The majority vote on refugees in EU regrettable, but signals the beginning of the end of EU paralysis on refugee crisis, says Claude Moraes

“It was always going to be regrettable for the member states to go to majority voting on the decision to relocate 120,000 asylum seekers, but this majority decision is hugely welcome. It is a relief, and after painfully slow progress it marks the beginning of the end of EU paralysis on refugees. What we want is an organised and compassionate EU solution to the refugee crisis. The decision on relocation is one crucial part of that solution – we have a long way to go, but this is the beginning”, said the Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, Claude Moraes, on the results of today’s Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting.
Statement by Claude Moraes (S&D, UK), Chair of the European Parliament’s committee in charge of migration and asylum:”Member states must avoid lukewarm responses and move the debate from simply quarrelling about small figures to relocate and on to other pressing issues. Now is the time to move towards agreement on a permanent relocation mechanism to ensure fast and smooth responses to future emergency situations.At tomorrow’s extraordinary EU summit and on the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting on 8 October, it is essential that EU member states match the ambitions of both the European Parliament and Commission and show solidarity in response to the refugee crisis.
Making sure that the identification and reception facilities at the “hotspots” in Italy and Greece will be fully functional, that judicial safeguards are respected in the returns directive, assessing safe countries and providing aid to the neighbouring countries housing the lion’s share of the refugees are issues that must be addressed as a matter of urgency.
Tomorrow the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee will host an inter-parliamentary committee meeting with national parliamentarians to discuss these issues.The European Parliament has shown that it is ready to co-operate and engage in a dialogue with the Council and Commission on key issues, highlighted with our quick response to the emergency proposal to relocate 120,000 asylum seekers voted as a matter of urgency by the Plenary last week.As co-legislators on the permanent relocation mechanism and on the proposal on safe countries of origin, Parliament stands ready to work with member states to deliver a common response system that is worthy of Europe and will ensure the protection and help that the refugees are entitled to”.

Aggression on the Freedom Flotilla

Gaza Strip  The free Palestinian youth groups from accross the political and social spectrum denounce the military operations by the Israeli occupation army against the Freedom Flotilla in international waters, which caused tens of civilian activists to be killed and wounded. In a statement issued on Monday, the Palestinian youth has expressed grave concern due to the ongoing military operations against international solidarity groups, stressing that this is a flagrant war crime against civilians, whose perpetrators must be stopped, condemned and punished. Palestinian youth in Gaza, West bank, diaspora and Palestinian occupied territories demand that Israeli occupation forces stop military operations and release all participants in the relief operations in solidarity with the besieged Gazans. We stress that this uprising is part of a series of actions against Israeli racist attitudes towards any peace or support process, and we hold Israel accountable for all of its aggressive actions. The majority of Palestinians in Gaza are under 18, the age people become old enough to understand the injustice of the oppression, the age people become most disillusioned with so few opportunities open to them. Even for those fortunate enough to reach higher education, many are prevented from pursuing postgraduate and undergraduate degrees abroad due to the constraints on people leaving and entering the Strip. In all of the 35 academic institutions in Gaza, there is a shortage of books, educational material and stationary, as these are specific items along with concrete, toys, pasta and chocolate forbidden entry by Israel. We call on the international community to take serious steps against Israeli violations and suspend arms supply and military equipment being used by the Israeli occupation army to kill and injure people of different nationalities, and the Palestinians in particular. We also call upon all freedom-loving people and supporters of justice in the world to protest and condemn this crime, and continue siege-breaking campaigns until the siege is permantly lifted.

New voice for the hungry

New York, Ny Five-time Grammy Award winner, Christina Aguilera, was today named “Ambassador Against Hunger” for the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) – an appointment she revealed during her appearance on “The Oprah Winfrey Show”. “A child dies every 6 seconds of hunger which is a huge statistic for me,” Aguilera told Oprah Winfrey. “After having my own child I just had to be a part of it and do something about it and help change that situation.” Aguilera, one of the most successful recording artists of the decade, has a track record of interest and commitment to hunger issues. Last year, she travelled to Guatemala to see WFP’s maternal/child health programmes. She serves as the Spokesperson for World Hunger Relief, a global campaign created by Yum! Brands that has generated awareness and nearly $60 million in funds over the past three years for WFP and other hunger relief agencies. In January, she performed in MTV’s ‘Hope for Haiti’ telethon that raised more than $ 60 million for disaster relief in Haiti, including for WFP relief work. Later in May she plans to travel with WFP to Haiti to see first-hand how food assistance projects are helping to rebuild devastated communities. Aguilera described her work with WFP as a life-changing experience and said she plans to go to Haiti soon: “I want to check on the situation there and help to deliver food. I want to visit orphanages and schools there and try to do my part in helping.” “Christina Aguilera’s passion and dedication to hungry children runs deep, and it will make her a wonderful champion in the fight against hunger,” said Josette Sheeran, Executive Director of WFP, welcoming Aguilera to the WFP team. Aguilera is asking her fans to join her in the fight against hunger, by going to http://www.wfp.org/christina or texting WFP to 90999 (US only) to make a $5 donation – enough to feed a child in school for an entire month.

Climate change

Caritas Internationalis Secretary General Lesley-Anne Knight will tell the Global Humanitarian Forum that the effects of climate change will be felt the most by the poorest who lack the resources to protect themselves. The Global Humanitarian Forum is bringing together concerned leaders at its 2009 Forum in Geneva on June 23 and 24 to formulate a response to the human impact of climate change. The conference is chaired by the Forum’s President, former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.Lesley-Anne Knight joins Bekele Geleta, Secretary General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and Ann Veneman, Executive Director of UNICEF to speak at a session on climate change and the consequences for humanitarian relief.