Milers d' islandesos han dit que acollirien refugiats sirians a casa seva després que el seu govern anunciés el mes passat que només acceptaria 50 persones al país.
En una campanya de Facebook llançada per l'autora islandesa Bryndis Bjorgvinsdottir, unes 12.000 persones (el 4% de la població islandesa) es van oferir a acollir refugiats a casa seva.
Aquesta suma equivaldria a 2,6 milions de britànics.
Bryndis Bjorgvinsdóttir
Es calcula que més de 340.000 refugiats han arribat a Europa enguany, gairebé tres vegades més que els que van arribar durant els primers set mesos del 2014.
En una publicació a la part superior de la pàgina de Facebook, adreçada al ministre de Benestar islandès, Eygló Harðar, Bjorgvinsdottir, de 33 anys, va escriure: "La idea és demostrar al govern que hi ha la voluntat de rebre encara més refugiats de Síria que els 50 que ja s'han discutit.
"Volem pressionar el govern, demostrar-los que podem fer-ho millor i fer-ho immediatament."
"El 1973 vam rebre 4.000 refugiats de les Illes Vestman durant la nit després d'una erupció volcànica, quan tothom va ajudar, i no hem d'oblidar el nombre de voluntaris estrangers que van venir al país per ajudar llavors.
"Els refugiats són recursos humans, experiència i habilitats. Els refugiats són els nostres futurs cònjuges, millors amics, la nostra propera ànima bessona, el bateria de la nostra banda infantil, la nostra propera col·lega, Miss Islàndia 2022, el fuster que finalment arregla el nostre bany, el xef de la cafeteria, el bomber, el hacker i el presentador de televisió."
"Gent a qui mai no podrem dir: "La vostra vida val menys que la meva"."
Fins ara, 12.000 persones s'han unit a la campanya, i s'han publicat diverses ofertes a la pàgina de Facebook.
Ciutadans islandesos s'han ofert voluntaris per cuinar per als necessitats, portar nens a l'escola, donar roba i estris de cuina i ajudar els refugiats sirians a "adaptar-se a la societat islandesa".
La resposta a la campanya ha impulsat el primer ministre islandès, Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, a nomenar un nou comitè per abordar la possibilitat de permetre l'entrada de més refugiats al país, segons informa l'Icelandic Review Online .
«El nostre objectiu en política internacional ha estat ajudar en tantes àrees com sigui possible i aquesta és una de les àrees on més necessitat hi ha ara mateix», va dir Sigmundur.
Les reaccions dels líders estatals europeus envers els refugiats al continent han estat molt variades.
El president txec, Miloš Zeman, va ser criticat després d'uns comentaris que va fer en una roda de premsa diumenge, en què va comparar els refugiats desesperats amb "un tsunami que el matarà" .
Havia suggerit que una gran onada de migrants paralitzaria i destruiria el país de l'Europa de l'Est perquè "els refugiats convidaran els seus familiars a unir-s'hi".
Dimarts, l'aspirant al lideratge laborista, Yvette Cooper, va dir que Gran Bretanya hauria d'acceptar almenys 10.000 refugiats per afrontar la pitjor crisi humanitària a Europa des de la Segona Guerra Mundial .
Cooper va fer una crida a les ciutats i pobles de tot el país perquè acollissin cadascun deu famílies migrants com a part de l'esforç del Regne Unit per ajudar els milers de persones que fugen dels països devastats per la guerra.
Mentrestant, Alemanya es prepara per rebre 800.000 sol·licituds d'asil aquest any , quatre vegades més que el 2014.
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Amazing woman! How wonderful to reach out and help those in need. Sadly, some of the previous posts may tolerate helping others, but only "certain" types of people. It seems the ultra-religious folks seem to think only "chosen" groups of humans should be helped, and anyone who disagrees with their own dogma should simply fall by the wayside. This is contradictory to what the person they worship (Jesus) taught. He said to love all people equally. Sad to see that they "pick & choose" to whom they offer their sentiments. Perhaps the people writing these posts come from warmongering nations that prides themselves on taking lands, violent oppression, aggression and conquest. That may explain the Xenophobic and Islamaphobic responses about this wonderful story. Ladies and gentlemen, let me remind you, this planet is a big place filled with many different human beings, just like a beautiful flower garden. This story is a wonderful example of real and true devotion to one's fellow human beings. The nay-sayers can shake their heads, thump their Bibles or get their yarmulkes all twisted up, but the fact remains that what this woman has done is a true example of real dedication to helping other human beings in need. Love in action. Isn't that what religion is supposed to be all about in the first place??
[Hide Full Comment]As with everything balance in needed. We
can't be swept up only by the action of doing good so that we can feel
good. Safety and precaution and judgement is needed too! Best of luck to the
refugees and those who open their homes to them!
This is a fantastic idea and she is spot on about how many gems and gifts there are in refugees. I am so tired of people painting refugees as somehow inherently dangerous or to be watched out for in safety.... refugees are doctors, lawyers, teachers, custodians, MA and PhD recipients, they are mothers and daughters, fathers and sons. Please see refugees as human beings and not the stereotypes in your minds. Thank you!
I congratulate Iceland on the wonderful open citizens who who compassion and love for others.
People like Ken, who communicated his fear and aggression in his post, also need compassion because they suffer greatly. I hope that he can reconcile with the world around him, just as we all have to.
Such a positive uplifting post, only to be followed by 2 comments full of fear and hate and racism the likes of which I have never read on the Daily Good since I started reading it the year of its inception. Filled with sadness that this blog now has readers who hate so much they must advertise it in these pages.
Some of the Icelanders will probably live to regret this huge mistake, others will die a horrible death, or mutilation. I can see a rape epidemic coming on and Iceland is ill prepared for the onslaught of savages roaming the streets of their cities.
I wonder how the homeowners vet the Syrians for safety.
Can this even be done?
Or do the homeowners just wing it. Assume they are OK.
Because faith.
I wonder what level of risk they take.
Do they just take women and children? Or military age men as well.
How about their level of fundamentalism. Is their a nogo level?
If the refugee in your house wants to actively practice sharia, do you go along? What about if they begin to resent you if you dont? What do you do then?
I enjoy helping other people, but these basic hard questions of physical safety risk management are unanswered in the article.