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From Apathy to Action: Exposing the Threat of Hamas and Anti-Semitism in Western Society

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grayscale photo of concrete houses
Photo by Levi Meir Clancy on Unsplash

We often hear about inter-religious meetings to celebrate “living together”. These encounters are particularly fashionable at meals to break the fast, for the feast at the end of Ramadan or for the sheep feast, but curiously never to celebrate Easter, Christmas or Pesach. Where are the imams today, the media-friendly peacemakers?

Why haven’t they come to support their Jewish friends? Where are the associations fighting racism and anti-Semitism? Where are the neo-feminists who had no words for the women raped, killed and slaughtered by Hamas assassins on Saturday 7 October? Where are the Muslim intellectuals who have only “living together” in their mouths to condemn Hamas as a terrorist organisation?

In support of Israel, the President of the CCOJB (Comité de Coordination des Organisations Juives de Belgique) thanked the members of the community as well as those from outside the Jewish community for attending. I would have liked to hear a speech from the associations in support of our Jewish friends and the Israeli community.

You Belgians want to make progress and fight anti-Semitism? Do you really? Then set an example by clearly affirming your support, by denouncing Islamic terrorism loud and clear and without fearful glances towards communities plagued by Islamism.

Just about everywhere in the world, lights in the colours of the Israeli flag have been lit up on monuments symbolising the country. In Brussels? Nothing! In the name of what neutrality? Excuse me, what institutional cowardice?

Worse still, we have left-wing and extreme left-wing politicians who dare not associate “terrorism” with Hamas. One of the most important trade unions in the Kingdom of Belgium, the FGTB, has even dared to put Israel and Hamas back to back. But do you understand what Hamas is? Have you read its charter, which begins with a pious vow to exterminate the Jews? Not the “State”, not the “Israelis”, but the Jews! Just as the ideology of National Socialism advocated. Don’t you understand that the difference between Nazism and the ideology of Hamas is only in this “detail”?

The RTBF public service news channel also reminded us of this with the speech by François Dubuisson, professor at the ULB, who does not use the term “terrorist” to describe Hamas (it would be interesting to know how he would speak if his children had been kidnapped by this “organisation”). His speeches were more that of a pro-Palestinian activist than that of a university professor, shedding light on the situation and the event of the massacre of Jewish people in Israel. And that’s just one example.

Yet Hamas is indeed a terrorist group that wants to exterminate the Jews. Its motto is: “God is its goal, the Prophet its model, the Koran its constitution, jihad its path and death in the path of God the highest of its hopes”. What’s stopping you from reading his words for yourselves? You don’t negotiate with groups that want to exterminate you. Negotiation implies an appeal to reason, and the only reason known to this movement is hatred. Hatred of otherness, embodied by the Jews and the West.

Frightened groups accuse Israel of apartheid throughout the West and support terrorists, contributing to the evil that is eating away at all Western societies: Islamism and anti-Semitism.
They compare it to the apartheid practised in South Africa. In South Africa, there was real discrimination between blacks and whites, enshrined in law! In Israel, however, different ethnic and religious groups live together under the same laws. Israel is a democratic country, whether or not you agree with its policies. There is no apartheid in Israel.

The so-called “Israeli-Palestinian” conflict allows Islamists to mobilise the Muslim “Ummah” around a common cause and a common enemy. In fact, Hamas launched an appeal to the Ummah today, calling on the Arab Ummah to destroy Israel.

You can’t imagine what it does to the heads of propagandized European Muslims to hold the flag of Israel as a symbol of the free world, not to burn or trample it. Few know that Muslims defend Israel with weapons in their hands and die for this country which is also theirs and to which they have sworn an oath, like Lieutenant-Colonel Elim Abdullah, a Druze from Januh-Jat. Or patriotic Arabs like Youssef Haddad, a Zionist who defended his country. Or like Nuseir Yasin (better known under his blogging name Nas Daily) who calls himself first Israeli and then Palestinian and who writes that he does not want to live under the Palestinian government while being an Arab Muslim.

We need to set an example, stop the hypocrisy and pretend that everything is fine in these one-way “living together” meetings. Some people hide behind the words “we want peace between the two nations”, but have “we” understood that the aim of Hamas is not “two nations”, but the extermination of the Jews? Those who brandish this formula today are hypocrites and liars.

The reality is that the silence of these institutions tells us the extent to which we are hostages to groups that want to do battle with our civilisation.

It is never too late to act, because we are next on the list. Hamas’s fight against Israel is a fight against our Western civilisation.

