Tisuće Islanđana reklo je da bi u svoje domove primili sirijske izbjeglice nakon što je njihova vlada prošli mjesec objavila da će u zemlju primiti samo 50 ljudi.
U Facebook kampanji koju je pokrenula islandska autorica Bryndis Bjorgvinsdottir, oko 12.000 ljudi - 4% islandskog stanovništva - ponudilo je dobrodošlicu izbjeglicama u svoje domove.
Taj bi iznos bio ekvivalentan 2,6 milijuna Britanaca.
Bryndis Bjorgvinsdottir
Procjenjuje se da je ove godine u Europu do sada stiglo više od 340.000 izbjeglica - gotovo tri puta više od broja koji je stigao u prvih sedam mjeseci 2014. godine.
U objavi na vrhu Facebook stranice, upućenoj islandskom ministru socijalne skrbi, Eyglóu Harðaru, 33-godišnja Bjorgvinsdottir napisala je: „Ideja je pokazati vladi da postoji volja za primanjem još više izbjeglica iz Sirije od 50 o kojima se već raspravljalo.“
"Želimo pritisnuti vladu - pokazati im da možemo bolje, i to odmah."
„Godine 1973. primili smo 4000 izbjeglica s Westmanovih otoka preko noći nakon vulkanske erupcije, kada su svi pomagali – i ne smijemo zaboraviti broj stranih volontera koji su tada došli u zemlju kako bi pomogli.“
„Izbjeglice su ljudski resursi, iskustvo i vještine. Izbjeglice su naši budući supružnici, najbolji prijatelji, naša sljedeća srodna duša, bubnjar u našem dječjem bendu, naš sljedeći kolega, Miss Islanda 2022., stolar koji nam konačno popravlja kupaonicu, kuhar u kantini, vatrogasac, haker i televizijski voditelj.“
"Ljudi kojima nikada nećemo moći reći: 'Tvoj život vrijedi manje od moga.'"
Do danas se kampanji pridružilo 12.000 ljudi, a na Facebook stranici objavljen je niz ponuda.
Islandski građani dobrovoljno su se javili za kuhanje za one kojima je potrebno, odvođenje djece u školu, doniranje odjeće i kuhinjskog posuđa te pomaganje sirijskim izbjeglicama da se "prilagode islandskom društvu".
Reakcija na kampanju potaknula je islandskog premijera Sigmundura Davida Gunnlaugssona da imenuje novi odbor koji će se baviti mogućnošću dopuštanja većeg broja izbjeglica u zemlju, izvještava Icelandic Review Online .
„Naš je cilj u međunarodnoj politici biti od pomoći u što više područja, a ovo je jedno od područja gdje je to trenutno najpotrebnije“, rekao je Sigmundur.
Reakcije čelnika europskih država na izbjeglice na kontinentu bile su vrlo različite.
Češki predsjednik Miloš Zeman kritiziran je nakon komentara koje je dao na konferenciji za novinare u nedjelju, u kojima je očajne izbjeglice usporedio s "tsunamijem koji će ga ubiti" .
Sugerirao je da će ogroman val migranata osakatiti i uništiti istočnoeuropsku zemlju jer će "izbjeglice pozvati svoje rođake da im se pridruže".
U utorak je Yvette Cooper, kandidatkinja za čelnicu laburista, izjavila da bi Britanija trebala prihvatiti najmanje 10.000 izbjeglica kako bi se suočila s najgorom humanitarnom krizom u Europi od Drugog svjetskog rata .
Cooper je pozvao gradove diljem zemlje da prime po deset migrantskih obitelji kao dio napora Ujedinjenog Kraljevstva da pomogne tisućama ljudi koji bježe iz ratom razorenih zemalja.
U međuvremenu, Njemačka se priprema za 800.000 zahtjeva za azil ove godine - četiri puta više nego što je primila 2014. godine.
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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.