31 October 2017
Urgent Action: write to your MP and MSPs today – download our briefing
Refugees facing winter catastrophe in Greece
Churches and international aid and humanitarian agencies are reporting a worsening situation for refugees in Greece. The conditions facing thousands of people inside Europe are deteriorating. There is a real danger that families in need are being forgotten, as the interest of the international media and global institutions has shifted to other situations.
MSF have called the situation a “mental health emergency”
The top UNHCR official in Greece, Phillipe Leclerk, said the situation on the islands was “approaching critical.”
Action
Write to your MP expressing your concern and asking them to raise these issues with the Government and for them to do everything they can to help alleviate the crisis in Greece.
Write to your MSPs asking them to urge the Scottish Government Minister for International Development and Europe to raise Scottish concerns with the UK Government.
For ideas and background for what to put in your letter, download our briefing paper.
The Joint Public Issues Team (Church of Scotland, Baptist, Methodist and United Reformed Churches) have published a FAQs document to help inform members of faith communities about refugee issues. They have also produced a briefing “Made for goodness: A faithful response to the refugee crisis” which looks at the history and consequences of the current humanitarian crisis and highlights four specific areas that Churches can engage with and campaign on.
The Church of Scotland has expressed concern about the mental and physical well-being of immigration detainees at Dungavel.