Gaza: Nowhere to go, as humanitarian situation reaches ‘lethal low’

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Gaza: Nowhere to go, as humanitarian situation reaches ‘lethal low’

The humanitarian situation in Gaza has reached a “lethal low” as the Israeli military orders the relocation of over 1.1 million people from the northern region of Wadi Gaza to the southern area, within a 24-hour deadline. This announcement, made by UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, has raised concerns about devastating consequences for the already vulnerable population. The United Nations (UN) and its agencies have called for the order to be rescinded, emphasizing the impossibility of such a movement and the dire humanitarian repercussions it would entail.

‘Death sentence’ for many

UN representatives in Gaza have described the relocation order as a “death sentence” for many affected individuals. The World Health Organization (WHO) has joined the call for Israel to retract the order, highlighting the impossibility of evacuating vulnerable hospital patients from the north of Gaza. The UN has reiterated its appeals for the immediate release of hostages held in Gaza and for the protection of civilians, as well as urgent aid access to the sealed-off enclave.

‘Pushing people into the abyss’

UN humanitarians have also expressed concern about the worsening situation in Gaza and the potential loss of civilian lives. The head of the UN Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) warned that the relocation order would lead to unprecedented levels of misery and further push people in Gaza into an abyss. The UNRWA stated that Gaza is on the brink of collapse, emphasizing the need for all parties to uphold the laws of war.

Aid ‘locked out’

The UN has urgently requested humanitarian access to Gaza, as supplies are quickly depleting. The situation has reached a critical point, with UN officials stating that they are effectively locked out of Gaza. On Thursday, the UN launched a flash appeal for $294 million to address the urgent needs of 1.26 million people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. The immediate priority is to de-escalate the conflict and alleviate the suffering of civilians.

Health system at ‘breaking point’

The health system in Gaza is at a breaking point, with hospitals exceeding their capacities and struggling to provide adequate care. The World Health Organization has reported that six out of the seven main hospitals in Gaza are only partially functioning. Moving critically injured patients and those depending on life support would be a death sentence, and health workers are facing a difficult choice of whom to save in a dire situation that is overwhelming the already strained healthcare system. There have also been numerous attacks on healthcare facilities and personnel, further exacerbating the crisis.

Release hostages, protect civilians

The UN Human Rights Office insists that civilians must never be used as bargaining chips and calls for the immediate and unconditional release of hostages. Both Palestinian armed groups and Israel are urged to respect international humanitarian law and halt attacks against civilians. The rise in hate speech, including anti-Semitic and Islamophobic rhetoric, is also a cause for concern, and leaders are called upon to stem such hate speech and incitements to violence.

Rise in hate speech

The situation in Gaza has sparked strong emotions worldwide, leading to a proliferation of hate speech and incitement to violence in many countries. The UN rights chief deplores this rise in anti-Semitic and Islamophobic hate speech and calls on leaders to unite against it. In the face of this desperate situation, the international community must show solidarity and advocate for the protection of all civilians, regardless of their background.

The UN Security Council is scheduled to meet in New York to discuss the situation in Gaza, highlighting the urgency of the crisis and the need for a coordinated international response.

Sources: UN Note to Correspondents, UN News

Orban: Hungary will ban marches in support of terrorist organizations

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Hungary will not allow marches in support of “terrorist organizations,” Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said. “It is shocking that all over Europe there are rallies in support of terrorists,” Orban told public radio, referring to the public demonstrations that followed a weekend attack by Hamas on Israel, Reuters quoted him as saying.

“There have been attempts to do this even in Hungary. But we will not allow sympathizing rallies in support of terrorist organizations, as this would lead to a terrorist threat to Hungarian citizens,” stressed the prime minister. He added that all Hungarian citizens should feel safe, regardless of their faith or origin.

Photo by Timi Keszthelyi: https://www.pexels.com/photo/body-of-water-near-building-2350351/

On Friday the 13th hung the condemned, waiting for the end of the world in 2029

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Friday the 13th is a date associated with bad luck. On this day, millions of superstitious people avoid meetings with black cats, stay away from mirrors for fear of breaking them, refuse to drive and travel by plane. Hotels and hospitals often skip the 13th floor, and airports skip the 13th exit.

There is a term for the fear of Friday the 13th – paraskavedecatriaphobia or frigatriskaidekaphobia. The fear of the number 13 is called triskaidekaphobia.

The association with bad luck may be biblical – 13 were the guests at the Last Supper when Jesus was betrayed. He was crucified the next day – Friday. It is also possible that the 13th is out of favor because it is after the 12th, as are the months. The signs of the zodiac, the gods of Olympus, the feats of Hercules, the tribes of Israel and the apostles of Jesus are also a dozen.

