Available now in three languages again - the monthly Newsletter (February 2015) from Germany for the antiracist movement. Find the PDF files through the links below, the english text version is attached.
Best,
hagen
English
http://kompass.antira.info/files/2015/02/36Kompass_Newsletter_feb15_eng.pdf
French:
http://kompass.antira.info/files/2015/02/36kompass_newsletter_fev15_fr.pdf
German:
http://kompass.antira.info/files/2015/02/36kompass_newsletter_Feb2015.pdf
Kompass – AntiRa – Newsletter Nr. 36 - February 2015
5. - 8.2 .in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Tanger und Ceuta: transnational actions against the war against migrants +++ 14.2.2015 Refugee Protest Camp Hannover goes Berlin +++ From 25.2. on: Start of Push Back Frontex – Campaign +++ Refugee activists imprisoned +++ On the death of Khaled Idris Bahray +++ Greece – If elections could change anything? +++ On 18.3. in Frankfurt: Blockupy against ECB +++ Retrospect on Oury Jalloh- and Hamburg-demonstration +++ Campaign against strengthening of the asylum law +++ New Pro Asyl Stop-Dublin-Campaign +++ Outlook on March: from 24.3. on to the World Social Forum in Tunis ...
Dear friends!
On the full table of contents, it can be seen already: quite a lot is going on and there is plenty to report in February. Besides a number of supra-regional meetings and appointments we want to promote in the Annex – initiated by the transnational action days on the anniversary of the Ceuta victims – there are three campaigns running or starting these days. We already broached these issues and the question why the asylum law is strengthening must be fought in the last newsletters: preventing the establishment of further grounds for applying a custody pending deportation remains crucial for the resistance against the local policy of deterrence. This focus furthermore allows us to bridge to the second campaign presented below: the campaign against the Dublin Regulation. It was launched by Pro Asyl in January and works on juridical and practical resistance against deportation to Italy and South East Europe as well as for the further strengthening of Church Asylum and an opposition to the new grounds for detention due to the Dublin Regulation.
Existing and planned asylum injustice - where could it be just better addressed and attacked as on the anti-Pegida protests. As it is – on the one hand – encouraging that except for some few cities in the East of Germany the right wing mob could not gain ground in the streets so that instead the few hundred racists face several thousands of counter-demonstrators from Lübeck to Freiburg.
But as already formulated in the last Kompass: on the other hand, there remains the danger that – while the media and even Merkel dissociate themselves from "xenophobic crowd" – the above mentioned asylum law strengthening are carried in the slipstream of this wide protests. Though, we need to make an issue out of this hypocrisy and to confront all those – especially within the social democrats and green party – who are co-responsible when refugees are supposed to end up behind bars just because they don’t have (correct) papers. We will also mention and we shall not forget that opposing refugees are again and again put in prison because of their protest.
Let's now briefly talk about the third campaign that is being planned, which is – due to recent events – aimed against the EU Border Managment Agency. Its title is “Push Back Frontex” and we already wrote about this “scandal in the scandal” in the January-Newsletter. It is a German Border Official, Klaus Rösler, who – in the name of Frontex – criticizes the Italian Authorities for their rescue-policy in the central Mediterranean and call more or less publicly to leave them to die. A many-months campaign on this issue shall start on 25 February, when this Frontex official will appear at the Police Congress in Berlin. The concrete experiences of the WatchTheMed Alarmphone are last but not least the background of this initiative as they are regularly documented on http://watchthemed.net/. Our intended aim is to push back from the external borders if not to call for an abolishment of the Border Management.
At the same time exciting things happen at another external border, where Frontex has been covering politically for years the illegal push backs by the local coast guard: in Greece. With the great victory of Syriza, the "coalition of the radical left", in the early elections in January new spaces of change emerge, not only in the fight against the brutal austerity and crisis policies but also against the inhumane detention and border regime. Although Syriza entered into a coalition with the right nationalists of the so-called "independent Greeks” (Anel) (or had to enter due to a lack of alternatives), at the moment a lot speaks for a break with the previous deterrence and detention policy of the previous Governments (see link below). The coming weeks will show whether elections can sometimes change something.
