"... No government from Macdonia to Serbia, Croatia, Hungary, Austria and Germany can risk in moment to stop the migrants. The fear of strong mass protests in case the refugee movement would be blocked again, seems to be to big. And the governments are even forced to open up a channel across the green borders..."
This and more about the balcanroute, about multiple projects and mobilisations in Germany and Europe you can find in our tri-lingual newsletter for October. The full english text version is attached, the links to the PDF-versions with pictures in the links below.
Best regards,
hagen
English version:
French version:
German version:
Kompass – AntiRa – Newsletter Nr. 43 - October 2015
Refugees Welcome +++ bordermonitoring.eu-liveticker and w2eu-live-blog +++ On Hope: fights of flight and migration on the balcanroute +++ On Challenge: social expansion! +++ Hamburg: Roma-occupation against deportation +++ 2.-3.10. in Frankfurt, Köln, Bremen – Against the unit celebrity, for freedom of movement +++ 2.-4.10. in Poznan: Conference towards the social transnational strike +++ 15.-17.10. in Brüssel: Action days „Oxi! Basta! Enough! Build another Europe!“ +++ 16.-18.10. in München: 2. International border smugglers meeting +++ Planned day X in Oktober! +++ Review: Wittenberg Refugee Bike Tour against racism; Alarmphone receives Taz Panterpreis - Laudation from Mely Kiyak
“Drowning, ladies and gentleman, is a silent process. In contrast to the panic, the crying, shouting of the threating death the last moment of life on the sea is that silent that you dont hear anythting but swell … “ Thats how the disturbing–impressive speech of Mely Kiyak begins which she hold on the 19th of September concering the award of the Taz Panter Price to the Watch The Med Alarmphone.( http://taz.de/Laudatio-von-Mely-Kiyak/!161089/ )
Without long political explanations the laudation becomes to a harsh accusation and also to a current one. More than 50 people – women, men, children – have drowned within the last two weeks, only in the Aegean Sea. As a “silent process”, which one wants to scream into the faces of the responsibles ones in Brussels and Berlin.
Dear friends,
In Edirne/Turkey thousands of asylum seekers protested in the last weeks for a flight route overland. They called for a march to the EU-borderline to Greece because they didnt want to risk the dying on sea any longer. The turkish government reacted as a watchdog: Refugees were not allowed anymore to leave their place of registration and to use busses. They were pushed back and supporters criminalised. Many have to take again the route via the sea in direction Lesbos and other greek islands, risking their lives if they want to reach Europe.
But once they made these way over the sea for most of them the way then to Germany or even Sweden is possible within 10 or 20 days. Because the balcan route has been fighted free in the last weeks. No government from Macedonia, Serbia, Croatioa, Hungary, Austria and Germany dare to stop them. The fear of new mass protests give these refugee movements an enourmos power so that between Croatioa and Serbia is practised a huge flight help deal over the green border. Budapest, the”March of Hope”, on the 4th of September is still in memory, it marked a new peak in the struggle for freedom of movement. Thousands were on their way by feet when they were refused to the trains. “Inspired by that there was a boost of Refugee Welcome Initiatives, linked with a huge medial attention which was not only in Germany and Austria mostly positive for the refugees. Regarding all the 'ambivalences of hegemony' – from paternalism or the discourse of usefullness inclusive the distinction into good and bad refugees – we see an increased potential for a transnational anti-racist movement which will flank successfully the 'summer of migration' ”, formulates the network transact in a current text. “Keep open the flight routes” is demanded and at the same time there are two more central challenges: The adressing of the flight reasons and the development of comprehensively social fights:
“How does it go on in Europe and in Germany? Will the ruling ones be successful in the containment of the great refugees struggles? Do they make a pact if necessary with right-populist and racist parties and organisations? Succeeds a social division on the bottom?
Or is it possible that the impulse of autonomies and fights of migrations overlaps into other social questions in Europe? May the marches of hope make courage and start another dynamic of social fights in Europe? Freedom, dignity, democracy, social security for themselves and their children … Thats what the people on their flight protest for and they dont get stopped by fences and borders. They want to arrive at the place of their choice, mostly at their relatives and friends all over Europe, learn the language, living good, work, live. “Solidarity for all”, the slogan of emancipatory networks in Greece, is to be picked up to struggle against the attempts of division and to fight at the same time the “normality of austerity”, the politics of social cuttings and precariousness. Payable flats for all through new housing programms, acces for all to health service and education, basic income and increased minimum wage: these social demands can and must be filled with new life, through social appropriation and social strikes, local to transnational. The successful fights of refugees and migrants push the social question again on the agenda. Lets take it, tear down the borders, in all countries, in all heads!”