In the Middle Ages, Friday was called Hanging Day because criminals were executed then. There were 13 steps to the scaffold, so many loops on the gallows, 13 pence was paid to the executioner.

President Franklin Roosevelt did not travel on Friday the 13th, nor did he host dinner parties for 13 people. Even the great Napoleon suffered from a morbid fear of the fatal number.

The worst Friday 13th crash on record was in October 1972 when a plane crashed in the Andes. 12 people died and the survivors were forced to feed on corpses before being rescued after 72 days.

The end of the world is also expected on this date. According to forecasts, on Friday the 13th in 2029, the 320 m diameter asteroid 99942 Apophis will pass dangerously close to Earth. According to NASA scientists, if the asteroid were to make landfall, it would devastate a region the size of Texas. If it falls into the ocean, it can cause huge waves.

UN rights body extends mandate of Special Rapporteur on Russia

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UN rights body extends mandate of Special Rapporteur on Russia
UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré A general view of a Human Rights Council meeting. (file)

The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has extended the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Russia for another year.

The decision to extend the mandate was made in a resolution that received the support of 18 Council members, while seven members opposed it and 22 abstained. This move comes after Russia’s bid to rejoin the Council was rejected by the United Nations General Assembly earlier this week.

Urgent Call for Compliance

The UNHRC “strongly urged” Russian authorities to comply with all international human rights obligations. The resolution called for the protection of fundamental freedoms, including those of thought, opinion, expression, and assembly. It also emphasized the need for Russia to remove restrictions on diversity in ideas, criticism, and dissent, as well as ensure the associated rights to liberty, security of person, fair trial, and freedom from torture.

Full Engagement and Cooperation

The resolution further called on Russia to engage fully and non-selectively with all UN human rights mechanisms, and to cooperate fully with the Special Rapporteur’s mandate. It urged Russian authorities to provide unhindered access to the mandate holder, allowing them to visit the country, meet with relevant stakeholders, including civil society, human rights defenders, and individuals in detention.

Background and Role of the Special Rapporteur

The mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Russia was established by the UNHRC in October 2022. The Special Rapporteur is an independent expert appointed to monitor, assess, and report on the human rights situation in the country.

In September, the Special Rapporteur issued a report highlighting a significant deterioration in human rights in Russia since its invasion of Ukraine in February the previous year. The report also described a systematic crackdown on civil society in the country.

The current Special Rapporteur, Mariana Katzarova of Bulgaria, was appointed on April 4 and assumed her functions on May 1. She serves in an individual capacity, independent of any country or the UN Secretariat. It is important to note that she is not a UN staff member and does not receive a salary from the organization.

The extension of the Special Rapporteur’s mandate demonstrates the UN’s continued commitment to monitoring and addressing human rights violations in Russia. By urging Russia to comply with its international human rights obligations and calling for full engagement and cooperation, the UNHRC aims to ensure the protection of fundamental freedoms and the promotion of human rights in the country.

As the Special Rapporteur continues her work, it is hoped that her findings and recommendations will contribute to positive change and accountability for human rights abuses in Russia.

Key Takeaways:

  • The UNHRC extended the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Russia for another year.
  • Russian authorities were strongly urged to comply with international human rights obligations and remove restrictions on fundamental freedoms.
  • Full engagement, cooperation, and unhindered access were called for to facilitate the Special Rapporteur’s work.
  • The Special Rapporteur’s role is to monitor, assess, and report on the human rights situation in Russia.
  • Individuals and organizations cooperating with UN human rights bodies should be protected from intimidation and reprisals.

The extension of the Special Rapporteur’s mandate underscores the UN’s commitment to holding Russia accountable for human rights violations and promoting a culture of respect and protection for fundamental freedoms.

Explainer: How UN delivers life-saving aid amid crises

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Explainer: How UN delivers life-saving aid amid crises

What does it take to get food, medicine, emergency education, and shelter to record numbers of people in some of the most dangerous places on Earth? The UN does this around the world, including in Afghanistan, Haiti, Sudan, Ukraine, and the occupied Palestinian territory.

One in every 33 people (that’s 242 million people) on the planet needed humanitarian assistance in 2022, and most of that aid was coordinated through the UN.

Coordination: Crisis HQ

This week, as the Israel-Palestine crisis erupted on 7 October, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in New York swiftly mobilized. As with all UN emergency responses, the agency facilitates efforts to deliver life-saving aid to those in need.

