Refugee Community News
Lord Mayor Richard Arnold of Schwäbisch Gmund district visited the Asylum Accommodation lager in Oberbettringerstr on Wednesday 24.08.11 unannounced.
The visitation came up from his invitation of some Punjabi dancers to lunch after their impressive performance in an event that took place in the district.
During this privileged lunch with the Mayor, the refugees (Indian Punjabi dancers) used the opportunity to express their frustration in the district and appealed to the Mayor for a Visit to their lager to access the situation himself. To this appeal, the Mayor responded and volunteered his time to go with them to the Lager.
It was interesting that such unannounced visitation overruled the Lager Officials usual emergency maintenance any announced visit of Politicians just to portray all being well with the refugees.
On arrival of the Mayor at about 14hours, the lager Chief Mrs. Bolsilger and her Boss from Aalen Mr. Betz with some refugee inhabitants showed the mayor through the Lager as the Officials tried their usual tactic of sweet talking the obviously unhealthy situation ranging from congestion in rooms, the bathroom hall with just one functional shower instead of six, the obsolete Toilet facilities etc.
Refugees expressed the massive isolation they are faced with in the district based on the whole control mechanism and laments the inability for them to practice their religious rites. The Lager Chief – Mrs Bosinger tried to portray an image of an available religious Room which refugees and Prof Köhnlein (refugee supporter in the district) confirmed as non existent.
After the inspection, the Mayor held a session with refugees, