIUM, THE FIGHT FOR THE RIGHTS AND FREEDOM OF REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS AND THE LEGALISATION OF SANS-PAPIERS IN EVERY COUNTRY OF EUROPE CONTINUES.

THIS FIGHT HAS ALREADY LED TO SOME POSITIVE RESULTS. FOR EXAMPLE, IN SOME COUNTRIES, SUCH AS BELGIUM, ITALY, FRANCE AND THE NETHERLANDS, THERE HAVE BEEN LIMITED MOVES TOWARDS THE LEGALISATION OF SANS-PAPIERS. DESPITE THIS, HOWEVER, THE SITUATION OF REFUGEES, IMMIGRANTS AND SANS-PAPIERS REMAINS DIFFICULT IN ALL COUNTRIES, WITH THE SITUATIONOF SANS-PAPIERS, IN PARTICULAR, REMAINING PRECARIOUS. INHUMANE AND REPRESSIVE POLICIES LEADING TO DETENTIONS AND DEPORTATIONS, REMAIN THE NORM. THE LEGALISATION OF A LIMITED NUMBER OF SANS-PAPIERS, USUALLY ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS, HAS NOT LED TO A SECURE SITUATION FOR THE MAJORITY. THE EUROPEAN AGENDA MITIGATES AGAINST A RESPECT FOR THE RIGHTS OF ASYLUM SEEKERS, REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS AND THE LEGALISATION OF SANS-PAPIERS.

A RESUME OF CURRENT EUROPEAN POLICY.

CURRENT ASYLUM PROCEDURES REMAIN REPRESSIVE AND DO NOT RESPECT INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS SIGNED BY MEMBER STATES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION. THE DEATHS OF THOSE TRYING TO ENTER EUROPE REMAIN A GRIMLY FREQUENT OCCURRENCE - FOR EXAMPLE, THE SO-CALLED 'BOAT PEOPLE' WHO DROWN WHILE TRYING TO ENTER EUROPE BY BOAT FROM THE SHORES OF MOROCCO. OR, THE TWO YOUNG BOYS FROM GUINEA WHO DIED WHILE TRYING TO STOW AWAY IN AN AIRPLANE BOUND FOR BELGIUM. THERE IS A GENERAL HARDENING OF ATTITUDES TOWARDS 'FOREIGNERS' - FOR EXAMPLE, THE FORMATION OF AN ACTION GROUP LED BY EXTREME RIGHT-WING PARTIES IN KOLLUM, THE NETHERLANDS, TO FIGHT FOR THE CLOSURE OF THE LOCAL ASYLUM SEEKER CENTRE. ANOTHER POINTER IS THE ELECTORAL SUCCESS OF PARTIES WITH AN OPENLY RACIST AGENDA - FOR EXAMPLE, THE FREEDOM PARTY'S RECENT GAINS IN THE AUSTRIAN ELECTIONS.

WHILE CURRENT DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVES FOR CITIZENS OF THE SOUTH REMAIN BLEAK AND WHILE WARS AND CONFLICTS AROUND THE GLOBE CONTINUE, THERE WILL BE A NEED FOR PEOPLE TO FLEE OR EMIGRATE FROM THEIR COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN IN SEARCH OF A BETTER LIFE AND BETTER PERSPECTIVES ELSEWHERE. EUROPEAN POLICY, INSTEAD OF SHOWING SOLIDARITY TOWARDS THESE PEOPLE, REFLECTS A CHAUVINISM, WHICH AIMS TO KEEP EUROPE 'EUROPEAN'.

EUROPEAN DAY OF SOLIDARITY, 11 DECEMBER 1999:

THE EUROPEAN DAY OF SOLIDARITY ON 11 DECEMBER 1999 IS A CONTINUATION OF EUROPEAN MEETINGS DURING 1999, IN SUPPORT OF THE RIGHTS AND FREEDOM OF REFUGEES AND THE LEGALISATION OF SANS-PAPIERS - FOR EXAMPLE, THE EUROPEAN DEMONSTRATION AND MEETING WHICH TOOK PLACE IN PARIS ON 27-28 MARCH 1999. THE AIM OF THESE EUROPEAN MEETINGS HAS BEEN TO BRING TOGETHER A LARGE EUROPEAN MOVEMENT TO DEFEND THE RIGHTS OF IMMIGRANTS AND THE LEGALISATION OF SANS-PAPIERS.

AS PER OBJECTIVES OF TRIBUNAL

THE EUROPEAN DAY OF SOLIDARITY WILL INVOLVE A DAY OF 4 DISCUSSION WORKSHOPS, INCLUDING PRESENTATION OF 'STATE OF THE ART' RESEARCH ON SELECTED THEMES, PERSONAL TESTIMONIES AND DISCUSSION PANELS. THE DAY WILL CONCLUDE WITH AN EVENING CULTURAL DEMONSTRATION, INCLUDING AN EVE-OF-MILLENIUM APPEAL BY KEY FIGURES - FOR SOCIAL COHESION, CITIZENSHIP AND ANTI-RACISM.

WORKSHOP 1:

'STATE OF THE ART' ANALYSIS OF THE SITUATION REGARDING RACISM AND DISCRIMINATION IN EUROPE: REALITY AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES

*PERSONAL TESTIMONIES

*PRESENTATION OF LATEST RESEARCH

*DISCUSSION ON FUTURE PERSPECTIVES

WORKSHOP 2:

'STATE OF THE ART' ANALYSIS OF THE SITUATION REGARDING SANS-PAPIERS IN EUROPE: EXISTING MEASURES AND THE SEARCH FOR ALTERNATIVES

*PERSONAL TESTIMONIES

*PRESENTATION OF LATEST RESEARCH

*DISCUSSION ON POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES

WORKSHOP 3:

'STATE OF THE ART' ANALYSIS OF CURRENT ASYLUM POLICY: THE REALITY OF REFUGEES AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES

*PERSONAL TESTIMONIES

*PRESENTATION OF LATEST RESEARCH

*DISCUSSION ON FUTURE PERSPECTIVES

WORKSHOP 4:

GIVING A VOICE TO THE SOUTH: THE REALITY OF AFRICA AND ASIA AND THEIR VISION ON NORTH-SOUTH RELATIONS.

*DISCUSSION ON THE CONSEQUENCES OF GLOBALISATION, SOLIDARITY BETWEEN NORTH AND SOUTH AND THE ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY

CULTURAL DEMONSTRATION (EVENING):

*REPORT FROM WORKSHOPS

*EVE-OF-MILLENIUM APPEAL BY KEY FIGURES

"FOR SOCIAL COHESION, CITIZENSHIP AND ANTI-RACISM"