Taking the lead in providing relief on the ground, including in Afghanistan, Sudan, and Gaza this week, are many UN acronyms commonly identified with emergency aid worldwide, including the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP), and other such specialized agencies as those focused on refugees (UNHCR) and children (UNICEF).

© UNICEF/Ahmed Elfatih Mohamdeen – A UNICEF staff member talks to displaced children at a gathering point in Madani in east-central Sudan.

A crisis team at UN Headquarters in New York works around the clock to monitor hotspots across the world. To support these efforts, the UN Department of Global Communications (DGC) amplifies emergency needs and funding appeals globally online and on social media.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres and his special envoys engage key players in each conflict to try to find a peaceful solution. In the meantime, the UN chief and staff monitor situations on the ground, inform the media of updates, and discuss with national authorities the best, safest ways to get aid to communities in crisis.

Aid hubs: World’s largest humanitarian warehouse

Planning is essential; much of the aid distributed to people in need across the world comes from storage facilities in Denmark, where UNICEF operates its Global Supply and Logistics Hub in Copenhagen.

Spanning more than 20,000 square metres, it is the largest humanitarian warehouse in the world.

UNICEF’s global warehouse in Copenhagen, Denmark.
© UNICEF UNICEF’s global warehouse in Copenhagen, Denmark.

A donation from Denmark, it can store up to 36,000 pallets of supplies, which are moved around by automated robot cranes.

Additional hubs are located worldwide, including in China, Italy, Panama, and the United Arab Emirates.

Under the Black Sea Initiative, this WFP-chartered vessel was the first humanitarian cargo ship to arrive in Ukraine’s Black Sea ports since the war began.
© WFP/Anastasiia Honcharuk – Under the Black Sea Initiative, this WFP-chartered vessel was the first humanitarian cargo ship to arrive in Ukraine’s Black Sea ports since the war began

Walking the talk

Funding for these operations comes from nations around the world, which also donate year-round to the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). Managed by OCHA, the fund has to date provided more than $6 billion in life-saving assistance in more than 100 countries and territories.

The UN humanitarian affairs office also operates country-based funds (CBPF), managed by the UN, which makes money available to those working on the ground, including its own entities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the Red Cross/Red Crescent Organizations.

UN agencies and humanitarian partners continue to support the urgent needs of people affected by the Kakhovka Dam blast in eastern Ukraine.
© UNICEF Ukraine – UN agencies and humanitarian partners continue to support the urgent needs of people affected by the Kakhovka Dam blast in eastern Ukraine.

OCHA allocated a record $1.2 billion through CBPF in 2022, helping partners to address the humanitarian needs of about 47 million people caught in crises.

Most recently, the UN agency released $5 million early this week to help people sheltering in Gaza and the West Bank.

In 2016, UNICEF set up the first ever “drone corridor” in Africa for delivering humanitarian goods, including medicine and vaccines.
© UNICEF/Andrew Brown – In 2016, UNICEF set up the first ever “drone corridor” in Africa for delivering humanitarian goods, including medicine and vaccines.

How aid gets there

Boats, trucks, planes, and even drones help the UN get aid to people in need. If you’ve ever wondered just how aid supplies and relief workers themselves get to crisis-torn countries where they are needed most, it’s the UN Humanitarian Air Service that steps in when no other means of reaching isolated communities are available.

Known by its acronym, UNHAS, the service was set up in 2003, is managed by WFP, and for the past two decades has been offering safe, reliable, cost-efficient, and effective passenger and light cargo transport for the wider humanitarian community to and from areas of crisis and intervention.

UNHAS has a fleet of more than 90 aircraft, including helicopters, that transports on average more than 33,000 passengers and about 300 metric tonnes of light cargo per month to 310 regular destinations.

Drones have been also been used to reach hard-to-access areas to deliver vaccines, medicines, diagnostic samples, blood products, and other commodities, according to UNICEF, which launched the first ever humanitarian drone corridor in Africa in 2016.

Delivery routes are critical, so the UN discusses transport agreements among nations during conflicts. That included aid in Syria as well as the Black Sea Initiative, agreed by Russia, Türkiye, and Ukraine, which for one year brought more than 32 tonnes of food stuffs to 45 countries on three continents.

Trucks carrying food assistance cross the Turkish border into Syria. (file)
UNOCHA/David Swanson – Trucks carrying food assistance cross the Turkish border into Syria. (file)

Safe passages: On the ground

The UN and its agencies on the ground routinely request from national authorities the establishment of humanitarian corridors, or safe, unimpeded access for aid workers and deliveries to safely reach those who need help the most. 

