Climate Camp – preliminary statement on Corona
We – the organisation team of the climate camp – like many others are currently intensively engaged in the effects of the COVID-19 measures. A decision on whether and in what form the Climate Camp 2020 shall take place will be made in the next few weeks after detailed analysis.
For the time being, our workshop call will continue and we look forward to receiving your ideas!
We will of course keep you updated!
The Klimacamp welcomes necessary measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. At the same time, we observe with concern the massive restriction of fundamental rights, which make political action and organization difficult or impossible. In this context, we would like to point out the new initiative Coview 19 (https://coview.info/), which will critically observe and accompany the political actions regarding Corona.
We are in solidarity with all those who are particularly harshly affected by this crisis: freelance artists, migrants, refugees, workers, single parents, seasonal workers, farmers, people in care and health professions, homeless people, supermarket salespersons, cleaning staff. This crisis shows that our social system is supported by people, especially women and migrants, who work under precarious working conditions and poor pay. The government must ensure that this crisis is not carried out at the back of those who are already affected by social exclusion, poverty, patriarchy, racism and classism.
We want to draw particular attention to the catastrophic situation on Europe’s external borders, which is being forgotten even more by the media and political discourse surrounding Corona. The inhuman situation for refugees on the Greek islands has dramatically worsened in recent months. In the Moria camp, a possible outbreak of Corona threatens the next humanitarian crisis. That is why, together with many other groups, we are calling for the immediate closure of the camps and for the reception of refugees in cities of solidarity:
http://kritnet.org/2020/aufnehmen-statt-sterben-lassen/?from=box-a1
The worldwide handling of Corona needs a solidarity without borders. In countries of the global south, which bear a large part of the consequences of the imperial way of life, the virus poses a far greater threat. The current crisis reveals the instability of the neoliberal economic system, which is based on the exploitation of people and the environment. In contrast to the state measures in the fight against corona, Austrian climate policy appears discouraged and helpless, inefficient and far too slow. In this respect, this crisis also gives us reason for hope, because the measures around Corona show what is possible when politicians are willing to act. The climate crisis requires immediate action and a radical system change based on solidarity, cooperation, social and ecological sustainability. As part of a strong climate justice movement we will not let up in demanding this now and in the future with all our means!
“We do not get to choose the historic moments we are born into, but we do get to choose how we respond”
