Can I switch to English ? Capito italiano, ma il mio italiano e brutissimo
First I'd like to introduce myself : I'm with Gisti, Act Up-Paris
(aids activists), and (representing no one but myself) in the
noborder network. I've met Federica Sossi in Firenze (FSE) and il
"gruppo di Bruxelles", and Fabio Raimondi in Frassanito, where I took
part in a discussion on externalization of asylum. We've have also
published, in a review for which I work, Vacarme, several texts by
Federica (on Lampedusa, Portopalo and via Corelli)
I hope no one objects to my participation to your list ;-)))
I'd just like to add a few comments on UNHCR : they have been, for
quite a few years, backing the policies of UE and members states.
Lubbers warmly approved the "protection zones" English project ; his
approval was capital in turning several European countries in favour
of this plan, before the project was postponed (and not dropped) at
the Thessaloniki summit in June. And the "small-scale" projects to
assess the UK plan (with UK, Denmark, the Netherlands, USA and
Australia) will closely associate UNHCR
UNHCR is now favoring processing centers for asylum seekers inside
the European borders ; one reason being that, since UNHCR european
offices have been closing the last years in favour of African or
Asian bureaus, it's a way for them to get back bureaus and money in
Europe. And they are in close competition with IOM for the management
of these centers
The "Convention Plus" UNHCR initiative (which should be called
"Convention Less") is a way to abolish refugees rights and "manage"
migrations.
See (all in english)
- Statewatch presentation of Convention Plus
<
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2003/jun/unhcr.pdf>
- Lubbers at Veria 28/3/03
<
http://www.unhcr.ch/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home/opendoc.htm?tbl=ADMIN&id=3e8480244&page=ADMIN>
- UNHCR "3-prong approach"
<
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2003/jul/unhcr2.pdf>
we've been talking in Frassanito of a possible European campaign
against HCR (such as the one noborder did against IOM this year)
amitiés
Isabelle
