On World Refugee Day, we reflect globally on the millions of people who have fled their homes, families, and communities due to war, oppression, climate change, or hopeless poverty. People who, often under life-threatening conditions, seek a place where they can live in safety and dignity.
How we receive these people says everything about who we are as a society. Humane reception is not a favor — it is a moral obligation.
The 1951 Refugee Convention obliges states to provide protection to those fleeing persecution. But humane reception goes beyond the bare minimum. It means: access to education for children, psychosocial support for the traumatised, and a life of dignity during the asylum process. Poor reception leads to despair, exploitation, and even forced return to dangerous situations.
If we truly believe in human rights, we must uphold them — especially for those most vulnerable.
The Netherlands shares responsibility
But instead of showing solidarity and protection, we see a government that systematically abandons refugees. The right to humane treatment has become a political battleground, and compassion is increasingly being silenced in public discourse.
These people deserve respect, solidarity, and a chance to heal. Housing people in overcrowded tents, leaving their legal status uncertain, or denying them medical care only deepens their trauma. A humane approach begins by acknowledging: this could have happened to us too.
The Dutch failure: A moral and administrative crisis
In Ter Apel, people — including children, pregnant women, and those with trauma — have been sleeping outside for years. Exposed to cold, without access to medical care, and faced with a government claiming it “cannot cope” with reception. Not because it is impossible, but because there is a lack of political will to choose humanity. Meanwhile, municipalities that want to help are often blocked or ignored.
While the need grows, our government responds with symbolic tough talk. They speak of “reducing inflow,” of “regional shelter,” and of “border controls,” while the real questions remain unanswered: How do we ensure that people don’t have to flee their homes in the first place? And how do we ensure that Europe — and the Netherlands — take responsibility, instead of offloading it onto neighboring countries or authoritarian regimes?
Refugees are not numbers – they are people
DiEM25 refuses to participate in the dehumanisation of people on the move. No one leaves their home lightly. Every refugee is a person with dreams, memories, and the hope for a future. The way we receive them speaks volumes about who we are.
Do we want a Europe that builds walls — or one that opens doors?
A different Dutch policy is possible
Based on DiEM25’s migration policy, we call for a radical shift. The Netherlands can — and must — choose a fair, humane, and solidaristic refugee policy:
- Structural, small-scale reception in all municipalities, with support from the national government. No more ad-hoc chaos, but durable solutions.
- Faster asylum procedures, with full respect for legal certainty and human rights.
- An end to deals with repressive regimes like Tunisia and Turkey, where refugees are abused and tortured.
- Investment in integration — in education, language, and employment — so that people can build a life rather than remain in limbo.
- A European asylum system based on solidarity, where countries work together instead of passing the burden to others.
We are all human
World Refugee Day reminds us that borders are arbitrary, but humanity is universal. Refugees are not a threat — they are fellow human beings.
Our values, our democracy, our civilisation are not threatened by the arrival of refugees, but by our response to them. How we treat them will determine whether we look back later with pride or with shame.
DiEM25 stands on the side of human rights. For a Netherlands that is not fearful, but brave. Not closed, but open. Not dismissive, but humane.
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