Colorful instead of brown: Hamelin calls for a humane refugee policy!

Colorful instead of brown: Hamelin calls for a humane refugee policy!

On Friday afternoon, a moving rally took place on the wedding house terrace in Hameln under the motto “We are boiling with anger”. Around 60 participants came together to advocate for a humane refugee policy, the continuation of sea rescue and a diverse society. The event was organized by a broad alliance of organizations, including Seebrücke, Bunt Statt braun, the For Future Alliance, the Queere Netzwerk Weserbergland, Omas gegen Rechts, Amnesty International, the Infolädchen Coppenbrügge and Deister Antifa. These groups emphasize the need to welcome those seeking protection - a humanitarian, moral and legal duty that is constantly being challenged in today's world.

As can be seen from the reports of Dewezet As can be seen, the rally started at 4:30 p.m. with powerful speeches, including from Pastor Christoph Vetter and the organizer Sascha Schröder. The latter spoke passionately about diversity and human rights, admitting that mobilization for the event was not as successful as hoped. This shows that the fight for humane treatment of refugees is far from being won.

Climate change as a cause of flight

A central theme of the rally was the connection between climate change and migration. This issue is becoming increasingly important, particularly given the fate of island states such as Tuvalu. According to information from the Federal Agency for Civic Education Tuvalu is considered one of the first countries that could become uninhabitable due to climate change. The rising sea levels and the increase in extreme weather events pose massive challenges for the population of around 10,000 people, as the coastal regions are regularly flooded and their livelihoods are therefore threatened.

This situation raises not only legal questions, but also moral ones. Climate change makes it necessary to expand the definition of refugees. According to the UN refugee aid Legal frameworks such as the OAU Convention and the Cartagena Declaration have already been developed that also recognize people fleeing climate change or natural disasters as refugees. These developments show that it is high time to intensify the discussion about climate policy responsibility and find fair solutions.

Challenges and perspectives

But it's not just the islands in the Pacific that are affected. There are millions of people around the world who are being displaced from their homes by natural disasters and climate-related changes. Statistics show that a total of 45.8 million people had to be relocated due to “disaster displacement” in 2024. Even though Germany itself was affected by a devastating flood disaster in 2021, the debate about climate-related migration shows that no concrete measures have yet been taken to support these people at a national or European level.

It is becoming clear that climate change is not only an environmental crisis, but also a socio-political problem that requires a sustainable and fair approach to migrants. The appeal of the participants in Hameln was unmistakable: The future belongs to a diverse, inclusive society that grants everyone a right to life. It remains to be hoped that the voices calling for human rights and the protection of refugees will be heard more clearly and the necessary political steps will be taken.