And so we wish you energetically weeks,
Your Kompass-Team
P.S.: The official motto of 3rd of October, germans "day of uinity", is "overcoming borders"! It was and is pure mockery concerning the deadly policies of ecxlusion for which Germany stands for centuries. But now the slogan fits because every day the slogan is practised by thousands of people who actually should be ecxluded …
P.P.S.: We are very happy that also cheap airlines get into the solidarit :-)
Introdcution of this newsletter: September of struggles
Worthreading links regarding the current situation through Europe, from Turkey via Balkan to Germany and Scandinavia.
We installed a liveticker for supprters:
Live-blog of Welcome to Europe
Europe is currently experiencing the long summer of migration. While in
the beginning of September 2015, the events were centered on Hungary,
Austria and Germany, by now the situation has moved South, towards
Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia, Greece and Turkey.
In this live feed, provided by the network Welcome To Europe, we are
gathering, on a day to day basis, verified information. By this, we aim at:
1. inform on the changing patterns of refugee reception and border
closures in the various countries between Turkey and the different
countries of destination
2. inform on the humanitarian situation enfolding at the different sites
3. contribute to the coordination of voluntary solidarity and support
efforts
4. providing verified information
The European Union and its member states have failed miserably at
dealing with the situation, i.e. providing reception and accommodation
infrastructure for refugees, opening up safe passages for refugees
towards shelter and protection and providing accurate and relevant
information. We will have to do it ourselves. Join the effort!
If you have any updates, additional information, any questions etc,
please get in touch: live@w2eu.info
SOLIDARITY
the Welcome2Europe team
Turkey
Greece/Macedonia
Macedonia/Serbia
Budapest on 4 September 2015
“... Friday 4 September was the previous klimax of the fight for freedom of movement. As announced the day before several thousands of refugees started by foot for the 170km long march to the Hungarian-Austrian border. Their declared goal: Austria and Germany. It also happened in Bicske: Around 300 refugees who where stopped the day before began their march and walked on railway lines heading West. Already in the morning 300 interned refugees had clambered over the fence of their lager in Röszke, close to the Hungarian-Serbian border, but were stopped by the police later. … Undoubtly the most beautiful aspect is that with the refugees from Syria the originally power and hope of the Arabic Spring come to Europe a second time and challenged the borders. The rhythm and determination of the slogans which were called over days at the police chains at the entry of the Budapest station sounded familiar. And also the image of one-legged person wearing a picture of Angela Merkel around his neck and headed the march to Austria is for us no case of victimization of its own but the opposite: It's an expression of the determination to achieve one's aim, if necessary also only by foot with only one leg. In the last days this commitment meet more and more support within whole Europe, via Facebook and Twitter people organize assistance beyond the state. Culminating in the call to do collective and visible people smuggling. The result: 140 cars leaving Vienna on Sunday 6 September. The police let them go....”
Worth seeing also this movie:
On 26 September 2015 Botovo/Croatia – the power of refugee movement
It is probably quite unique and also a big success for the refugee movement what's going on at the Croatian-Hungarian border since 10 days. Special trains and buses bring 1500-2000 refugees each to a train station close to the border were they are accompanied to the green border by Croatian police. There Hungarian soldiers take them over and let them enter trains which go to the Austrian border. Until 1 October 2015 between 50 and 60.000 refugees might had been made use of this interstate organized flight aid, obviously it was owed by the fear that every blockade of the refugee movement could lead to new massive fights.
On 26 September we have been in Botovo with the Open Border Caravan. It was a unforgettable situation as 1650 people – woman, man, many children, old, some in wheel chairs – set out on this bizarre stage of the Balkan route. They did it patiently but resolutely.
(From transact, look http://transact.noblogs.org/post/2015/09/30/vom-recht-zu-gehen-und-zu-bleiben/ )
On 6 September 2015 Vienna – Nickelsdorf – Györ – Vienna
Replacement bus service
In the weeks before “March of Hope” single persons and small groups started to do flight aid on a bigger scale. Occasion has been the 71 dead people, which have been found on 27 August in a truck on the high way in Burgenland (Austria). They had not survived the compulsorily hidden journey to Middle Europe. “The truck slammed us the Mediterranean directly in front of the Outlet-Center”, a mayor of Burgenland commented. Many of those who haven't been active became to escape agents: “The Mediterranean-Tragedy of Burgenland” gave them the morally self-confident, that such a dead can't be necessary. In this days the initiative “Refugee-convo, replacement bus service for refugees” was founded. Not least because of the unclear train ride policy of the Hungarian government – the cross-border trains were stopped and so the question was how the refugees from Budapest and whole Hungary should go on, thousands stucked in stations. Anyway, uncertainty has been the slogan of those days – would we escape agents all be detained?, harm the refugees more then support them?, would be fail or go a big step forward? Finally the “March of Hope” overtake all discussions. The borders has been wide-open for a short time. The first convoy went with the support of Hungarian NGOs from Budapest to Hegyeshalom, and with the escort of the Austrian police from Nickelsdorf to Vienna West Station. Since then the convoy riding is common practice. Budapest – Vienna, Vámosszabadi – Nickelsdorf, Szentgotthárd – Schärding. Mobile Culture of Welcome on a small part of the journey.
