On this day, the world commemorates World Refugee Day. It is a sombre reflection on the immense suffering of those forced to flee their homes. Today, more than 120 million people are affected by forced displacement.

Wars financed, supplied and fought by NATO countries continue to be the biggest contributors to this catastrophe: the Global War on Terror, for example, has resulted in more than “4.5 million deaths and between 38 and 60 million displaced people“. This number will continue to rise, given the 85 countries that are included in the United States’ anti-terrorist operations:

The European Union, forced to present a sanitised image, celebrates itself by announcing that “the EU reiterates its unwavering commitment to the right to seek and enjoy asylum and the principle of non-refoulement, enshrined in both the 1951 Refugee Convention and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, which must always be respected”. 

We know the reality – the latest horrific episode is people being thrown overboard to their deaths by the Greek coastguard, while in the longer term the Pact on Migration and Asylum will lead to more separation, persecution and deaths. 

DiEM25 wants to address the root causes of the crisis. Join our webinar on June 27 to hear our analysis and proposals for a planet without borders. 

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