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Red Cross Ambulance (Picture: Twitter/@Nrkvbdnw3012)
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Red Cross Ambulance (Picture: Twitter/@Nrkvbdnw3012)
Monday, 30 November 2015 - 15:30
Red Cross denies that thousands of volunteers won't help refugees
The Dutch Red Cross firmly denies reports that their volunteers refuse to help refugees on principle. According to the aid organization, there has not been a single case of this happening.
On Friday NOS reported, based on an internal survey conducted among 1,293 of the 30 thousand volunteers in September, that 20 percent of the volunteers are not willing to help refugees. Some of the volunteers gave reasons based on "fundamental principles", like rather wanting to help the homeless in the Netherlands or wanting the borders to be closed.
In a statement on their website, the Red Cross called the broadcaster's article "suggestive". "In the survey cited by NOS the volunteers were given many reasons why they could not help, ranging from family circumstances to their own medical situation and a new job to the fact that there is no shelter locations in their area. A few indicated that they would not like to help refugees on grounds of principle. As far as we know, in practice not a single volunteer used this argument when he or she was called on."
The aid organization also stated that they are still taking the few respondents reaction that they do not want to help refugees very seriously. They will internally discuss whether or not there is a serious problem in the coming time.