At Idomeni, more than 10,000 people fleeing from war and persecution are stuck on the Macedonian border. According to eye witnesses, the conditions there are atrocious: the provisional tent camp wallows in mud, the people are drenched through long periods of rain, food is scarce and there is not enough healthcare, the hygenic situation a catastrophe.
The people can neither return to their war-torn home countries or cross the border, where they are stopped by the Macedonian police with flash grenades, rubber bullets and tear gas.
To stay in Greece and apply for asylum, is not an option, as the asylum system in Greece is severely flawed: The EU Court of Justice notes that the human rights of refugees are regularly violated.
We, an initiative of people and groups from Osnabrück, want to set a token and fetch 50 people from Idomeni to Osnabrück – not a lot, but a lot more than nothing.
Osnabrück performs extraordinary well, aiding refugees.
The town, charitable organisations, religious communities and countless honorary individuals support those arriving here in a manner which hardly anyone thought possible. We are sure: There’s room for another 50!
We citizens of Osnabrück therefore beseach you to support us and decide for the town to accept 50 refugees from Idomeni!
To make sure that those people will really get here, we ask you to petition Lower Saxony and the Federal Government to grant their safe entry into Germany.
We pledge to help you, persistently and with all our strength.
Initial signers
Dr. Renate Vestner-Heise für die Flüchtlingshilfe Rosenplatz e.V.
Theo Paul, Generalvikar, für das Bistum Osnabrück
Andreas Neuhoff, für EXIL e.V.
Franz-Joseph Lotte für Pax Christi Regionalverband Osnabrück/Hamburg
Stefan Wilker für attac Osnabrück
Norbert Grehl-Schmitt für die Bundesgeschäftsstelle von Pro Asyl
Antonia Martin-Sanabria, Elisabeth-Siegel-Preisträgerin 2016
Pastor Dr. Matthias Jung, Referent für den KDA (Kirchlichen Dienst in der Arbeitswelt)
Lioba Meyer, ehemalige Bürgermeisterin der Friedensstadt Osnabrück
Guy Hofmann für „Pflege am Boden Osnabrück“
Dr. Carl-Heinrich Bösling, Geschäftsführer der VHS-Osnabrück
Proff. Dr. Reinhold Mokrosch, Dr. Elk Franke, Dr. Harald Kerber, Dr. Arnim Regenbogen, Koordinatoren des ‚Philosophischen Cafés Osnabrück
Evangelisch reformierte Kirchengemeinde Osnabrück
Ulrich Gubert für Amnesty International Gruppe Osnabrück
Ralph Griesinger für Griechenland Solidarität Osnabrück
Ludger Wortmann (Geschäftsführer des Internationalen Bund Osnabrück)
Michael Bünte, Geschäftsführer HelpAge Deutschland
Lutz Hethey, Geschäftsführer HelpAge Deutschland
