Doctors Without Borders decided today that they will no longer accept funding from the EU, or from any member state of the EU. Starting immediatly, they will boycot all EU funds.
According to their secretary-general Jêrome Oberreit, the reason for this is, that they think the EU refugee policy is failing.
"This is about being ashamed for refugees in Europe. The EU policy's most important component is keeping refugees out", he said.
The direct cause for the decision was the fact that the EU is preparing to make similar deals with other countries in the Middle East and Africa, like the one they made with Turkey, which was strongly opposed by DWB.
According to DWB, the financial aid paid to Turkey as agreed in the deal, is only a reward for improved border control and stopping refugees.
"Nothing about the refugee agreement is even only slightly humanitarian, this has to be contested.", Oberreit says.
"We cannot both take money from the EU, and aid victims of their refugee policy at the same time".
DWB argues that the refugee deal sets a dangerous precedent. Last week, the European Commission announced that they are preparing to make deals with 16 more countries in Africa and the Middle East, to both stop and take back refugees, in exchange for developmental aid.
Amongst those 16 countries are Sudan, Eritreia, Somalia and Afghanistan.
These 4 countries are the top 4 of refugee generating countries in the world.
"Is the only thing Europe has to offer to refugees, to stay in the countries they are desperatly trying to escape?" Oberreit asks.
It is estimated that the refusal of EU and EU member state funding will costs DWB 50 million Euro per year.
http://www.volkskrant.nl/buitenland/artsen-zonder-grenzen-weigert-vanaf-nu-eu-geld-vluchtelingenbeleid-faalt~a4322272/Personally, I think this is dumb. Doctors need to care about their patients, not about politics. 50 million euros equals a lot of dead people that did not get their aid. Plus, the refugee crisis is a global problem. I wonder if they stop accepting funding from Australia, Canada, Russia, most of Asia, most rich Arab countries, basically all countries that don't welcome refugees at all, too. Bit hypocritical to specifically scapegoat EU funds there.