Tuhanded islandlased on öelnud, et nad võtaksid Süüria pagulased oma kodudesse vastu pärast seda, kui nende valitsus teatas eelmisel kuul, et võtab riiki vastu vaid 50 inimest.
Islandi autori Bryndis Bjorgvinsdottiri algatatud Facebooki kampaanias pakkusid umbes 12 000 inimest – 4% Islandi elanikkonnast – pagulasi oma kodudesse vastu võtta.
See summa oleks võrdne 2,6 miljoni britiga.
Bryndis Björgvinsdottir
Hinnanguliselt on sel aastal Euroopasse jõudnud üle 340 000 põgeniku – see on peaaegu kolm korda rohkem kui 2014. aasta esimese seitsme kuu jooksul.
Facebooki lehe ülaosas Islandi sotsiaalministrile Eygló Harðarile adresseeritud postituses kirjutas 33-aastane Bjorgvinsdottir: „Idee on näidata valitsusele, et on olemas tahe vastu võtta veelgi rohkem Süüria pagulasi kui 50, kellest on juba räägitud.“
„Me tahame valitsust survestada – näidata neile, et suudame paremini, ja teha seda kohe.“
„1973. aastal võtsime pärast vulkaanipurset Westmani saartelt öö jooksul vastu 4000 põgenikku, kõik aitasid – ja me ei tohiks unustada ka seda, kui palju välismaiseid vabatahtlikke tollal riiki appi tuli.“
„Pagulased on inimressurss, kogemused ja oskused. Pagulased on meie tulevased abikaasad, parimad sõbrad, meie järgmine hingesugulane, meie lastebändi trummar, meie järgmine kolleeg, Miss Island 2022, puusepp, kes lõpuks meie vannitoa korda teeb, kokk sööklas, tuletõrjuja, häkker ja telesaatejuht.“
"Inimesed, kellele me ei saa kunagi öelda: "Sinu elu on vähem väärt kui minu oma.""
Praeguseks on kampaaniaga liitunud 12 000 inimest ning Facebooki lehel on postitatud mitmesuguseid pakkumisi.
Islandi kodanikud on vabatahtlikult pakkunud abi abivajajatele süüa teha, lapsi kooli viia, riideid ja kööginõusid annetada ning Süüria pagulastel Islandi ühiskonnaga kohaneda aidata.
Icelandic Review Online'i andmetel on kampaaniale reageerimine ajendanud Islandi peaministrit Sigmundur David Gunnlaugssoni nimetama ametisse uue komitee, et tegeleda võimalusega lubada riiki rohkem pagulasi.
„Meie eesmärk rahvusvahelises poliitikas on olnud olla abiks nii paljudes valdkondades kui võimalik ja see on üks valdkondi, kus seda praegu kõige rohkem vajatakse,“ ütles Sigmundur.
Euroopa riikide juhtide reaktsioonid mandril asuvatele pagulastele on olnud väga erinevad.
Tšehhi presidenti Miloš Zemanit kritiseeriti pärast seda, kui ta pühapäeval pressikonverentsil tegi, võrreldes meeleheitlikke pagulasi "tsunamiga, mis ta tapab" .
Ta oli vihjanud, et tohutu migrantidelaine halvab ja hävitab Ida-Euroopa riigi, sest "pagulased kutsuvad oma sugulasi endaga liituma".
Teisipäeval ütles Tööpartei juhiks kandideeriv kandidaat Yvette Cooper, et Suurbritannia peaks vastu võtma vähemalt 10 000 põgenikku, et lahendada Euroopa halvim humanitaarkriis pärast Teist maailmasõda .
Cooper kutsus linnu ja valdu üle kogu riigi üles võtma igaüks vastu kümme migrantide perekonda osana Ühendkuningriigi püüdlustest aidata tuhandeid sõjast räsitud riikidest põgenevaid inimesi.
Samal ajal valmistub Saksamaa sel aastal vastu võtma 800 000 varjupaigataotlust – neli korda rohkem kui 2014. aastal.
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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.