At the national level, when emergencies occur, the UN Humanitarian and Resident Coordinator manages relief efforts, working hand-in-hand with local authorities.

UNRWA engineers assess shelter damage in the occupied Palestinian territory after a military conflict in 2021.
©UNRWA/ Mohammed Hinnawi – UNRWA engineers assess shelter damage in the occupied Palestinian territory after a military conflict in 2021.

But, it is UN staff, predominantly national staff with their local knowledge and contacts, that enable much of the relief work and often face the biggest risks, including those employed by the UN relief agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA.

A dozen UN agencies and 17,000 staff members, mostly Palestine refugees, work in Gaza and the West Bank, home to more than two million people.

Despite falling rockets and closed borders, they continued to provide assistance in Gaza on Thursday, five days after the crisis began, even as the UN announced that 12 of its staff members had been killed by airstrikes.

“The humanitarian society responds despite the fact that the resources available in Gaza are not enough,” OCHA staff member Hamada El Bayari told UN News.

“There has been an almost complete stop of the supply chain, and resources have not for the last couple of days been authorized to come to Gaza,” he said. “It’s becoming, over the past days, extremely challenging for the humanitarian workers to the put their feet where the impact is.”

Bread is distributed in a school in Gaza that is a designated shelter in times of emergency.
© WFP/Ali Jadallah – Bread is distributed in a school in Gaza that is a designated shelter in times of emergency.

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World in Brief: Persons with disabilities, Afghan quake latest, global aid funding off track

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World in Brief: Persons with disabilities, Afghan quake latest, global aid funding off track
© UNOCHA/Ali Haji Suleiman Idlib - Northwest Syria: A girl helps her sister on their way home from school. Persons with disabilities are among the most marginalized in a crisis, with a mortality rate in disasters that is on average two to four times higher than the general population.persons withou

The World must act to protect persons with disabilities from the damaging of natural disaster, more than 5,000 victims on Afghan quake, global aid funding off track

The world must act on “unacceptable failures” to protect persons with disabilities from the damaging impact of living through a natural disaster, the UN office dealing with disaster risk said on Thursday.

Persons with disabilities face a “shocking lack of support” with no progress in the last decade, despite a huge increase in climate disasters worldwide, the new UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) report states, and that lack of progress could be a violation of international law.

Persons with disabilities make up 16 per cent of the world’s population and suffer an overall death rate due to disasters that is two to four times higher than the general population.

Comprehensive survey

The survey captured over 6,000 responses from 132 countries to evaluate progress on government policies that should be offering protection.

An initial survey focused on disability was conducted in 2013 and comes ahead of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction marked on Friday, on the theme of fighting inequality. 

The new survey found limited progress on disability inclusion over the past ten years, with no significant advances in any region.

Specifically, 84 per cent of respondents in 2023 reported not having a personal preparedness plan in case of a disaster, such as knowing evacuation routes, available shelters and stocking up on emergency supplies.

In 2013, this figure was 71 per cent.

Notably, the 2023 findings show that if sufficient early warning is provided, 39 per cent of respondents reported they would have no difficulty evacuating, compared to 26 per cent, if there was no warning.

Afghan quake: More than 5,000 victims reached, WHO reports

The UN World Health Organization (WHO) has reached 5,625 of the survivors most impacted by the earthquakes that struck the Herat region of Afghanistan over the weekend and again on Wednesday.

In an update, the health agency reported that just over 4,000 have received primary healthcare including mental health support, and over 1,000 were helped with trauma and rehab services.

Latest reports estimate that just over 11,000 people – some 1,835 families – have been impacted overall.

As of Wednesday night, WHO reported damage to 21 health facilities across 10 different districts, more than half of the destruction occurred as a result of the fresh earthquake and aftershocks that day.

A 650-bed regional hospital in Herat, received many of the injured, with 141 patients transferred there, including two in a critical condition, said WHO. 

As of 10 October, the death toll stood at 1,294, with nearly 1,700 injured. 

Global funding for aid off-track: OCHA

Humanitarians face a funding shortfall of $37 billion to respond to emergencies which affect millions of people in need around the world.

That’s the message from UN humanitarian affairs coordination office (OCHA), which said on Thursday that out of the more than $55 billion required to assist 248 million people this year, donors have provided just under a third of that as of the end of September – that’s even less than this time last year.

OCHA said the monthly decrease of global humanitarian funding is “of great concern”.

