The Caravan Conference "UNITE AGAINST COLONIAL INJUSTICE" in Germany, 09. - 13.09.09 in Jena
The discussion paper on Colonial Injustice and the Continuity of Barbarity in Germany
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Summary on Felix Otto's Imprisonment before his deportation on the 25th of August 2009:
Words will never do sufficient justice to the sufferings of a victim. In the face of the pain, horror and outrage at being dehumanized and robbed of the right to life, words are often times nothing more than mere descriptions of the indescribable.
But words, too, are one of the main weapons a victim has to recuperate the capacity not only of resistance but also of becoming and acting as the expressing subject; the person who finds the courage to speak out and give his or her version of the truth thus challenging the lies and dominance of the oppressor. To speak out means finding a voice through which the victim
may cry out so much contained pain, denounce the atrocity committed and subsequently demand respect and dignity. The voice of the victim becomes the voice of the downtrodden and excluded, of those banned from humanity by the racist machinations of a few.
Of course, once the victim acquires a voice, the already long chain of repression tightens, and those responsible for human misery do their best to quiet that voice, to silence it forever so that no register exist as to their crimes against humanity.
Or as Felix Otto writes from his cell where he awaits deportation from Germany for having violated a law no European could ever even be accused of having violated:
"I was already in Cell A13 at the Goldlauter / Suhl prison before the protest action on July 16, 2009. Now I have been transferred way to the back towards the forest. Back there in the forest you can't see outside, only the forest. This is so the people from the protest action cannot see
me."
As Felix was brought to appear before the court he was, like the slaves of old, enchained at his hands and feet. He was warned by the Judge in the court and Police guards not to speak with anyone outside of the courtroom.
Felix was only informed of the hearing only two days before and the hearing was closed to the public. No mention was ever made of the deportation order hanging over him.
During the Solidarity Rally near the Prison on the 16th of July in Goldlauter / Suhl – where Felix otto is imprisoned court those protesting were constantly harassed and filmed by the police. Independent press activists with organisers of the rally, however, had their pictures
deleted from the camera because some of the images were of the policemen.
They were also threatened with detention if they did not desist in their photo actions.
They don't want anybody opposing the inhumanity and the racist rule they put on the people. They terrorize Otto and they want to silent voices of solidarity and the voices of anger. They denied the universal human right and that includes the protection of human right defenders.
[Were Felix's supporters protesting the election results in Iran? No. Is Felix a terrorist? No. Did Felix kill somebody? No. Did he commit some grave act of violence? No. Did he steal or deal drugs? No? Have all legal recourses against this bastardly act of inhumanity been exhausted in the German courts? No.”]
Yet an ill and seriously traumatized Felix Otto writes from his jail cell:
"My mother has fallen ill now. I will never forget this for the rest of my life. I have lost everything in my home. The owner even sold my music equipment. I am no longer healthy."
Of course, there are doctors at the deportation prison to look after Felix. In fact, they have already declared him healthy and in good physical condition. So good, in fact, that they attest he may be safely(!) sent back to the nightmare Europe and the United States have created in
Africa in the first place. Have they let Felix see a copy of his medical record which serves as a de facto 'laissez passer' for the German authorities? No.
Could words ever describe such vile barbarity which Felix Otto is now living and suffering in his own flesh and blood?
As the reader will be able to read in the following position paper, Felix Otto is an asylum-seeker from Cameroon. Originally condemned to eight months in prison for having travelled outside of his designated district without prior permission from the authorities, Felix now faces deportation back to the brutal dictatorship of Paul Biya of Cameroon.
The position paper, (https://thevoiceforum.org/node/1341); which seeks to qualify Felix's imprisonment and likely deportation from Germany as a racist crime against humanity, is divided into various sections. Following a general introduction, three brief sections follow which provide an outline of the global factors associated with the racist discrimination and abuse suffered by Felix and how this treatment, while a continuity of past barbarity, stands in direct (and eternal) confrontation to so-called European ideals of enlightenment and universalism. The final two sections go into greater detail as to Residenzpflicht or Obligatory Residence, the law cited in justifying both Felix's imprisonment and eventual deportation, as well as the reasons why every day Felix Otto continues to rot away in prison is another day that eats away at our collective souls.
Finally, a last word about this paper: as a position paper, its intention is to provoke thought and debate as to Felix's imprisonment and why it has come to be. More than just an attempt to provide the reader with information, however, our hope is that these words become the weapon which help people to break their silence and and join together in a common (out)cry:
Felix Otto must be free! Now!
Stop the continuation of colonial Injustice!
The VOICE Online on Why Felix Otto Is In Prison: A Thesis on Colonial Injustice and Crimes Against Humanity in Germany
https://thevoiceforum.org/node/1341
More Texts in English:
https://thevoiceforum.org/taxonomy/term/6
Residenzpflicht: Dt. / Eng.
https://thevoiceforum.org/taxonomy/term/14