It is sure though that the power institutions in Brussels, Berlin and Frankfurt will use all their means of blackmail and leverage – with regard to the crisis and migration policies – in order to keep the new Greek government within the EU directives of exploitation and exclusion. Important is therefore what solidarity protests – such as the ones in Spain these last days – are launched in the rest of Europe against the troika and the border regime. In this respect the delayed opening of the new tower of the European Central Bank on 18 March in Frankfurt maybe considered to happen with a nearly perfect timing. The preparations for blockades and a mega demonstration in the Rhein-Main metropolis are proceeding at full speed in order to give a radical sign of Europe-wide, transnational solidarity. Noborder goes Blockupy – the antiracist contribution to the crisis protest – should therefore preferably turn out stronger this time, all according to the slogan for the current mobilisation: Achtzehn-Null-Drei, nimm dir frei! (March 18, take a day off!)
The Kompass Crew
Appointments in February 2015
5 to 8 February in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Tangier and Ceuta: transnational action days against the War on Migrants
On 6 February 2014 at least 15 migrants were killed in front of the Spanish enclave Ceuta in Morocco by rubber bullets and tear-gas grenades while trying to swim around Ceuta’s border fence which reaches into the water. In this context and on the occasion of the first anniversary, commemorative actions with the motto "Stop the War on Migrants" are taking place from 6 to 8 February in, among other places, Berlin, Dusseldorf, Tangier, Ceuta and London.
In particular for the action in Berlin we are in urgent need of donations, since numerous activists of the CISPM (International Coalition of Sans Papiers and Migrants) from different European countries will come to Berlin (and because the total costs could not be covered by applications for grants). To this effect a crowd-funding donation campaign is being run on betterplace.org – it would be fantastic if not only donations were made, but the link to the campaign would also be distributed further:
https://www.betterplace.org/en/projects/24797-support-our-action-days-in-berlin-from-5th-to-8th-february-2015
The comprehensive programme of the activities in the different places can be found in German, English and French e.g. athttps://cispmberlin.wordpress.com/ und http://afrique-europe-interact.net
Here the short version
1. BERLIN:
Commemorative, action and working days from 5 to 8 February 2015:
5 February: arrival of the delegations of the CISPM from Europe (9 countries and Tunisia) etc.
6 February: 10 a.m. press conference; 11 a.m. demonstration from the Spanish Embassy (underground Tiergarten) to the Moroccan Embassy, to the Bundesrat and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; 7 p.m. stories of friends of those who were murdered, who lived with them in the wood and who are now in Germany.
7 February: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.: workshops concerning the EU migration policy within the EU and at its external borders
8 February: 10 a.m.: final plenary meeting of the CISPM
2. DUSSELDORF:
6 February: 11 a.m.: meeting at the Burgplatz in Dusseldorf; from there demonstration to the consulates of Morocco and Spain; 4 p.m.: reports from survivors and other people involved in the shootings of 6 February 2014 (STAY! Great Hall at 150 Hüttenstraße)
3. TANGIER and CEUTA (Morocco)
6 February in Tangier: 10 a.m.: Demo to the Spanish consulate; 3 p.m.: press conference with photo exhibition concerning the police violence; 6 p.m.: religious service to commemorate the victims of Ceuta
7 February in Ceuta: demo of Spanish activists in Ceuta to the beach and to the border fence, then crossing of the border to Morocco and gathering with demonstrators from Morocco
Current video clip: http://vimeo.com/118348503
Further information: https://cispmberlin.wordpress.com/
14 February 2015 in Berlin
Weißekreuzplatz meets Oranienplatz! Refugee Protest Camp Hannover goes Berlin!
On saturday 14 February 2015 the refugees from Weißekreutzplatz will demonstrate together with supporters – in Berlin!
Starting points of the Demo are Oranienplatz 1pm and Wittenbergplatz 2pm, aim is the Sudanese Embassy.
Title of the Demo: Money kills! Stopp the Cooperation between Germany and the Sudanese regime! Stopp supporting war, gang rape and genocide in Sudan!
More information here:
https://www.facebook.com/UnterstuetzerinnenRefugeeProtestCampH
25 february in Berlin
Protest against the performance of the Frontex Head-of-Operations Klaus Rösler at Police Congress, look at: http://ffm-online.org/2015/01/20/frontex-roesler-zu-abschreckung-mittelmeer-berlin-25-02-2015/. This will be the start of the upcoming campaign: Push Back Frontex! Further actions at Blockupy on 18 March in Frankfurt, at World Social Forum end of March in Tunis as well as the end of April in Strasbourg;
appeal and more info material from the middle of February
contact: kmii-hanau@antira.info
Greece and Blockupy
Concerning the election in Greece we recommend especially the website of the Blockupy delegation: http://blockupy-goes-athens.tumblr.com/
The reporting there includes interviews and reports from the antira-movement concerning the current situation, a text we recommend in this context is the one written by Bernd Kasparek in Athens from 28 January. Following we quote at least a short passage:
"A point much commented on is the creation of the new department of migration within the ministry of home affairs, headed by Tasia Christodoulopoulou as a vice minister. She has close ties to the Greek anti-racist movement, and like a friend commented, it is already soothing to hear a member of the government speaking about migration in non-derogatory terms. However, there is more to hope for. In a radio interview on Tuesday, she has already announced her policy goals. Citizenship for migrants born in Greece is a must and of the highest priority, while she is also aiming for the closure of Amygdaleza detention centre, the introduction of humanitarian protection pursuant to the Geneva Convention on Refugees, the acceleration of asylum procedures and improved reception conditions for asylum seekers. She certainly is not intimidated by ANEL’s harsh anti-immigrant rhetoric and seems more than willing to pick up this fight...."