The humanitarian response plans for the Central African Republic and Somalia have seen the sharpest funding shortfalls compared to last year, by as much as 33 per cent less in the case of Somalia.

Funding for eight other humanitarian emergencies in Afghanistan, Chad, Colombia, Ethiopia, Honduras, Mozambique, Syria and Venezuela has dropped by more than 10 per cent.

Humanitarians call for urgent aid access to Gaza   

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Humanitarians call for urgent aid access to Gaza     

Gaza is on the brink of running out of food, water, electricity and critical supplies, UN humanitarians warned on Thursday.

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The EU response to migration and asylum

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The EU response to migration and asylum
Greece's Hellenic Coast Guard approaches a boat containing 43 Syrian refugees in the Mediterranean sea © UNHCR/Andrew McConnell

Europe attracts many migrants and asylum seekers. Find out how the EU is improving its asylum and migration policies.

In 2015, there were 1.83 million illegal crossings at the EU’s external borders. While this number fell to about 330,000 in 2022, Parliament is working on a number of proposals to remedy shortcomings in the EU’s asylum and migration policies: from reforming the asylum system to strengthening border security, improving legal labour migration and promoting the integration of refugees.

Find out fact and figures about migration in the EU and the reasons why people migrate

Reforming the European asylum system

Asylum seekers: sharing responsibility with frontline countries

In response to the refugee crisis in 2015, the European Commission presented proposals to reform the Common European Asylum System in 2016, including a reform of the Dublin System to better allocate asylum applicants among EU countries. The Dublin System put a huge burden on a limited number of EU countries with external borders because they were responsible for processing all asylum claims. However, EU countries failed to reach an agreement on how to share responsibility.

In 2020, the Commission proposed a new a New Pact on Migration and Asylum. The new asylum system aims to support front-line countries by introducing a new system of flexible contributions from other EU countries, ranging from the relocation of asylum seekers from the country of first entry, to returning people deemed to have no right to stay. The new system is based on voluntary cooperation and flexible forms of support, which could become requirements at times of pressure.

Parliament agreed on its negotiating position on the revision of the Regulation on Asylum and Migration Management in April 2023. It is now ready to start talks with EU countries, with the aim of finishing by February 2024.

Revamping the EU Agency for Asylum

In 2021, Parliament backed the transformation of the European Asylum Support Office into the EU Agency for Asylum. The revamped agency aims to help make asylum procedures in EU countries more uniform and faster.

Its 500 experts provide support to national asylum systems facing a high caseload, making overall EU migration management more efficient and sustainable. In addition, the new agency is in charge of monitoring whether fundamental rights are being respected in the context of international protection procedures and reception conditions in EU countries.

Providing EU funds for asylum

In 2021, MEPs backed the creation of a new Integrated Border Management Fund and agreed to allocate it  €6.24 billion. The fund should help EU countries boost their capacities in border management while ensuring fundamental rights are respected. It also contributes to a common, harmonised visa policy and introduces protective measures for vulnerable people arriving in Europe, notably unaccompanied children.

Parliament also approved the renewed Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund with a budget of €9.88 billion for 2021-22. The new fund should contribute to strengthening the common asylum policy, develop legal migration in line with the needs of EU countries, support the integration of non-EU nationals and contribute to the fight against irregular migration. The funds should also serve to encourage EU countries to share the responsibility of hosting refugees and asylum seekers more fairly.

Read more about reforming the Common European Asylum System

Responding to the Ukrainian Refugee Crisis

In addition to the asylum system, the EU has also established temporary protection mechanisms for specific groups of refugees or displaced people. One such mechanism is the Temporary Protection Directive, which provides a framework for granting temporary protection. The directive was created in 2001 in response to the conflict in the Balkans.

More recently, when Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine started on 24 February 2022, the EU responded rapidly and showed solidarity in action by helping people in need. This included direct humanitarian aid, emergency civil protection assistance, and support at the border, as well as granting protection to those fleeing the war and entering the EU. For the first time in its history, the EU activated the Temporary Protection Directive, setting the legal rules to help manage the mass arrival of people.

Securing the EU’s external borders and managing migration flows

Countering irregular migration while respecting asylum seekers’ rights

The Parliament has been working to tighten border controls and improve EU countries’ ability to track people entering Europe. In April 2023, Parliament approved its position on revisions to the external border procedure. It will now begin negotiations with the Council. It proposes a better screening process, a faster asylum process at the borders and swift returns for rejected asylum seekers.

