The news of the snow, cold and extreme temperatures in Greece as well as other parts of Europe has once again placed the spotlight on the situation being experienced by thousands of people trapped in Europe, the result of a lack of political will by the European states to take them in and open borders.
“StopMM have compiled some initiatives that need economic support in order to deal with this situation”
What is happening now is nothing new. Winter comes every year and it is now two consecutive winters in which we find ourselves in this situation. A situation that only has one political response and that is why we must demand from our leaders that they act in accordance with human rights and respect for the lives and dignity of people. However, on the contrary, they are causing a genocide through lack of support and which, unfortunately too late, will end in tragedy.
These days we are seeing many initiatives of solidarity of donating clothes, food and materials and, despite being grand examples of solidarity, on many occasions these deliveries of material involve a very complex and often inefficient handling:
- They involve investing in a high amount of money in transport that could be spent on more material.
- They require a counterpart who outlines what the specific needs are in order not to transport material that will be of little use at the destination.
- Very often the aid arrives too late.
- It represents an unnecessary environmental cost.
This is why Stop Mare Mortum recommends making monetary contributions, simply because they are more effective than collections of clothes, food and materials, and it also contributes to boosting the local economy in the reception areas, since the material is bought at source, which involves distribution from the closeness of the areas affected.
We are aware that faced with these images, the first response is to donate clothes and material to send to other countries, but we should stop for a moment and think so that we can channel this rage and indignation into really transforming actions. This is why we encourage you to actively participate in platforms and social movements that work for a change in migratory policies because with the existence of legal and safe passages of access to territories, these images would no longer exist. If the right to migrate was guaranteed for everyone, we would not see the crimes of which we are spectators. There are also other tools of social transformation such as consumer power: by deciding what and who we buy from, we are contributing to changes in the rules of play. Another way of trying to change things is through mobilisation. On the 5th of February we will be out on the streets to denounce what has happened in Tarajal on the southern border of Spain and on the 18th of February a demonstration has been called by “Casa nostra, casa vostra” (Our house, your house) to demand acceptance and reception with equal rights for all.
StopMM have compiled some initiatives that need economic support in order to deal with this situation:
In Greece, Athens and Salonica
StopMM Legal Project. We have a project of legal advice for people trapped in Greece regarding the processes relocation, asylum and family reunification. This projects goes hand in hand with social support in order to guarantee a dignified waiting period: accommodation, food and other basic needs. We deal with 200 people and we now need to transfer them to hotels.
- Contributions
Account number: ES78 3025 0005 8214 3328 2790 (Caixa d’Enginyers) SUBJECT: Account name SUPPORT GREECE
In Greece, Lesbos.
Lesvos Solidarity – Pikpa. Independent organisation that self-runs an open camp in Lesbos, particularly for families and vulnerable cases. Since the beginning it has maintained the project in operation based on solidarity.
- Contributions
Account name: LESVOSSOLIDARITY // Account address: VASALOU 1A Mytilini 81100
Account number: 76200134120 // ΙΒΑΝ: GR06 0110 7620 0000 7620 0134 120 SWIFT (BIC) ETHNGRAA (National Bank of Greece)
These are our PayPal details: lesvossolidarity@gmail.com
Paypal link: link https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr…
In Greece, Athens.
STEPS Project. They work in the street, above all with unaccompanied youth, since May 2016. They accompany them, cover their needs and haven emergency housing project by means of renting hotel rooms. They now need money for both rents and buying basic elements: products and milk for babies, thermal blankets and sleeping bags.
- Contributions
IBAN: GR5701101370000013771936617 (National Bank of Greece)
Notara26. It is a project of an occupied building that began in September 2015 to receive, in particular, refugee families in Athens.
- Contributions
They have a crowdfunding project under way.
In Greece, Salonica
The get shit done team. Group of volunteers who work in the Salonica area distributing food, clothes and other needs. They work jointly with other organisations.
- Contributions
PayPal: thegetshitdoneteam@gmail.com
My Donate: https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/getshitdoneteam
SOUL FOOD Kitchen. They provide hot, fresh food and drinks, as well as arm clothes and material for heating people in the camps and streets in the area Salonica.
In France, Paris
Independent groups are helping people who live in the spontaneous camps in Paris and in the streets. The donations are used to buy material, food and basic medicines.
- Contributions and more information