Letter from readers of June 25, 2024

Immigration

Concerns the reflection of Emmylou Ziehli “Protect the refugees, send away the profiteers» (“24 hours” of June 19).

The text from this member of the initiative committee for border protection makes me react. From the outset, it must be said that the idea is honorable to send away the profiteers and keep the (real) asylum seekers. But the question is how to distinguish them, since everyone is put in the same boat.

I speak with full knowledge of the facts, because I am a “Dublin” asylum seeker in Switzerland (within the Dublin III framework). I passed through the Netherlands, and I have all the proof of my political persecution. The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) did not intervene under the pretext of the Dublin III regulation. Unfortunately, the SEM grants asylum to those, for the most part, who transit through Italy and who are clearly not persecuted in their country of origin, by “breaking their dublin” because Italy does not take them back.

The proof for my case, I already have a decision of expulsion to the Netherlands, because I had tried all legal appeals up to the Federal Court against the decision of the SEM, and because I had canceled my request asylum in the Netherlands to continue the asylum procedure here, nothing worked. And today, I decided to leave on my own, reluctantly, since the last steps I was advised to take to regularize myself did not work. This is how the double standards of the asylum system in Switzerland are.

Axel Samba, originally from Congo-Brazzaville, Lausanne

Policy

This is the legendary phrase from Roger Gicquel on the TF1 television news on February 18, 1976. Today too, she is afraid of Jews, immigrants, Muslims, budding fascists, anti-Semites. In short, fear of others, even of the other. Fear becomes hatred, which becomes violence.

The legislative elections of the coming days are the elections of fear. Macron did not create this deleterious climate. It has existed and been growing for thirty years. The globalization of commerce has left that of men behind, losing their bearings and identity. The acceleration of technology, with the explosion of social networks, has eroded the measure and accuracy of language. Everything is radicalized by fear of missing the next train, even if it means getting on the wrong one and derailing.

Yes, the dissolution and the word “clarification” chosen and repeated by Macron are appropriate. It is time to choose wisdom, if it can still be found. The extremes are the choice of refusal and anger which will only lead to disorder… and violence. Certainly, Macronian verticality is not popular. As for the management of the tumults experienced since 2019 (pandemic, war at the gates of Europe, inflation, Israeli-Palestinian crisis), whoever would have done better throws out the first ballot. To the FFI (French border and interior workers): think before causing chaos. Be clear with yourself and above all remember that democracy is relative. We can contest if we also know how to attest and assume. If rights must be respected, obligations must be honored. Learning to talk to yourself again is cheaper than having to fight. This is as valid for those who the end of the month matters more than the end of the world as for those who earn more matters more than living in peace.

Daniel Nasr, Nyon

Health system

The reactions to the rejection of the two health initiatives on June 9 give a terrible feeling of déjà vu… failure of proposals which did not include any substantive changes. Among the opponents, we have said a lot about having ideas… but we stick to the mantra that the system has good performance (this is not disputed), that competition works… and that we will succeed with adjustments – against all evidence.

I was fed from childhood the excellence of our direct democracy but, it must be seen, the popular vote, simplistic, in black and white, is not (at all) the way to reform a complex system . A study by EPFL and UNIL (“24 Heures” of June 1) shows that the energy transition cannot succeed without the informed approval of the population; this is also true for the health system. The usual procedures of democracy must be enriched, in particular by the implementation of citizen assemblies. Namely comprehensive, serious work, not subject to partisan aggression, from a representative sample of members of the community, who receive substantial (in)training. A way of working that is much more enlightened than what fiery electoral speeches allow.

To escape the fatality, in the federal parliament, of the blocking cartel of stakeholders who, despite their kind declarations, do not intend to see any of their prerogatives undermined, such assemblies (non-permanent) would bring a real circulation of ideas and undoubtedly new avenues. NB: it is not a question of doing it against the economic and political establishments, but with a view to necessary complementarity, with the aim of convergence.

D^r Jean Martin, former cantonal doctor, Échandens

Consumption

In the 1980s/90s, in medium-sized towns there were artisan bakers, butchers, grocers, lawnmower and bicycle workshops, clothing, shoe and audiovisual stores, shoemakers, etc. Then the Migros-Coop duopoly arrived. They completely broke local businesses by taking over all areas of specialty stores. This resulted in towns deprived of most local shops. Since then, streets have been devoid of any activity and are quietly dying.

What are we observing today? Let these giants who have monopolized everything reject the trade in furniture, bicycles, audiovisual, travel agencies, garden centers and others. Their advertisements boasted of serving the population through their cooperatives. We see that only profit is the basis of their policy. Their latest opportunity is to enter the already crowded optical and hearing aid business.

What must all the small, indebted traders who have disappeared from our region think?

François Capt, Épalinges

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