Positive response from the municipal council from 16 March 2021:
The reaction to the petition form, which was handed in on 14 March with 30 signatures from citizens of the municipality of Spiez was very positive. The municipal council of Spiez speaks positively towards the request and supports it publicly. Spiez is thus a new member of the “Alliance of Cities and Municipalities for the Reception of Refugees”.
The municipal council signs the petition calling for action, since the Federal Council has not yet accepted the offer of 25 municipalities. According to the petition, now it is imperative that other municipalities participate and thus clearly express that there is the will everywhere in Switzerland to tackle this plight.
This is an opportunity for the municipality of Spiez to express its solidarity and willingness to help to remedy the completely untenable conditions in the Greek refugee camps and to strengthen the Federal Council for urgently needed humanitarian action in this extremely precarious situation.
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The petition follows the call of the European Citizens Forum EBF:
The situation in the camps on the Greek islands is degrading
During the night of 8/9 September 2020 a major fire destroyed the refugee camp of Moria on the Greek island of Lesbos. At one stroke, all 12,000 people were homeless and wandered the streets. After the already inhumane situation in the camp, the humanitarian disaster had now become a reality. Subsequently, a few EU countries and Switzerland agreed to take in a few hundred people. This minimal number is a disgrace! Many are still homeless and 8,000 people who had to flee the fire in Moria are now waiting in a new, hastily built camp: without water supply and sanitation, without electricity or heating. The floor of the former firing range is contaminated with ammunition and again and again cartridges and non-detonated explosives are found. The next catastrophe is pre-programmed.
A broad campaign to take in refugees from the camps
50,000 people throughout Switzerland, the national churches and over 130 organisations have supported the Os-ter appeal of Amnesty International’s Evacuation NOW campaign and the Migration Charter, which calls for a rapid evacuation of the Greek camps and a generous reception of refugees. Numerous politicians – across all party lines – have also lent their support to these demands. What counts is not party affiliation, but the human conscience. The eight largest cities in Switzerland – Zurich, Berne, Basel City, Lucerne, Winterthur, St. Gallen, Lausanne and Geneva – have all joined in this appeal. Cities like Fribourg, Neuchâtel and Wil (SG) have joined, as have smaller municipalities. Here you will find extracts of three smaller municipalities that have already joined the appeal. All of them call on the federal authorities to do more to stop the distress on the Aegean islands and declare their willingness to take refugees from there. This is not just a moral statement, but a concrete offer which the Federal Council should accept.
The municipalities are the foundation of our democracy!
The hope that the Federal Council would take note of the open attitude of these towns and municipalities has unfortunately not been fulfilled so far. For this reason, as many smaller towns and villages throughout Switzerland as possible should also make their voices heard. The more numerous these are, the more it becomes clear that there is a willingness everywhere in our country to help the refugees. At the same time, the chances are increasing that the Federal Council will finally come to its senses and act in a humane manner. The Federal Council could take action today. Contrary to what Federal Councillor Keller-Suter said, the legal foundations for this already exist today. This is why we, residents of the municipality XYZ, demand that our municipal authorities take action:
You can download the petition here and we ask you to become active in your circle of friends. Here you can download a feedback card or you can send us an email to the following address: ch@forumcivique.org. Thank you in advance for your commitment!