Dear Amnesty International Denmark: Don't give up on refugees!
Open letter from 12 organisations working for refugees in Denmark
"We are a number of networks and organisations, all of which deal with the asylum area in different ways. For many years we have had an informal network in which Amnesty International Denmark has been a regular participant. We update each other on legislation and practice and often participate crosswise in hearings, conferences and reporting to European and international bodies regarding Denmark's compliance with human rights.
There have never been more refugees in the world than now. But the number of refugees who find their way to Denmark – either on their own at great risk or via the UN's resettlement program – is historically low, and among the lowest within the EU. At the same time, the rights of refugees living here have eroded more and more. Other countries in Europe have unfortunately begun to see Denmark as a pioneering country, even though many of the Danish measures are in conflict with human rights.
We are therefore very surprised and concerned that Amnesty International Denmark has recently announced that the Danish branch will no longer engage actively in the refugee topic, but leave it to the very few employees at the organization's EU office and the medical group. The argument is that there is no prospect of concrete improvements in the area.
The few Danish employees who until recently dealt with the subject have been replaced by new employees who have completely different work tasks. Amnesty has already not prioritized the area in recent years. A large project on the departure centres was cancelled. A long-awaited report on the Ellebæk prison was rushed through this summer and did not get the attention it should have had from the media and politicians.
It will be a serious loss, however, when one of the largest organizations withdraws completely from working in an area where human rights are most under pressure in Denmark, and where we receive the most criticism from the UN and the Council of Europe.
Amnesty's other areas of action are obviously also important, but Denmark receives far more international criticism regarding refugees and immigrants than, for example, topics such as LGBT+ or rape cases. It is sad to see how NGOs are increasingly targeting their efforts to areas where you do not have the majority of the Danish Parliament against you, and where you can get support from the big foundations.
So dear Amnesty International Denmark: Your efforts are needed more than ever in Denmark, where respect for human rights in the area of refugees in particular has never been on a lower level than now. Your voice in the debate is important as one of the largest and most respected human rights organizations in the country and in the world. Perhaps especially because there is no prospect of improvement in the area, it is extra sad when you throw in the towel."
Signatories:
• Bedsteforældre for Asyl
• Ellebæk Kontaktnetværk
• Tværkulturelt Center
• Internationalt Kristent Center
• Refugees Welcome
• SOS Racisme, Danmark
• Små Broer
• Solidarity with Kærshovedgård
• Komiteen for Udlændinges Retssikkerhed
• Kvindernes Internationale Liga for Fred og Frihed
• Lysfest for Humanisme
• Racismefri BY - Aarhus for Mangfoldighed
PS: We later learned that the Swedish office has taken a similar decision, which makes the situation even worse.
Photo: Material from Amnesty International Denmark's refugee campaign at Folkemødet in 2015, which attracted a lot of attention – among other things, 40 school pupils were lying in white body bags on the quay in Allinge, and life-like sculptures of people stuck only their heads above the surface of the water in the harbour.