Denmark and the EU need to take responsibility for the refugee crisis

Many of the people traveling to or through Denmark from Germany have fled human rights violations. They have a right to be protected. They have fled war and oppression in their home countries and they have fled refugee camps which do not fulfil human rights.

It is obvious that Europe needs to come together and find a solution to this problem. The refugees must be shared in a way securing that all countries live up to their individual responsibility. A new way to receive refugees is also direly needed. It can not be left solely to the countries on the Schengen borders eg, Greece, Italy and Hungary, to tackle the great influx.

The refugees are looking for a place where they no longer need to fear violations of their most basic rights. Denmark recognises human rights and therefore we should provide protection to those who needs it and are entitled to it.

“I am happy that the Danish police has handled the difficult situation with respect for the refugees’ rights. The police, it seems, has neither resorted to use of detainment nor use of force against these vulnerable people. Instead, the police has sought dialogue and provided protection,” executive director Jonas Christoffersen says.

Together with a number of organisations and the many volunteers, the police has respected the refugees’ right to dignity and liberty. We need to continue to have a firm grip on the basic human rights in the future, when the huge numbers of fleeing people are to be handled. The UN’s Universal Declaration on Human Rights provides an important clue: “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.”

We need to perform this task together. The entire Danish society – citizens, organisations, authorities and politicians – must insist that we are a country built on the respect for human rights. Especially, when we are put in challenging situations.

We need to perform this task together with our neighbouring countries Germany and Sweden and we need to be ready to cooperate and seek a common solution with the rest of Europe, the Arab countries and the rest of the world. Part of the solution is strengthening human rights globally, thus achieving stability and limiting the enormous refugee streams in the future.

We need to be willing to embrace new ideas and whole-heartedly engage in finding common solutions if we are to be able to handle this extraordinary situation that shows no signs of ending in the near future. We need a Europe coming together shoulder by shoulder.