International Human Rights Day

SESSION OF MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2001

ORDER OF BUSINESS

Karamanou (PSE). – Madam President, I would like to speak on a different topic to change the atmosphere a bit.

Today is the international day of human rights, and I would like to express my sorrow and disgust at the tragic death by asphyxiation of eight refugees, including three children, in South Ireland. Eight dead refugees, victims not so much of the traffickers, as the authorities rushed to declare, but of European indifference and a global system that allows and encourages the free movement of capital, but not the free movement of people, a system that condemns two-thirds of the world’s population to live in conditions of incredible poverty.

The European Parliament cannot remain indifferent to the modern tragedy of refugees, nor can we feel safe in fortress Europe while there is so much human suffering and such a development gap around us.

I consider it very positive that we will discuss the issue of refugees and migrants on Thursday as a matter of urgency, but I would like to ask you, Madam President, to convey these views to the Laeken Council.