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15 April 2002 By John Sparrow and Marie-Francoise Borel in Berlin Tens of millions of migrants who are leaving their homes for richer lands because of poverty, persecution and social injustice were characterized by Red Cross and Red Crescent leaders in Berlin yesterday as a new race of wandering unwanted, a people dispossessed and deprived of identity. Delegates from 50 countries at the 6th European Regional Red Cross and Red Crescent Conference heard calls to defend and help the ever greater numbers of migrants, among them an estimated 20 to 40 million deemed to be illegal, who face increasing abuse and exploitation, racism and xenophobia. Juan Manuel Suárez del Toro Rivero, President of the International Federation, described them as "the new untouchables". Migrants, he said, did not change their place on earth, they lost it. They were denied the right to be considered and the global community was obliged to "lift these people out of the no-man's land into which they have been plunged". Worldwide, millions were being forced or obliged to leave their communities in search of a better life for themselves and their children, or in search of safety, declared Princess Margriet of the Netherlands, Chair of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Standing Commission. "They are men, women and children hoping for a future but often ending up in a seemingly endless nightmare," she said. "Many have turned into the wandering unwanted." She went on, "We have not come to Berlin to discuss why millions of people are moving around nor to elaborate on why states restrict their movements and close their borders. We are here to find new ways and means to protect them, to assist them, to ensure their human dignity and human rights. And - perhaps the most important - how we can best fight the increasing acts of racism, discrimination and xenophobia against migrants and the stereotypes often applied to them." Princess Margriet alluded to the possible confrontation with hardening public opinion against migrants, and with authorities, that Red Cross intervention could bring but said the organization should not be deterred. "Our involvement with migrants, refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced is not always looked upon favourably by governments or even by some of our supporters. But true to our humanitarian ideals and principles, we must stand up to that immense challenge. Here in Berlin we will hopefully develop new forms and concrete plans of action and move towards defining basic guidelines on our roles and responsibilities." The conference, which opened yesterday and runs to April 19, will shape strategy on migration and on health, with the alarming growth of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis in Europe on the agenda. According to UNAIDS, the rate of infection in Eastern Europe is growing faster than anywhere else in the world. President Suárez del Toro also raised concerns on migrant health, and access to care. "The right to health is frequently restricted or denied to many foreigners in Europe," he declared. "Although these restrictions can affect regular migrants, people without documents are systematically excluded from the health-care system." From a humanitarian viewpoint their inclusion was obligatory, he said, echoing remarks by German Red Cross President, Prof. Knut Ipsen, who had declared, "These people are not legally deprived of their basic rights, but they no longer belong to a community where they can pursue these rights - and thus they live in a status of rightlessness." Discrimination was not confined to migrants, Mr Suárez del Toro went on, and he called for support for a global campaign to be launched on May 8 - World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day - to reduce stigma attached to HIV/AIDS, stigma the organization says is a key reason for the spread of the disease. Those who have the virus may not want to admit or talk about it, testing remains limited, and the absence of openness inhibits changes in perception, attitudes and behaviour. Mr Suárez del Toro warned, too, of the link between poverty and poor health, citing tuberculosis as an example. The theme of economic struggle and its impact upon health care was taken up in a keynote address by President of Germany, Johannes Rau. Alluding to the failure of social services to care for the most vulnerable in parts of post-Cold War Europe, he said "substantial support has been lost that was provided by the state in previous times". The challenge for all Europeans was to counter this deterioration and safeguard an appropriate health and social welfare system. "In this the Red Cross and Red Crescent has a significant role to play," he said. Beyond the scheduled agenda, extreme concern, and outrage, is being expressed for the humanitarian crisis in the Middle East. Prof Ipsen, condemned "violations of international humanitarian law" and stressed that support was needed for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the concerned national societies to carry out their humanitarian mission. Princess Margriet said, "Large numbers of totally innocent civilians are bearing the brunt of the suffering. Wounded and sick people are being left unattended, basic humanitarian services are being denied as Red Cross and Red Crescent personnel have no access." Jacques Forster, Vice President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, said, "It is necessary to tirelessly remind the parties of the rules." Indiscriminate attacks on civilians as well as terrorist action were prohibited, and the lack of respect for Red Cross and Red Crescent emblems was unacceptable. "Of all the legal instruments that exist to protect and promote human dignity, international humanitarian law is the one that was specifically designed to bring aid to victims of armed conflict. Its universal and immutable principles can and must serve as a basis for responsible political action. It is still the central body of rules on which war victims depend for their protection. At a time when the relevance of humanitarian law to modern-day conflict is often called into question, it is important to stress that the chief problem facing us today is that of failure to respect the rules as they exist. The great challenge is to find ways of remedying this situation and to secure better protection for war victims by securing greater respect for humanitarian law." Key figures The European conference has drawn several key figures from beyond the Red Cross and Red Crescent. The durable and effective partnership between the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Federation was underlined by Dr. Marc Danzon, WHO Director for the Europe region. He emphasized vulnerability was a key factor in determining priorities for health assistance. Migrant populations are particularly vulnerable, since they are often marginalized, excluded and poor, he said. "Poverty and exclusion put people's health at risk", and the responsibility of humanitarian organizations was to "limit the consequences". UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants, Gabriela Rodríguez Pizarro, called the phenomenon of migration a "central element in the social dynamic of our societies". She pointed to the joint responsibilities of the states of origin, transit and destination of migrants to provide a dignified response to the problems they face. Mrs. Rodriguez called for greater international cooperation to find solutions to these complex challenges, and those posed by illegal migration where migrants are "at the mercy of international networks of traffickers in human beings". Related Links More on the VIth European Red Cross Red Crescent Regional Conference |
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