A CAMPAIGN group has launched a petition calling on Edinburgh City Council to commit to the resettlement of refugees and support a fairer migration policy.
Edinburgh Must Act is a local branch of the wider European movement, and yesterday it said the council should “prioritise the moral and ethical obligation of Scotland and the UK to welcome and resettle refugees”.
Their four-point petition, which can only be signed by residents of the capital, urges the council to pledge to resettle a minimum of 750 refugees between 2021-2026, commit to resolving barriers to resettlement, advocate for fairer migration policy in both the UK and Europe and to invite surrounding council areas to join them in this movement.
The petition launch follows the success of other campaigns across Scotland and the rest of the UK. A number of Scottish councils including South Ayrshire, Highlands, Aberdeenshire, Inverclyde and Moray, have all supported the petition, as have Cambridge and Lewisham in London.
All of them want to see the relocation of residents who are forced to live in Aegean Island camps, and many have written to the Home Office to express their support of Europe Must Act’s work.
If the Edinburgh petition gains a minimum of 50 signatures, it will be considered by the city council and Edinburgh Must Act is urging residents to contact their local councillors to ask them to support the document when it is discussed in council.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon demonstrated her support for Edinburgh Must Act’s campaign last August, writing to the Home Office to declare Scotland’s willingness to take in refugees and asylum seekers from the Aegean Island camps, and urging the UK Government to “lead the way” in taking a humane and welcoming approach to relocating the camp’s residents.
Europe Must Act is a rapidly-growing, Europe-wide social movement whose main aim is a humane migration policy in the UK and the EU, alongside the urgent decongestion of the refugee camps on the Greek islands.
There are currently around 15,000 refugees and asylum seekers held on the islands, in camps which were not prepared for winter weather.
The group said: “The shelters do not keep out the wind, some camps flood every time it rains, and Greek authorities have confirmed that residents of the new camp on Lesvos are potentially exposed to lead poisoning.
“Europe Must Act aims to rally citizens, councils and mayors of European towns and cities to pledge their support for the immediate relocation of the asylum seekers.”
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