It includes the possibility of a faster and simplified procedure for asylum claims directly after screening. These should be completed in 12 weeks, including appeals. In the case of a rejection or dismissal of a claim, the failed applicant should be returned within 12 weeks.

The new rules would also limit the use of detention. While an asylum claim is being assessed or the return procedure is being processed, the asylum applicant has to be accommodated by the EU country. Detention should only be used as a last resort.

Read more on countering irregular migration and returning migrants

Reinforcing Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard

Frontex, the EU’s border and coast guard, helps to manage the EU’s external borders and to fight cross-border crime.

The refugee influx in 2015 put enormous pressure on national border authorities. Parliament called for a strengthening of Frontex and the Commission proposed to extend Frontex’s mandate and transform it into a fully-fledged European Border and Coast Guard Agency, with the aim of reinforcing the management and security of the EU’s external borders and supporting national border guards.

It was officially launched at the Bulgarian external border with Turkey in October 2016. Frontex supports EU and Schengen countries in all aspects of border management, from support on the ground and fighting cross-border crime, aerial surveillance and collecting information, to help with return procedures.

Frontex has a current standing corps of more than 2,000 border guards. There are plans to increase this to 10,000 border guards by 2027.

Internal border controls

EU countries have been reinstating border controls within the Schengen area over the last few years, and these controls often last for long periods. In order to preserve free movement while addressing genuine security threats, the Commission put forward a proposal in 2021.

In October 2023, Parliament agreed on its position and voted to enter into negotiations with the Council.

As an alternative to internal border controls, the new rules promote police cooperation in border regions to address unauthorised movements within the Schengen area. Apprehended non-EU citizens with irregular status often arrive from another EU country, so if the two countries hold joint patrols, the irregular migrants may be transferred back to the first EU country. MEPs want to exclude several categories, including unaccompanied minors, from such returns.

MEPs also propose clear criteria for imposing internal border controls in response to serious threats. A justified reason, such as an identified and immediate threat of terrorism, is required before internal border controls can be introduced and such controls would have a time limit of up to eighteen months. If the threat persists, more border controls could be authorised by a Council decision.

The proposals also allow for the reintroduction of border controls in several countries for a period of up to two years when the Commission receives notifications about a particularly serious threat affecting many countries simultaneously.

Improving legal migration with work permits

The EU has also been working to boost legal migration to address labour shortages, fill skill gaps and boost economic growth with:

  • EU Blue Card: a work and residence permit for highly skilled non-EU workers
  • The single permit: a combined work and residence permit, valid for two years and country-specific
  • EU long-term resident status: this allows non-EU citizens to stay and work in the EU for an indefinite period. Once the status has been granted, it is possible to move and work freely within the EU
  • The single permit and the long-term resident status are currently being revised.
  • Read more about how the EU wants to bolster legal labour migration

Fostering refugees’ integration in Europe

The Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund in action

The EU is also taking steps to help migrants integrate in their new home countries. The 2021-2027 Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund provides direct funding to local and regional authorities for integration policies and programmes focusing on counselling, education, language and other training such as civic orientation courses and professional guidance.

Improving refugee integration with the new Pact on Migration and Asylum

The Reception Conditions Directive is being revised to ensure equivalent reception standards across EU countries when it comes to material conditions, health care and an adequate standard of living for those who request international protection.

To improve their chances of being able to live independently and integrate, asylum applicants should be allowed to work no later than six months from the date of the registration of their application. They will have access to language courses, as well as civic education courses or vocational training. All children requesting asylum should be enrolled in school at the latest two months after arrival.

Parliament and Council reached a provisional agreement on the rules in December 2022. It must be formally approved by both bodies before it can enter into force.

Scientology Empowering Mental Health against Abuses: Advocating for Guidelines to Protect People

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grayscale photo of hospital bed
Photo by Ante Samarzija on Unsplash

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, October 12 2023. World Mental Health Day on October 10 2023 became a platform for a global community that stands up for raising awareness and instigating change against psychiatric abuses. The Scientology Network joined forces with the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) to organize an event focusing on shedding light on this pressing issue, by dedicating a full day of broadcasting to the issue through Scientology TV. Also, the broader international movement against psychiatric abuses highlighted the importance of the new WHO & OHCHR guidelines that safeguard people from abuses in mental health.

Revealing the Hidden Risks of Psychiatric Medication and its Potential Dangers

Startling statistics reveal that one out of every four Americans is currently dependent on medications. Shockingly even children as young as five years old are involved in over 400,000 cases. Unfortunately, there is awareness regarding the potential risks associated with these medications. Reported side effects include thoughts of violence, anxiety, depression, psychosis, hallucinations and even fatalities. It is deeply concerning to note that individuals using medications face a six times higher likelihood of dying by suicide.

