36 organisations, including Emmaüs France, Médecins sans frontières and Utopia 56, have asked for the same measures put in place for people fleeing Ukraine to be applied to all refugees in the world.
The “exceptional measures” put in place for people fleeing Ukraine have shown that it is possible to offer a “dignified welcome” to refugees, a system which must also apply to other displaced persons present in France, claim Tuesday associations of aid to exiles. “We have witnessed numerous speeches of solidarity, appeals for donations and exceptional measures to welcome people fleeing the war in Ukraine. This mobilization is salutary”, wrote in a joint press release 36 organizations, including Emmaüs France, Doctors without borders or even Utopia 56.
“The arrangements put in place to welcome people fleeing the war in Ukraine testify to the possibility of offering a dignified welcome for all. Immediate and lasting measures must be taken (…) in an unconditional way “for this to become ” the rule”, they added, a week after the announcement by Prime Minister Jean Castex of a “national reception and accommodation scheme, offering at least 100,000 places” for displaced persons from Ukraine.
Associations and NGOs welcome the European agreement which made it possible to activate temporary protection after the invasion of Ukraine by Russia on February 24, which allows Ukrainians to stay legally in France and to benefit from a large range of social benefits (accommodation, allowances, schooling, access to employment and healthcare).
Equality for all refugees
“We regret that it was not to protect people fleeing massively from armed conflicts in the past (Syria, Afghanistan, etc.), despite recurring requests from associations. Similarly, we regret the choice of France to automatically grant this protection regime only to Ukrainian nationals and people recognized as refugees in Ukraine. We would like, on the contrary, that it be extended to all people fleeing this war”, protested the signatories.
The latter note that “the under-dimensioning of the reception capacities for asylum seekers in the Paris region already forces around 500 exiled people to survive in camps”.
Several signatory associations are also calling for demonstrations on Sunday in the Paris suburbs, in Pantin, “for an unconditional and equal welcome for all exiled people” and against the “difference in treatment” between people forced to live on the streets and displaced people. ‘Ukraine.