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Reaffirming our responsibilities towards refugees

On the occasion of World Refugee Day, 20 June, Ms Ruth Gaby Vermot-Mangold, Chair of the Parliamentary Assembly’s Sub-Committee on Refugees, stresses how important it is that the member states should honour their commitments with regard to protection of the rights of refugees.

20.06.2005

Question: Ruth Gaby Vermot-Mangold, you are a Swiss MP and Chair of the Sub-Committee on Refugees of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly. Monday 20 June has been designated World Refugee Day by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. What thoughts does this day inspire in you?

Ruth Gaby Vermot-Mangold: I am indeed Chair of that sub-committee, which is holding a meeting precisely on 20 June. I have taken this opportunity to talk about World Refugee Day because I think it is very important to reaffirm our responsibilities in this field, especially here at the Council of Europe. I am thinking of course of our responsibilities throughout the world, but also within the Council of Europe member states. The number of refugees or persons who believe they qualify for refugee status is increasing all the time. At present there are 140 conflict zones throughout the world. In each case there are refugees and the reception and care arrangements are usually inadequate. We do not open our hearts and purses enough, and I have to say that the rights of refugees, human rights and the Geneva Convention are all too often forgotten. It is absolutely essential that the member states should deal much more closely with this issue than they are doing today. Being a refugee is dramatic for any individual, for children and for families.

Question: As Chair of the sub-committee, what are you doing to improve things and what results have you achieved so far?

Ruth Gaby Vermot-Mangold: I have dealt with the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, where I have visited refugee camps on two occasions. We criticised both countries for the plight of the refugees, who are forced to live in torn tents or ruined houses, without any real medical assistance or educational opportunities for children. Afterwards, I am pleased to say that both countries, together with other Council of Europe member states, made an effort to improve living conditions. Refugees have also been able to return to their homes, which is a very positive thing, but they should also be able to settle in the host country, find employment there, become integrated and lead the normal life of a normal citizen. There has been some progress, but a lot remains to be done.

We have also taken positive action in the Chechnya, in both material and psychological terms, by helping to restore confidence and hope to the refugees, even if they are still highly marginalised. We have been able to make a very slight improvement in their living conditions, but it is far from enough.

Question: Overall, how do you view the action of the Council of Europe member states on refugees?

Ruth Gaby Vermot-Mangold: Overall, all countries, in both western and eastern Europe, have become much stricter in granting refugee status, which is increasingly difficult to obtain. I am afraid the protection of persons is not a high priority either for the European Union countries or for those of the Council of Europe. We must be very careful to ensure that refugees are not treated like illegal immigrants who can be sent back to their homes.