The president of the Portuguese Catholic Work for Migration (OWHC), an organization of the Portuguese Episcopal Conference, said that the greatest concern with migrants and refugees is the integration.

“We had here a very nice move in terms of reception and we saw that we have a civil society that is very available for reception, that is, emergency reception, but the issue of integration, of realizing that changes we have to makestructural, that integration or inclusion be successful, I think that is the greatest concern”, said Eugénia Quaresma.

The head of the OWHC spoke to Lusa about the pilgrimage of migrants and refugees, within the framework of the international anniversary pilgrimage in August, which on this day begins at the Sanctuary of Fatima.

“We have learned a lot now from the displaced in Ukraine, it is true, but the work of the Church reminds us that there are other nationalities that are among us and that you also have to take care of yourself”, declared Eugénia Quaresma, exemplifying with the citizens of Afghanistan and stressing that it is “important to remember that there are other nationalities”.

The OWHC leader stressed that there are “other old questions” that must be resolved, not only for the Portuguese, but, “in addition”, it will also improve for migrants and refugees, that is, housing.

“It was one of our biggest difficulties and one that needs to be addressed nationally. It is difficult to find accommodation, accommodation is expensive, there is exploitation that is not understood and that needs to be dealt with by our rulersto improve for all”, he defended.

Asked about the possible existence of complaints about the alleged labor exploitation of displaced people from Ukraine as a result of the war in that country, Eugénia Quaresma stressed that nothing has come to her so far, noting, however, that there are “situations of labor exploitation in Portugal”.

“It is a worrying issue and one that is occupying some of our groups, namely the Commission for the Support of Victims of Trafficking in Persons. There are religious congregations that have also woken up to this reality and seek to work – this in the West – with businessmen to face this situation of exploitation, of intermediaries a little, “he added.

The pilgrimage of August 12 and 13, considered the pilgrimage of emigrants, is presided over by the Bishop of Fall River (United States of America), Edgar Cunha.

In an initiative of the OWHC, from Monday to Sunday the 50 National Migration Week, under the slogan “Building the future with migrants and refugees”. This is the title of the message of Pope Francis for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, which is celebrated on September 25.

“The heart of the week is the pilgrimage of the migrant and the refugee,” said the head of the OWHC, an entity that turns 60 in 2022.

As a gift, he asks, “at the political level, that these voices [racistas e xenófobas] they have more and more contempt” and that “capacity for reception and joint construction would grow at the national level,” said Eugénia Quaresma.

Xenophobia in political discourse is very serious, considers Obra Católica de Migrações

The Portuguese Catholic Work for Migration (OWHC) considered this Friday that xenophobia and racism in political discourse is a situation “very serious“, but said he believed that the vast majority of the Portuguese population could contribute to the opposite.

“It’s very serious and I’m glad we also have politicians who are vigilant and who confrontin his own place, because there is a narrative that looks for a scapegoat and reveals some ignorance or tries to make generalizations of one or another story that he knew”, the director of the OWHC, Eugénia Quaresma, told Lusa.

Regarding the international pilgrimage in August to the Sanctuary of Fátima, which will begin and integrate the pilgrimage of migrants and refugees, Eugénia Quaresma stressed that “the vast majority of people” who come to Portugal to study or work do not want to “live in spending”, but develop your potential and that of your family, and some of them”they also hope and dream to develop the potential of the country of origin“.

Asked if this type of discourse is intensifying in politics, the OWHC official explained, referring to the Chega party, that “now it has a stage, it is carried out in the Assembly [da República] and by the number of deputies it has, well, has a higher expression“.

“Now, I believe that the vast majority of the Portuguese population can contribute to the opposite, to show how important it is for us to build a society with migrants and refugees and not against migrants and refugees, without forgetting the natives, without forgetting our emigrants. ”, he added.

The director of the OWHC admitted to continue being “surprised by the growthof this speech, but stressed that it only won the stage because it gives voice to the discontent “of things that do not materialize”, hence the importance, at a political level, of promoting “the development of the country, without leaving anyone behind”. ”.

“If we are aware that migrations are part of the history of humanity and if we know how to take advantage of the wealth, all the potential that they bring, whether spiritual or cultural, and we take advantage of it to build a new and fairer world, we are going to win. all”, added Eugénia Quaresma.

On July 21, in the debate on the revision of the immigration law, in parliament, the president of Chega, André Ventura, accused the Government (PS) of wanting immigrants “come anyway” for the country and adding: “There are only those who never have priority in the government’s discourse, the Portuguese who have worked all their lives, who pay taxes and are supporting the country”.

André Ventura even went so far as to say that the immigrants who arrive in Portugal are not the same as the Portuguese who emigrate to other countries, an intervention that generated many protests from several deputies in the hemicycle and provoked the intervention of the president of the Assembly. of the Republic, Augusto Santos Silva.

Santos Silva says that he is impartial “in relation to the political debate” and only intervenes in the face of “hate speech” and “unconstitutional” proposals

“I must say that as President of the Assembly of the Republic of Portugal I believe that Portugal owes a lot, but even more so to the many thousands of immigrants who work herethat we live here and that we contribute to our Social Security, our social cohesion, our collective life, our citizenship and our dignity as an open, inclusive and respectful country with others”, he declared after being applauded by the deputies from several benches , except for Chega.

André Ventura counterattacked, considering that the president of parliament should “refrain from commentingabout the interventions of the deputies and accusing him of representing the PS in its functions.

Chega’s deputies ended up leaving the Chamber.

During a reprimand, deputies from Chega leave the chamber and let Santos Silva speak alone

Two weeks later, the leader of Chega defended that his intervention “has nothing to do with xenophobia or racism, it has to do with a country that has to have control of its borders” in the face of “illegal immigration” and “the consequences this has.” they can have, no matter what country they are from.”