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Divided by Borders, United by Humanity

by Sanne Schouwenburg

· Impact Feed

Today I marched (from Park Lane to Parliament Square) to show support for refugees. It was important to show support for positive change at this moment as Theresa May will be present at a meeting of the EU’s 28 member states, on the 14th of September, for emergency talks on Europe’s escalating refugee crisis. It is vital that she takes with her the conviction that the British people (that she represents) are open to helping refugees and that we can’t continue to allow thousands to die trying to reach the EU and their legal right to claim asylum. The march was pretty well attended, attracting around 90.000 people and greatly supported by organisations such as the Syria Solidarity Movement, the Refugee Council, Refugee Action, Migrant Rights Network and Amnesty International.

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I believe that it is our duty to ensure that refugees can reach Europe safely. There needs to be either official safe transport provided, or if people could apply for asylum from outside the EU they would be able to enter by official routes. We also need to prioritise the fast processing of asylum claims from people from particularly dangerous regions, such as Syria. There needs to be Europe-wide consensus on providing help where it is so desperately needed, relieving pressure on the Mediterranean countries, in order for EU countries not to feel the need to close their borders or build fences.

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