對移民作法危險　無國界醫生將不再接受歐盟國家與機構款項

圖、文／無國界醫生（MSF）

歐盟國家對移民的危險做法讓全世界的庇護陷入險境
無國界醫生將不再接受歐盟成員國與機構的款項

醫療人道救援組織無國界醫生（Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières，簡稱MSF）今天宣布，將不再接受歐盟與歐盟成員國的款項，以反對他們具破壞性的阻嚇政策，以及越來越加劇的試圖將人們與他們的痛苦推離歐洲海岸。這個決定將立刻生效，並實行到無國界醫生在全球各地的項目。
 
歐洲政府宣稱成功的「歐盟和土耳其協議」至今已有三個月，但急需受到保護的人們則因此受盡苦頭，奉上生命。在希臘小島上，有超過8,000人、包括無人陪同的未成年人被困，正是「歐盟和土耳其協議」所帶來的直接後果。他們在過度擁擠的營地、極度惡劣的環境下過活，有些更長達數月。他們害怕被強制遣返回土耳其，但又被剝奪唯一可以用來抵禦集體驅逐的基本法律援助。這些被歐洲立法去忽視的家庭，大部分是從敘利亞、伊拉克與阿富汗的衝突中逃難出來的。

無國界醫生（國際）秘書長奧伯賴（Jerome Oberreit）說：「數月以來，無國界醫生已大聲疾呼，歐洲的應對方式可恥，只集中在遏制人們入境，而並非提供人們所需要的援助與保護。」他續說：「『歐盟和土耳其協議』更進一步讓『難民』的概念和給予難民的保護，都陷入了困境。」

歐洲聯盟執行委員會（European Commission）於上周公布一項新建議，把「歐盟和土耳其協議」，複製到非洲與中東超過16個國家。這些協議將對不願遏止前往歐洲的移民或不願實施強制遣返的國家，縮減貿易與發展援助，但對願意配合的國家則給予報酬。新協議的潛在合作夥伴有索馬利亞、厄利垂亞、蘇丹與阿富汗，這4個國家都在全球產生最多難民的國家的前10名之列。

奧伯賴說：「歐洲唯一能做的，就是讓難民繼續留在他們不惜一切要逃離的國家嗎？我們再次看到，歐洲的重點不是如何更好地保護這些人，而是如何更有效地把他們擋在門外。」

「歐盟和土耳其協議」為其他接收了難民的國家立下危險先例，發出了這樣的訊息：各國可選擇是否為被迫離開家園的人提供照顧，也可以透過付錢，以換取不提供庇護。上月，肯亞政府便引用歐洲移民政策來合理化關閉全球最大型難民營──達達阿比難民營、並把居民送回索馬利亞的決定。同樣地，這項協議無助鼓勵敘利亞周邊已容納數以百萬計難民的國家，去開放邊境予有需要的人。

奧伯賴續說：「歐洲嘗試外包移民管制的做法，已經造成骨牌效應，令多國先後關閉邊境，甚至延伸到敘利亞的鄰國。人們愈來愈無處可逃。在阿塞士（Azaz），10萬人被困在關閉的邊境和戰線中間，這種情況會否成為慣例，而不再是致命的個案？」

「歐盟和土耳其協議」的財政部分，包含10億歐元的人道援助。毫無疑問，正容納了近300萬名敘利亞難民的土耳其有其需要，但這項援助在談判中成為邊境管制承諾的報酬，而非單單基於需要而提供。如此利用人道援助是不可接受的。

奧伯賴說：「把阻嚇措施當成人道解決方案向公眾推銷，只會加劇有需要的人的痛苦。這些政策根本與人道扯不上關係。這不能成為常態，必須被挑戰。」他續說︰「這些機構和政府的政策造成這麼巨大傷害，無國界醫生將不會接受它們的款項。我們呼籲歐洲政府改變其優先次序──把歡迎和保護的人數增至最多，而不是把趕走的人數增至最多。」

聯合國難民署年中趨勢報告2015：

自2002年以來，無國界醫生一直為橫渡地中海前往歐洲的人提供援助。單是過去18個月，無國界醫生的醫護人員已在歐洲和地中海治療約20萬名男女及兒童。組織正在希臘、塞爾維亞、法國、義大利及地中海，以及非洲、亞洲和中東多國，為難民和移民提供照護。