Acknowledging complications such as memory loss, cognitive impairment, brain damage and even fatalities associated with electroshock therapy (ECT) the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken a stance. However, despite this acknowledgement 100,000 individuals, in the United States undergo Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) each year, and it is alarming to note that even psychiatrists themselves acknowledge that they do not fully comprehend the mechanisms behind ECT.

Advocating for the Mission of CCHR; Putting an End to Psychiatric Abuse

The Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) a profit organization is committed to safeguarding mental health and actively working towards eliminating unethical practices in the global psychiatric industry. CCHR and its partners have played a role in enacting over 320 laws aimed at protecting individuals from such abusive practices.

World Mental Health Day Marathon; Shedding Light on Psychiatric Misconduct

As part of their World Mental Health Day campaign, the Scientology Network organized a marathon event with the objective of educating the public in 17 languages about misconduct and corruption within the mental health field worldwide. This event served as a call to action aiming to eradicate activities associated with psychiatry.

Revealing the Facts: Highlighted Shows During the Marathon

The marathon showcased a series of documentaries produced by CCHR, which aimed to uncover the truth, about the history and practices of the industry.

Here are some titles for your consideration:

  1. Therapy or Torture: The Truth about Electroshock, an exposé on the brutal psychiatric practice of electroshock
  2. Psychiatry: An Industry of Death, an investigation of psychiatry’s dark past
  3. Marketing of Madness: Are We All Insane?—a look at how psychiatry concocts mental diseases for the sake of profit
  4. The Hidden Enemy: Inside Psychiatry’s Covert Agenda, uncovering how psychiatry infiltrated the US military and its devastating effects
  5. Voices for Humanity—the only ongoing television series dedicated to those working in the streets, schools and communities to spread the message of human rights, educate communities on the dangers of drugs and combat psychiatric abuse.

Global Initiatives: Collaborative Efforts between WHO and OHCHR

In anticipation of World Mental Health Day the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR) published a document called “Promoting Mental Health Protecting Human Rights: Guidance and Practices.” This comprehensive guide aims to assist countries in reforming their legislation to eradicate human rights violations in healthcare while improving access to high-quality medical services and many organizations and individuals, including CCHR, have been acknowledged for their contributions to the guidelines.

Challenges in Safeguarding Human Rights within Psychiatry

Within healthcare there are persisting instances of abuse and coercive practices often supported by existing laws and policies. These abuses encompass mistreatment related to well-being as well, as emotional conditions. While some nations have taken steps to revise their laws and policies the changes implemented so far are limited in their scope.

The recommendations put forward propose measures to prevent coercion in healthcare services. They stress the significance of obtaining consent as a guiding principle in all health interventions and offer suggestions on how to handle cases within legal frameworks and policies without resorting to coercive methods. Additionally, peer-based programs that do not necessarily fall under purview also can and do play an important role with more cost-effective results while also avoiding the abuses that are reported to occur in the bio-medical approach.

A Human Rights Approach to Mental Health: The Role of Guidelines for Protecting Mental Health

These guidelines involving various entities extend beyond the healthcare sector and aim at lawmakers and policymakers involved in shaping, amending and implementing health-related legislation. These guidelines provide a checklist for countries to assess whether their laws align with human rights obligations. The guidance underlines the importance of involving individuals with lived experiences and their representative organizations in this process while emphasizing education and awareness.

Mental health human rights protection is a right, for everyone

On World Mental Health Day 2023, people worldwide came together to acknowledge that “Mental health human rights protection is a right, for everyone” safeguarded from any form of abuse or violations of rights. Iván Arjona-Pelado, Scientology representative to the EU institutions, OSCE and UN stated that “Both the marathon hosted by Scientology Network and the guidance introduced by WHO and OHCHR serve as examples of efforts to eradicate abuse and ensure that mental healthcare is rooted in human rights, which is something Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard called for at least as early as 1969”. 

By raising awareness promoting the importance of consent and advocating for community-based care the United Nations (UN) and World Health Organization (WHO) are taking steps towards creating a world where everyone’s mental health and well-being are valued and protected.

The ongoing fight against the mistreatment of individuals facing social and mental challenges persists because civil society remains dedicated to upholding human rights and preserving the dignity of every person. Guidelines, for safeguarding mental health offer a roadmap towards a future where mental well-being is prioritized ensuring that individuals receive the care and support they truly deserve.