Germany: demonstrations in support of refugees in Moria camp

Several thousand people demonstrated this Sunday, September 20 in Berlin.

"We have room," read the signs.

REUTERS / Christian Mang

Text by: RFI Follow

2 min

In Germany, 5,000 people demonstrated Sunday, September 20 in Berlin, Cologne, Munich or Leipzig to ask the government to welcome more refugees from the Moria camp, on the Greek island of Lesbos.

The German government has said it is ready to welcome 1,500 people, primarily women and children.

This is not enough for human rights associations.

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With our correspondent in Berlin,

Nathalie Versieux

Several associations for the defense of human rights have mobilized in the name of " 

We have room

 " and " 

Seehofer, be Christian 

", an appeal addressed to the German Minister of the Interior, Horst Seehofer, who is opposed to the reception of more refugees.

To read also: Germany announces that it will welcome more than 1,500 migrants currently in Greece

Among the demonstrators, Tima Kurdy, the aunt of

little Aylan

, this boy whose death on the Turkish coast had shocked the world.

Tima Kurdy now lives in Canada.

She has been in Germany since the beginning of the month and is increasing the number of speaking engagements.

 I have no words to describe this photo

,” she says.

It was a call to the world to wake up, which is why I travel everywhere and use every opportunity given to me to express myself.

I use my voice, to pray to every citizen of the world to come out of the silence.

I try to give a voice to those who need us, and who are speechless. 

"

Left parties have been mounting

pressure

on Angela Merkel

for weeks

.

But the Chancellor wants a European response to the

humanitarian crisis

, determined not to go it alone as in 2015. The initiative initially welcomed by part of the public had paved the way for the extreme right in the country .

Also to listen: European Union and reception of migrants: the impossible equation

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  • Germany

  • International Migration

  • Greece

  • Refugees

  • Angela Merkel

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