On the occasion of International Migrants Day, Pierre Henry, President from France Fraternités calls “the main host countries” in Europe to draw “a common project: to house, feed, clothe, educate”. The year 2021, marked by the death of 27 people in the sinking of their boat in the English Channel at the end of November, was, according to him, “terrible”.
franceinfo: How did the year 2021 go?
Pierre Henry: It was difficult. What happened this year is terrible. There are deaths at all borders, the networks of smugglers stuff themselves with life and money. Defending their respect for human dignity is no longer even an option for European heads of state, like Mr. Orban in Hungary. 250 km from Paris, a few weeks ago, men, women and children died in the open sea, in the Channel, and British help did not respond to emergency calls. This criminal act goes unnoticed.
Do people die the most in the Mediterranean?
Yes, we die a lot in the Mediterranean, from Libya. Rescue operations are extremely small, civilian operations carried out by NGOs are often hampered. But there are some hopes and we must build on them to develop a balanced vision of migration.
Elections were held in Germany and immigration issues were handled with calm and dignity and the ruling coalition has embarked on a path of European cooperation in crisis prevention.
Pierre Henryto franceinfo
She wrote that she would assume her humanitarian responsibility, her obligations. If that could inspire the French presidential campaign that would be great.
Migrants are often politically instrumentalized. What do you think ?
With a remission of European law. With a massive refoulement on the part of Poland of migrants, with an instrumentalisation of the Belarusian regime of migrants, with a hostage-taking of migrants that is used as a diplomatic weapon. The situation continues. In France, we have our own responsibility for what happens when leaving the European border on our way to Great Britain.
What should the government do?
European civilization imposes on us a humanist look and action and if we do not manage to do so at 27 we must favor coalitions. The Franco-German couple is a driving force in the European Union on many points, it must also be on respect for humanism and the values which founded the European Union. The main host countries in Europe must draw up a common project: to house, feed, clothe, educate. It is a duty that we must assume. There is a need for solidarity that everyone must assume.