無國界醫生的工作主要（92%）由個人捐款支持。然而，組織亦有一些特定項目以機構捐助者作為財政伙伴。2015年，來自歐盟機構的款項約有1,900萬歐元，來自歐盟成員國的款項則約為3,700萬歐元。無國界醫生亦有使用來自挪威政府的680萬歐元。2016年，除了歐盟委員會人道主義事務處（ECHO）外，無國界醫生與9個歐盟成員國是合作伙伴，分別是比利時、丹麥、德國、愛爾蘭、盧森堡、荷蘭、西班牙、瑞典和英國。

EU STATES’ DANGEROUS APPROACH TO MIGRATION PLACES ASYLUM IN JEOPARDY WORLDWIDE
MSF to no longer take funds from EU Member States and institutions

The medical humanitarian organisation Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) announced today that it will no longer take funds from the European Union and Member States, in opposition to their damaging deterrence policies and intensifying attempts to push people and their suffering away from European shores. This decision will take effect immediately and will apply to MSF’s projects worldwide.

Three months into the EU-Turkey deal, which European governments are claiming as a success, people in need of protection are left counting its true human cost. On the Greek Islands, more than 8,000 people, including hundreds of unaccompanied minors, have been stranded as a direct consequence of the EU-Turkey deal. They have been living in dire conditions, in overcrowded camps, sometimes for months. They fear a forced return to Turkey yet are deprived of essential legal aid, their one defense against collective expulsion. The majority of these families, whom Europe has legislated out of sight, have fled conflict in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.

“For months MSF has spoken out about a shameful European response focused on deterrence rather than providing people with the assistance and protection they need,”said Jerome Oberreit, International Secretary General of Médecins Sans Frontières. “The EU-Turkey deal goes one step further and has placed the very concept of “refugee” and the protection it offers in danger.”

Last week the European Commission unveiled a new proposal to replicate the EU-Turkey logic across more than 16 countries in Africa and the Middle East. These deals would impose trade and development aid cuts on countries that do not stem migration to Europe or facilitate forcible returns, rewarding those that do. Among these potential partners are Somalia, Eritrea, Sudan and Afghanistan – four of the top ten* refugee generating countries.

“Is Europe’s only offer to refugees that they stay in countries they are desperate to flee? Once again, Europe’s main focus is not on how well people will be protected, but on how efficiently they are kept away,” said Oberreit.

The EU-Turkey deal sets a dangerous precedent for other countries hosting refugees, sending a message that caring for people forced from their homes is optional and that they can buy their way out of providing asylum. Last month, the Kenyan Government cited European migration policy to justify their decision to close the world’s largest refugee camp, Dadaab, sending its residents back to Somalia. Likewise, the deal does nothing to encourage countries surrounding Syria, already hosting millions of refugees, to open their borders to those in need.

“Europe’s attempt to outsource migration control is having a domino effect, with closed borders stretching all the way back to Syria. People increasingly have nowhere to turn,” said Oberreit. “Will the situation in Azaz where 100,000 people are blocked between closed borders and front lines become the rule, rather than the deadly exception?”

The EU-Turkey deal’s financial package includes one billion euros in humanitarian aid. There are undoubtedly needs in Turkey, a country which currently hosts close to three million Syrian refugees, but this aid has been negotiated as a reward for border control promises, rather than being based solely on needs. This instrumentalisation of humanitarian aid is unacceptable.

“Deterrence policies sold to the public as humanitarian solutions have only exacerbated the suffering of people in need. There is nothing remotely humanitarian about these policies. It cannot become the norm and must be challenged,” said Oberreit. “MSF will not receive funding from institutions and governments whose policies do so much harm. We are calling on European governments to shift priorities - rather than maximizing the number of people they can push back, they must maximize the number they welcome and protect.”

NOTES:

* UNHCR Mid-Year Trends Report 2015 available online at:  
http://www.unhcr.org/statistics/unhcrstats/56701b969/mid-year-trends-june-2015.html

MSF has been providing assistance to people crossing the Mediterranean Sea to Europe since 2002. In the last 18 months alone MSF medics have treated an estimated 200,000 men, women and children in Europe and on the Mediterranean Sea. The organisation is currently caring for refugees and migrants in Greece, Serbia, France, Italy and on the Mediterranean as well as in countries across Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

MSF’s activities are mainly (92%) privately funded. Nevertheless, the organisation is also involved in some financial partnerships for specific programmes with institutional donors. In 2015, funding from EU institutions represented 19 million euros, while funding from Member States represented 37 million euros. MSF also used 6.8 million euros received from the Norwegian Government. In 2016, in addition to ECHO, MSF is involved in partnerships with nine European Member States:  Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.