On the occasion of World Refugee Day, WFTU calls upon its more than 105 million members in the 133 countries of the 5 continents to continue and strengthen their struggle, in every sector and in every region, for the full and smooth integration of immigrants into the local societies and every aspect of social life, including trade unions.
It is obvious that imperialist aggressiveness for the control and exploitation of markets, natural resources and energy roads, capitalist barbarity, anti-labor and anti-people’s policies, hunger, poverty, modern slave trade are the main causal factors that have directly or indirectly compelled millions of people into forced displacement. The latest data according to the UNHCR, shows that there are 108 million people that were forcibly displaced worldwide.
Refugees are one of the most vulnerable social groups who are uprooted from their homelands and end up in the so-called host-countries where, in most cases, they live in inhumane conditions, facing insecurity and being deprived of basic necessities. Refugees, as well as economic migrants and all forcibly displaced people, are treated as “reserve army” for capitalist production; When capitalists need to increase production, refugees and migrants are exploited as cheap labor in insecure and miserable working conditions with starvation wages.
Beside that the number of people who were displaced within their countries due to conflicts, natural disasters, climate change and economic consequences is increasing year by year, the latest data the number of internally displaced people reached 62.5 million people according the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre
The attacks against refugees are increasing, with the rise of neo-Nazi and fascist governments around the world, refugees are met with discrimination and hate crimes, also the neoliberal governments are taking anti-refugee, anti-people’s policies to limit the entrance of refugees to their countries, most of the times violating international treaties and human rights.
The imperialist forces interfere in the internal matters of sovereign countries leaving wars and destruction, imposing blockades and economic sanctions leading people to flee their homelands, meanwhile doing whatever in their power to repel refugees from entering their countries, therefore refusing to take responsibility of their actions, while playing the role of human rights defenders and activists.
The latest tragedy in the Mediterranean have caused many crocodile tears to drop, the European leaders are coming out shedding tears over the victims of the sunken boat that was transferring 750 refugees, but still funding military conflicts and imposing sanctions at the country that the refugees are coming from.
Once again, the Mediterranean Sea is turned into a vast wet grave for the victims of imperialist wars and capitalist barbarity, looking for better days in Europe. Once again, the EU with its policies and interventions is murdering people.
The international class-oriented trade union movement unites millions of workers in every place of the globe against exploitation, regardless of their origin, nationality, gender, color, religion and any other insubstantial differentiation.
We are fighting for the creation of dignified welcoming and hospitable centers where food and medical care as well as education for the children of refugees will be provided. The protection of refugees is an obligation of the states of the host-counties and they should not transfer this duty to the NGOs and their controversial operation. We demand simplification and acceleration of all procedures for the secure transport of migrants to their final destination countries.
We continue and intensify our struggle to ensure democratic freedoms and civil rights, dignified wages, appropriate working and living conditions, security, and prosperity for all refugees. We are strengthening our voice for the dissolution of NATO and the abolition of imperialist interventions. We oppose all forms of discrimination and racism. We isolate the far right, neo-fascism and xenophobia that is sowing poison, obscuring the real division of society into exploiters and exploited, serving the perpetuation of capitalist barbarism.
On the occasion of World Refugee Day, WFTU calls upon its more than 105 million members in the 130 countries of the 5 continents to continue and strengthen their struggle, in every sector and in every region, for the full and smooth integration of immigrants into the local societies and every aspect of social life, including trade unions.
