Attendance
05.05.2021 Municipal Council has recommended the postulate for approval.
Entry 05.11.2020
In an urgent postulate, Tabea Rai (AL), Eva Gammenthaler (AL) and Katharina Altas (SP) demand on behalf of SEEBRÜCKE Switzerland that the city of Bern should declare itself a safe haven:
“The Municipal Council is requested to examine the feasibility of the following measures to make a municipality a “Safe Harbour”:
- declare solidarity with people on the run,
- ensure the rapid and uncomplicated reception and accommodation of people rescued from distress at sea in addition to the distribution quota of people seeking protection,
- The city of Bern agrees to directly receive and accommodate people rescued from distress at sea, for example from a civilian rescue boat, similar to a relocation programme. This reception is in addition to the distribution quota of asylum seekers. This is implemented in agreement with the Federal Department of Home Affairs and the State Secretariat for Migration,
- advocate to the federal government for the establishment of new or the significant expansion of existing programmes for the legal admission of refugees and to offer additional reception places for this purpose,
- Provide for long-term arrival by making available all necessary resources for adequate provision, especially in the areas of housing, medical care and education,
- to take a public stand against the criminalisation of sea rescue in the Mediterranean and to advocate for state sea rescue at the political level,
- to sponsor and financially support or participate in a civilian sea rescue ship Sea-Eye,
- actively advocate at regional, national and transnational levels for the implementation of the above,
- advocate for an alliance of all “safe havens” in Europe to actively shape a European migration policy in line with human rights,
- publicly communicate all actions taken in a timely and ongoing manner that demonstrate Bern’s commitment to being a “Sicherer Hafen.”
The urgency was rejected.
