2021 - WE actively make it the Year of Human Rights

2020 was an eventful year. A great challenge for all of us. Covid19 showed us how vulnerable we are, how important cohesion is and how important responsible, visionary politics would be for all of us.

For me personally, the year was very impressive and it also brought a lot of good. After 6 years of voluntary work for people seeking protection in Austria, I was able to experience being embedded in a circle of consistent supporters. Among them were friends for many years. "Refugee assistance - Doro Blancke" was "born". I would like to thank the board members and founders Rainer Beck, Wolfgang Benedek, Hermann Glettler, Birgit Hernady, Heidrun Primas, Katharina Purtscher and Christoph Riedl. The fact that this will result in a job in the next few months is a great relief to me, because I did not want and do not want to leave this work, even though this honorary position was and is a great challenge in this respect. I would like to express my sincere thanks to Christian Reder/Reder Foundation, who will financially support this employment. And to my children and my family and closest friends, because they have also supported this.

The issues that have been close to my heart for years, human rights and good embedding of and for protection seekers will continue to be the main topics.

No deportations to high-risk areas such as Afghanistan, projects in which asylum seekers, persons entitled to asylum and Austrians can get to know each other, and support in networking appropriate legal advice, whereby we automatically end up with the BBU - Bundesbetreungsagentur, which makes independent legal advice virtually impossible in practice and painfully perfects the isolation of those seeking protection. https://www.fairlassen.at/ Here, too, I would like to thank my colleagues from Diakonie, Asylkoordination, Volkshilfe, Integrationshaus, SOS Mitmensch, Fairness-Asyl, Caritas for their good and consistent cooperation. We all know how important it is to work against the deliberate isolation of asylum seekers.

The fire in the largest refugee camp on the EU's external borders #Lesbos #Moria has changed a lot in me. We NGOs have been calling for an evacuation of Moria for a long time. A first reception centre for people seeking protection on Lesvos, which was already a place of horror before the disaster. Originally designed for 3,000 people, up to 23,000 women, men and children were crammed in. Well aware of the "ugly pictures", but somehow all those responsible lacked the sensitivity, compassion and decency to put an end to this human drama.

In September, immediately after the fire, when I heard that thousands of people were without shelter, without food, without hope on the streets, in the hills of Moria, I set out.

I had neither much money nor a "plan". Something was driving me. Debating about it in Austria no longer seemed enough. How grateful I am today that I followed this instinct and about how much support we were allowed to experience. The fact that I am a contemporary witness of one of the greatest crimes against human rights is a great burden, a motor for my actions. Because here on Lesbos, human rights are not trampled underfoot as in many other places in our supposedly civilised Europe. It is happening openly, almost unabashedly, and the right-wing populists of the responsible member states seem to be competing to see who can formulate the most acceptable legitimisation. Places like Moria, now KaraTepe, are tearing wounds in our system that will take years to heal.

I was able to get to know and appreciate our current partner NGO Home for All on Lesbos. https://homeforall.eu/ Katarina and Nikos are not only an example of charity, compassion and solidarity to me. With them, we go directly to the people in the camp, provide direct help on the ground. And we do this together with the two of them in a way that is just as concerned with the needs of the present as it is with the possibilities for shaping the future.

Thanks to an incredible number of people from civil society, thanks to other NGOs, thanks to initiatives such as Courage-Mut zur Menschlichkeit, thanks to personalities from all different areas of the country, the faith communities, thanks to many journalists, thanks to the heartfelt awareness of countless Austrians, my first visit in September became a mission. The call is #EvacuationNow. This WE that has apparently grown so naturally in our country for this demand impresses and delights me very much. It is a demand that the Chancellor will not be able to sit out forever in its severity, in its consistency, and which I know the majority society in Austria will no longer allow itself to be dissuaded from. Because the image of people seeking protection has changed. Our society is beginning to understand what "ugly pictures" mean in reality and that, despite the desire for regulated admission, we do not want to accept this lived cruelty to people under any circumstances. It would bury Europe's, all of our dignity, if we were to accept this silently. We are in the middle of this process of contradicting and speaking again. We are in a learning process as a society that I am convinced our children will remember. Many of us are still uncertain in the acts of active resistance, but WE are moving forward together, step by step. We are now developing social Europe together. Sooner or later, even our Chancellor will have to take note of this. WE feel together the heartbeat of right and wrong and the freedom to say no to the deliberate humiliation of people in need.

Until the time comes that we can free the many families, the people on the run from these slum camps, the place of horror and shame, we do our best for real help on the ground.

Thanks to all your numerous supports, your incredible willingness to help, we were able to support our partner organisation HomeForAll with 60,000 € in the last months. They deliver up to 1200 hot meals a day to people seeking protection. 21.000€ for shelters for asylum seekers who are left destitute on the streets of Greece 1 month after their positive decision (Europe grants them protection). 17.619€ for solar showers, rain jackets, electric cooking pots, masks, all directly to the people in the camp and another 20.000€ for food parcels, newborn bags, medicines, ointments, shoes, nappies, school and drawing materials. We say THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts!

Now I've been back here on the island since the day before yesterday. And for all those who were disappointed that we left over Christmas. That, too, is part of solid helping. In between, taking a step back, being mindful of ourselves, recharging and re-sorting.

That is what I/we have done. Thanks to a wonderful campaign by Rudi Fussi #HelfeDoroHelfen, the support of personalities and you, civil society and its initiatives, we can once again help to provide the most basic necessities. We can once again distribute newborn bags, food bags for families, learning and playing materials for children, shoes, warm clothing, etc. People for people. Can we engage in sustainable projects, together with Home for All for asylum seekers. The families, the people belong out of this slum as soon as possible.

I will again report regularly on our activities, let you participate in the projects, in our joint activities, in this WE. The days here, this misery, this pain, also the helplessness we all feel in between, the emotional stress caused by this cruel isolation policy, that is not easy, a great human challenge. But the awareness of how many Austrians have joined this conglomerate of charity, of not wanting to accept, fills me/us with great gratitude and gives us strength that only a collective can give. A heartfelt thank you and in sincere solidarity, Doro

Every second we work here is titled "evacuation" #Courage #HumanRights

Let us dare to do it! We can save people from this misery, because the strength and courage of our WE makes it possible.

Who wants to continue to support

AT93 3842 0000 0002 7516, subject: Refugee aid projects or paypal #HelfeDoroHelfen

Comments 3

  1. This misery concerns me very much! The anniversary of my husband's death is on 22 January. I have always paid out a mass on that day, this time I will transfer the amount to you.

    1. Dear Barbara,
      Do you also live in Vienna?
      If so, in which district?
      GLG Monica D.

  2. LOVE DORO!
    You speak from my heart, Doro!

    When I follow her reports, reports, videos, there are always tears in my eyes, feelings of suppressed anger and great sadness! It must not paralyse me! On the contrary! I need to network with like-minded people here in Vienna! We must be heard, ACT - make ourselves heard!
    Who has ideas...???
    Get in touch! 🙏

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