Identifying Parallels in the Migrant Crisis
In September, Michael Kourabas, Associate Director for Grantmaking and Impact, traveled with Cassandra Ryan, Chief Development Officer, to the Balkans to assess UUSC’s work in addressing the Syrian/Middle East Refugee Crisis. UUSC first became involved in these relief efforts in the fall of 2015, when our members contributed nearly $800,000 in relief aid. Since then, we have distributed a total of 35 grants to 18 partners in 9 countries (including Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Jordan, Macedonia and Serbia).
In assessing the program, UUSC staff identified strong parallels between the migrant crisis in the Balkans and the Central American migrant crisis occurring at the U.S.-Mexico border. For example, in both cases, government responses to the influx of migrants have been to deny individuals their right, through force and violence, to seek asylum, imposing systemic “pushbacks” to countries from which they came. Croatian based partner Are You Syrious? (AYS) has been instrumental in fighting for the rights of migrants, documenting the frequency of pushbacks occurring in the Balkans and using their findings to support groundbreaking advocacy.
One extreme, but sadly not singular, example of the crisis is the journey of 6-year-old Madina Hussiny. Madina and her family fled Afghanistan because of threats to her father for his work with police. While hoping for passage to Hungary, Madina and her family first spent about a year in Serbia before finally crossing into Croatia. Devastatingly, Croatian officials denied Madina and her family the right to continue on the migratory route and apply for asylum in Hungary. Instead, the family was pushed back, instructed by Croatian officials to follow the train tracks back into Serbia, where young Madina was struck by a train and killed. Her story is tragically just one in a string of such deaths and in the Balkans.
While NGOs continue their efforts to document pushbacks and engage in advocacy to prompt systemic change, Croatian authorities have responded with attempts to criminalize NGOs and their work. AYS’s office was recently vandalized, their mobile aid van was smashed with concrete blocks, and threats have been made against its volunteers. Additionally, the Croatian Ministry of Interior pressed charges against one of AYS’s volunteers, accusing him of “smuggling” refugees. The volunteer was found guilty of “unconscious negligence,” AYS is appealing the decision at this very moment.
UUSC is proud to be working with a courageous partner such as AYS at such a critical time, and, to be one of its first funders, AYS is grateful for our collaboration and the support of membership as well. AYS’ founder, Milena Zajovic, conveyed how important our partnership has been to the organization stating, “the flexibility and reliability of the funding in particular have been critical, allowing AYS to shift and adapt as needs on the ground changed.” With your help, UUSC is able to support many other organizations like AYS to protect migrant rights through advocacy, research, medical attention, and legal services.
Your gift supports the future of human rights and social justice — and for that you have our deepest gratitude. For more information on how to support UUSC’s work, please contact Brendan Donnelly at 617-301-4349 or by email at bdonnelly@uusc.org.
