Hungary …

I think that many Friends are watching the failure of humanitarian response to the situation of the refugees here in Hungary.  First, let me say that the failure is on the governmental level.  There has been an incredible outpouring of loving kindness and material support from hundreds — maybe thousands — of people.I was at a training for volunteers this evening and one of the questions that was asked was what can people outside of Hungary do?The answer is that they can lobby their politicians to put pressure on Hungary. I had already suggested that in response to an inquiry from a Belgian Friend.  Those in Brussels can also address the EU.Would you share this message with EMES?  Please write your Parliamentary representatives and ask them to demand that Hungary live up to the humanitarian responsibilities of EU member states. (They need to be demanding that of their own countries as well, but right now the situation in Hungary is dire.)

I am so grateful to be part of a community that will understand and respond to this request.

In Friendship,
Berne

…

“Hi!
I’m Petra from Hungary, and I think it could be important to know, despite the Hungarian PM and government said “we can’t help for the refugees”, the half of the country and the citizens are helping for the refugees all the time. Here you can see a group, with 33 000 members, who are helping them. And there are doctors and people playing with the children, and lot of Hungarian people send for the refugees food and water, and stuffs for cleaning and clothes. So not all the Hungarian are so helpless, here are living also very good and warm hearted people and police officers, and they also want to help them, and also feel the shame because of the other ones who doesn’t.

…

Hungarian Free Press: Hungary’s NGOs call for more humane treatment of refugees

A few of my friends and colleagues – some of whom are non-Hungarian, but have lived in Hungary – have complained that the coverage of the refugee crisis paints this relatively small Central European country and Hungarian society as a whole in a decidedly negative light. As every major international news network descends upon Hungary, from the Keleti railway station in Budapest, to Röszke in the southeast or Bicske in the west, viewers across the world are learning how to pronounce the names of Hungarian towns that they never knew existed and they are seeing lots of callousness and chaos. But there are, in fact, many NGOs and grassroots community groups (none of whom are much appreciated by the current Orbán government, to say the least, and receive no support for their important work) that have shown real generosity in reaching out to refugees fleeing civil war. This week, they issued a joint statement calling on the government to finally find its humanity. 

The refugee crisis unfolding these days in Hungary has led to a critical situation where we feel it is our duty to speak out. The signatories urge the Hungarian government to handle the humanitarian crisis in the wake of the arrival of refugees according to basic standards of humanity, and to provide real help instead of criminalizing the refugees.

We do not wish to deny that the European asylum system is presently going through a severe crisis, nor to suggest that the key to the solution resides solely in the hands of the Hungarian government. None of the above, however, is ground for exemption from the duty of attempting to alleviate the plight of refugees. That is not a refugee issue or an immigration issue, but a basic requirement of humanity. Providing help to people in need, and doing everything we can for them – this is the moral responsibility of each and every citizen and government.

Yet, because of either inaptitude or deliberate inaction on the part of the government, a crisis has emerged in the streets and on the squares of Budapest, reaching by now the border village of Röszke as well. Handling the situation has been left for months to civil society groups and individuals sacrificing their free time, work, knowledge and money to provide assistance to their fellow human beings in need. We express our respect for and solidarity with the formal and informal civic communities that have done, with incredible determination and perseverance, that which should have been the task of the institutions of the state: to provide humane conditions for those in need.

The situation that developed in Röszke needs to be solved by the state, with the involvement of international organizations. We call on the government of Hungary to act the way a government can be expected to act in a crisis: humanely, fairly, and with due respect for human rights. Instead of criminalizing the refugees, let the government focus on alleviating their suffering and plight.

Signatory organizations:

Amnesty International Hungary

Artemisszio Foundation

Autonomia Foundation

BirthHouse Association

Carpathian Foundation-Hungary

Chance For Childen Foundation

Civil College Foundation

Clean Air Action Group

Cromo Foundation

Danube Circle

Eötvös Károly Institute

European Network Against Racism Hungary (ENAR)

Foundation for Development of Democratic Rights (DemNet)

Green Academy

Greenpeace Hungary

Habitat for Humanity Hungary

Háttér Association

Human Platform Association

Hungarian Anti-Poverty Foundation

Hungarian Civil Liberties Union

Hungarian Environmental Partnership Foundation

Hungarian Europe Society

Hungarian Helsinki Committee

Hungarian LGBT Association

Hungarian Women’s Lobby

K-Monitor

Labrisz Lesbian Association

Legal Defence Bureau for National and Ethnic Minorities

Living Memorial

Menedék – Hungarian Association for Migrants

Mertek Media Monitor

Migrants’ Help Association of Hungary (Mighelp)

Pangea Cultural and Environmental Association

Protect the Future Association

Rainbow Mission Foundation – Budapest Pride

Rehab Critical Mass

Roots and Wings Foundation

Subjective Values Foundation

Wheel of Future Foundation

With the power of humanity Foundation

Women for Balaton