Pro Asyl on Welcome Refugees, Handbook of Wellcome:
Konstantin Wecker live and in an interview ... i.a. on Border Crossing Services from Hungary:
Continuing further to Sweden:
Two interviews with Sea Watch and Alarmphone against the illusion of the war on facilitators:
Actions and Dates in October 2015
Hamburg: Roma occupy the church of “Hamburger Michel” against deportation
Romano Jekipe Ano Hamburg preserves a refuge space against deportation and claims furthermore the right to stay.
The group “Romano Jekipe Hamburg – Vereinigte Roma Hamburg” (United Roma Hamburg) after it's occupation of the church “Hamburger Michel”, got provided by the parish St. Michaelis with a refuge space for those threatened by an immediate deportation. They stay in theses rooms located with the parish hall. The claim a prompt stop of any deportations to the Balkans and a right of residence for their families.
Further reading:
2./3. Oktober in Frankfurt, Köln, Bremen...
Actions against the festivities of the German Unity and against the new asylum laws
Out of the call in Francfurt:
Solidarity must became concrete!
On the streets of Francfurt, Cologne and everywhere
“Everyday thousands of people reach Germany – in spite of Frontext, militarised borders and strengthens asylum laws. First of all, this is a reason to celebrate. Another one: A surprisingly large number of people got and gets engaged in the solidarity the regugees. After all, a Summer's Fairytale in Germany? Unfortunately not. Already now it is clear that the current situation is only a crisis of an inhuman border regime – which is being corrected by those of all politicians who set in scene a bright Germany”.
Calls and more: www.grenzenueberwinden.de
Bremen: Ferries not Frontex! Global freedom of movement for all!
Call and Information on the demonstration: https://www.facebook.com/refugeeswelcomedemo
2.-4.10. in Poznan: Conference on the social transnational strike
The whole programm can be found on the website: http://www.transnational-strike.info/
One of the workshops is entiteled: Migrant labor, the government of mobility and the transnational strike
The description:
"Migrants are materially challenging the European government of mobility by crossing borders and finding ways to gain space and time. Beside the manifold demonstrations against the border regime, the strike has started to be regarded as a way of accumulating the power necessary to fight against the political conditions of exploitation and the government of mobility. Groups and collectives of internal and external migrants are now starting to communicate and coordinate in order to foster this transnational project.
Only a social alliance between the exploited subjects (precarious, industrial workers and internal and external migrants) can try to deconstruct and fight the cruelty of the Fortress Europe and the social massacre happening inside the bor- ders, before that xenophobic and nationalist options further develop. ..."
15.-17.10. in Brussels: Action days “Oxi! Basta! Enough! Build another Europe!“
NO to austerity, poverty, TTIP, racism and corruption! YES to solidarity without borders! Blockupy calls on all organisations and movements to take part in the action programm, the marches and action days in Brussels on 15, 16, and 17 october.
https://blockupy.org/6209/oxi-basta-enough-bauen-wir-ein-anderes-europa-auf-nein-zu-austeritaet- armut-ttip-rassismus-und-korruption-ja-zur-grenzenlosen-solidaritaet/
http://www.ox15.eu/en (english)
16.-18.10. in Munich: 2nd international conference of border smuggling
The 2nd international conference of border smuggling (Internationale Schlepper- und Schleusertagung, ISS) takes place in the congress hall at the same time as the Open Border Kongress (Munich Welcome Theatre). ISS 2015 presents itself as THE relevant expert conference of globally operating flight help companies. The most important aim of the conference 2015 is the image enhancement and therefore a revaluation of the services of smugglering and border crossing facilitation. International experts will intervene in four thematic panels on the historical and conceptual change of perspectives in this industry, the current border facilitation practices (and best practices), the juridical interpretations and criminalisation or give a sound prospect on current campaigning or art strategies ...
More on http://iss2015.eu
Day X in October !
Nationwide call for actions, information meetings, demonstrations and PR work on Day X in October
For a transnational coexistence – Against Nazis as well as institutional and civic racism. Freedom of Movement! Freedom from Wars! No one is illegal!
Call for a nationwide action day on one of the following dates: 23/ 24/25 October or 30/ 31.10./ 01.11.
For any ideas you can write us via refugeeswelcomeaberauch@gmail.com
You can also take part with a mobilisation and call to your own action day!
Reviews:
Wittenberg: Refugee bike tour against racism
Alarmphone gets the Taz Panterpreis
The honorific speech: