Migrants and Asylum Seekers,
At Stake for the NGO'S


The voices of the Asylum Seekers and Migrants at a European Level are to be heard at European Conference against Racism. Thanks to the NGO's which made this issue attain the level of significance it is to get in the time to come. Tomorrow, the meet at the European NGO level, will be crucial since the outcome of meeting are to be directly feed to the European Intergovernmental Conference and the UN Conference on Racism to happen by 2001.

The introvert nature of European governments in putting this issue on the initial agenda of this conference is largely seen to retain unquestioned leverage on different immigration standards presently they enjoy. Also that it has casted a grim shadow on the transparency on these issue at a European level. The pressure that will be created by the NGO during this simultaneous conferences with NGO's and member states will be significant and could be a trend setter for a better future.

The NGO's will have to see to that member states respect the 1951 Geneva conventions in spirit and faith while implementing their immigration policies. It has the agenda of working ways to get all member states ratify to the 1990 International Convention on the protection of the rights of all migrant workers and members of the families. It needs to see to that there is a monitoring mechanism created as a outcome of the meeting to evaluate the member states decisions emphasising more on the human rights protection and is fully compatible to the existing International human rights standards.

Today's world of globalization has brought with it the increased migration of the people across the border. The time for member countries is running out to forge a coherent program of action to deal with their immigration policies for the future. It is a shame that a issue of such magnitude is not considered in par with the other contencious issues though a shadow is cast.

The task ahead is to bring the opinions and views of all the NGO's attending or unfortunate to attend be heard from the Fortress of Europe. In the days to come, there would be interviews from the NGO's and Governmental agencies on their views on Asylum and Migrants policies You are welcome to forward views and concerns for us to relate !!

Ashok Kumar (Reporter ICARE)