18 March 2015 - Blockupy in Frankfurt
Blockades and Mass Demonstration on the occasion of the Opening Ceremony of the European Central Bank in Frankfurt.
All appeals, materials, meetings dates and events here: http://blockupy.org
There is a new appeal in preparation written by the anti-racist networks concerning the 18 March and they also plan an own block against the EU-border regime. Therefore mobilization events will take place in Wiesbaden und Frankfurt, the title of these events is “Movements and struggles of Migration”, look here:
http://www.notroika.org/termine/bewegungen-und-kaempfe-der-migration
More News from the AntiRa-movement
Refugee Activists in prison!
Statement of Arash D., refugee activist who refused to pay fine regarding his political activity, from January 15, 2015. In Solidarity with our comrade and friend Arash D., because he refused to pay fine regarding of the Rindermarkt-process (München), he is in prison, since 12.1.15. He was one of the refugee activists who marched from Würzburg to Berlin on 2012.
Moreover 3 inhabitants of the Ohlauer school are still imprisoned in Berlin.
Here is his statement:
http://www.thevoiceforum.org/node/3827
Statements on the death of Khaled Idris Bahray in Dresden
http://www.raa-sachsen.de/index.php/pressemitteilung/pressemitteilung-verband-der-beratungsstellen-fuer-betroffene-rechter-rassistischer-und-antisemitischer-gewalt.html
http://www.remembering-khaled.org/
Khaled Idris Bahray – Another stone in the wall of murdered asylum- seekers in EU-Germany
http://thevoiceforum.org/node/3831
Review on Oury Jalloh Demonstration on January 7th in Dessau
For Oury Jalloh´s 10th day of death about 1000 people from all over Germany came together for a rally in memory and grief in Dessau. A vivid and loud demonstration went from the main station to the police station in Wolfgangstraße, where Oury Jalloh died in agony on January 7th in 2005.
For some photos:
http://www.umbruch-bildarchiv.de/bildarchiv/ereignis/070115oury_jalloh.html
Another report:
http://thecaravan.org/node/4241
Review on AntiRa-Demo January 31th in Hamburg
*Never mind the papers – Right to the city for everybody!*
Up to 8000 people were on the streets in Hamburg for the rights of refugees. On their route from Jungfernstieg to Rathausmarkt they emphasized that refugees and asylum-seekers are welcome in Hamburg – and they demanded a better access to medical care and accommodation as well as unrestricted work permits for everybody.
Videoreport of Demo:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YWZJbVd8OXc
Campaign against the tightening of asylum laws
Meanwhile the most tightenings got ratified. However particularly the question about the extension of reasons for arrest just passed the cabinet. It still has to be confirmed by Bundestag and shall come into force in early summer. In 2015 there have to be assimilated also several EU guidelines into german law. The party CDU announced a further tightening of the asylum policy. In view of that we want to continue our campaign against the racist tightenting of asylum laws and hope everybody to participate. Further information:
http://migrationsgesetze.info/
New Stop-Dublin campaign from Pro Asyl
"The Dublin-System causes refugees in Europe getting pushed and pulled like packaged goods, arrested or and ending unsheltered on the street. Yet there is always resistance. We stand up: Against Dublin III – for refugee protection!“
More Information https://www.wir-treten-ein.de/
With our own section to obviation of deportation, church asylum and further action against the Dublin regime:
https://www.wir-treten-ein.de/aktionen/
Prospects of march 2015
From 24.3.2015 in Tunis
World Social Forum in Tunis, before caravans by refugees and migrants from Paris and Bamako to Tunis...
http://openfsm.net/projects/fsm2015wsf-prepint/project-home
Antiracist networks have announced workshops amongst others with the topic WatchTheMed-Alarmphone as to Frontex...
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