Unite Against Social Exclusion: No Lager! No Residenzpflicht!
https://thevoiceforum.org/node/1626
The German state exploits the refugees by collectively punishing us in the isolation lagers and with the apartheid-pass law in Germany, the „Residenzpflicht“.
Colonial and nazi policies of Residenzpflicht and Lager in Germany
The German refugee „Residenzpflicht“ law is an apartheid-pass law that forbids freedom of movement for refugees from their forced discrete residences that are often located in remote isolated locations, often times in the forest and abandoned military barracks.
It is a German colonial policy that was practiced in their occupation of Togo for example. This was continued under the fascist era of the National Socialist when the Nazi regime compelled the stay of certain foreigners to certain districts which they were only allowed to leave with a police permission else they were fined and imprisoned if they could not pay the fines. The similarity in the fines then and now leaves no doubt where this current law that has been in place since 1982 comes from.
Let's overcome the fear and regain the freedom to unite against colonial injustice.
Break the silence! We are here, we will fight! Freedom of movement is everybody's right.
During the CARAVAN-FESTIVAL from the 4th till 6th of June 2010 in Jena there will be speakers' sessions for statements and speeches on social exclusion, residenzpflicht and isolation camps and the struggles and protest against these injustices.
Installations, Paintings, Music and Film
Residenzpflicht: https://thevoiceforum.org/search/node/residenzpflicht
Lager: http://thecaravan.org/taxonomy/term/49
Call for further support: Join the Caravan Festival Network! https://thevoiceforum.org/node/1627
Gerstungen Isolation Camp: "Die Leute hier sind fix und fertig" Karawane Festival - Delegation in Thüringer Flüchtlingslagern
https://thevoiceforum.org/node/1616
The VOICE Refugee Forum Jena
* This text was first presented to The VOICE Refugee meeting on Friday 30.4.2010 in Jena
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Our Struggles in the Isolation Camps in Thueringen - Germany
Refugees’ Open Letter from Remscheid Refugees" Home to the City Administration of Remscheid April 24, 2010:
We, do not want to be forced to live in collective refugee housings. These types of accommodations make us sick and poorer.
The VOICE Refugee Meeting for the KARAWANE-Festival in Jena
KARAWANE – FESTIVAL from the 4th till 6th of June 2010 in Jena:
Refugee Struggles in the Isolation Camps
Discussion Papers: Exchange on Organizing and Resistance in the Lagers made during the Conference on colonial Injustice held in Jena, from September 9 to 13, 2009
As part of the preparation and mobilisation of refugees for the Caravan Festival in Jena from 4-6th June 2010, The VOICE Refugee Forum is inviting refugee political activists and Asylum Seekers in Thuringen and the Nationwide Karawane Network.*
Particularly for some new refugees and those who have not been active with The VOICE and the Caravan Network since the last several years, we want to use this meeting for Exchange on Organizing and Resistance in the Lagers
First, we want to restate the reasons and beginnings of our socio-political engagements in Thuringen. We want to assess our current situation and reiterate our immediate plans for the future especially as it pertains to the forthcoming Caravan Festival. We want to restate our common solidarity and express our belief in the struggle we’re engaged in.
Meeting and Discussions will be held with refugee activists from Ex. Jena Forst, Katzhütte, Ex. Gelhberg and Apolda in Thüringen, Möhlau and Haberstadt in Sachsen-Anhalt. Links to the campaigns and struggles of refugee in Thueringen and Nationwide
Our plan to organize a visit to the miserable and abandoned refugee Camps in Gangloffsömmern and Gerstungen lager isolation camp still existing in Thueringen as part of our mobilisation for the Festival will be discussed.
A summary of the The Caravan evaluation of our visit to Gerstungen und Gangloffsömmern/Thüringen in June 2009 will be presented while a detailed report will be available during the festival.
Continue, Continue, the Struggle Continues….
We want to solidify the continuity of our engagement with The VOICE Refugee Forum. After 15 years of relentless refugee struggle and protest against isolation lager and other acts of inhumanity in Thuringen forest and other Lagers in Germany, we want to see all refugees and activists re-energised to continue.
Therefore we will like to restate how this struggle started, what its impact has been and how we intend to move forward. We want to draw inspiration from our experiences, document our experiences in our own words and show that our solidarity is our empowerment.
The presence of The VOICE Refugee Forum in Jena has been a solid base and huge drive for the Caravan Network and the upcoming Festival. It is no wonder that the authorities have attempted to stifle our engagements by resorting to intimidation and employing dirty and racist tricks.
For more than seven years, Thuringen has become a no go area” for Black African asylum seekers, for fear that they will become politically active with The VOICE. If our engagement has stopped Africans from suffering the humiliation and inhumanity that refugees are subjected to in Thuringen, we are sure that our continuity will stop it for all others.
We have a long History
Since 1994, we refugees started to organise and mobilise ourselves to make our isolation and the unbearable conditions in the “Heims” public. From Mühlhausen (1994), Saalfeld (1995), Jena Forst (from 1996), Tambach-Dietharz (1988), Freienbessingen (2003), Gehlberg (2008) und Katzhütte (2008) and lots more, to the nationwide campaign to abolish the Residenzpflicht in 2000. We have been an integral part of the various nationwide Caravan Tours amongst others. And we have not relented ever since.
Our presence as The VOICE Refugee Forum is at the forefront of refugee community coordination network and activities of grassroots political empowerment and migrants’ struggles in the antiracist network in Germany.
Call for Support! Join us and help to distribute this call for participation and support to organize from your towns and cities for the Karawane festival!
The Caravan Festival 2010
For the rights of refugees and migrants in Europe (Juni 4th – 6th, 2010 in Jena - Germany)
"Unite against colonial injustice in memory of the dead victims of Fortress Europe"
karawane-festival.org
The Central Call to The Caravan Festival
Open Air Festival against Neo-colonialism and Racism
A place without racism, sexism and discrimination where everyone cares for each other!
A bastion of humanity and solidarity!
The VOICE Refugee Forum on behalf of the Caravan-for the rights of refugees and migrants calls for presentations and performances of socio-cultural and political arts of resistance that explores the background and complexities of the lives and political struggles of refugees and migrants in Germany *and Europe
Together with anti-racist and socio-cultural and political activists, these events will feature discussions and exchange of experiences that includes poetry, street theatre, live music concerts, traditional African drums and dance, masquerades and gyration, songs and tributes to the victims of Fortress Europe.
It will also feature concerts, films, arts and photo exhibition and a host of other activities that will suit the expected range of wide participants from across Europe, Africa and beyond.
With it we want to reaffirm our commitment to our fight for our right to freedom of movement, social justice and global solidarity.
Let us overcome the fear and gain freedom! Come to Karawane-Festival from 4 - 6 Jnue in Jena
Further concrete ideas and proposals are welcome and will be duly updated in festival homepage: karawane-festival.org
KARAWANE-FESTIVAL 2010 - NEWSLETTER 4 Termine: Mobilization und Kampagne
We want to keep up the flame!!!
And in solidarity remain!!!
Osaren Igbinoba; The VOICE Refugee Forum Jena; E-mail: thevoiceforum@gmail.com
The VOICE Refugee Forum Jena
Adresse: Schillergässchen 5, 07745 Jena
Tel. Handy 0049(0) 17624568988,
Fax: 03641 / 42 02 70,
E-Mail: thevoiceforum@emdash.org,
Internet: http://www.thevoiceforum.org
Gegründet: 1994, Arbeitsweise: Kampagnen,Aktionen, Vernetzung.
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