Refugees are part of the working class -Long live May Day International workers Solidarity

1 May is a day of international working class solidarity and unity. Workers around the world set aside their false religious and nationalist identities and come forward as a united class with a common future, against oppressive capitalist system and the barbarism it imposes on humanity. It is the day we stand up to oppression; discrimination; war; destruction; hunger and unemployment. It is the day in which we start to gather our forces and capabilities to overthrow the current system of inequality and oppression and build a free, equal and prosperous world.

However, we still live in an era in which war, terrorism, barbarity, austerity, unemployment, fleeing and displacement that deny the rights and life opportunities for the working class.  Today’s world is a monster shouting that deprivation is inevitable and will destroy the forthcoming generations; that a dignified life is far from being gained.  European countries ignore their responsibility for the refugee crisis, which in Iraq and Syria stems from the military involvement of European countries alongside the US, and their support of inhuman and repressive governments in the Middle East.

EU countries continue to arrest and detain Kurdish and Iraqi people.  IFIR’s campaign in Iraq has forced the Iraqi and Kurdistan Regional governments to stop accepting forcible deportation flights. However, under pressure from European governments they appear to be reneging on promises they have made.  This is all taking place at a time when Iraq is being plagued by war and violence, which is forcing so many to make the dangerous journey across the sea to Europe.  The daily tragedy of the refugees on the borders of Europe is a consequence of the policy of closing borders to people whose livelihoods and place of residence have been turned into a battlefield of civil war, unrest and insecurity.   The disaster facing refugees places a tremendous responsibility upon European governments.  Whilst the UK and Europe talk about human rights they have provided no realistic solution to prevent the wave of refugees seeking safety in Europe.  Regarding a report International Organisation of Migrants 498 people have died in the Mediterranean from January to April 2018.

            Join with IFIR to Demand:

• An end to the policy of imperialist wars of division in the Middle East ; condemnation of the  USA, NATO, Russian and Chinese military interference in the area, and end to their support for groups affiliated to them, because it is their war which created instability and poverty leading to a mass refugee exodus. 

• Stop forcibly deporting people to Iraq.

• Opening of the borders for the refugees who are victims of war, in order to save them from death; equal allocation of refugees across Member States in line with Member States’ responsibilities, and protection of refugees from racism and from assault by fascists.

• Activation of the UN in the war-torn countries in order to help IDPs and refugees and to oblige the EU to recognise the refugees’ rights and provide them with assistance. Swift steps by the EU to enable civil society groups and refugee organizations to help the refugees with food, health care, clothes and shelter without discrimination by ethnic group or religion.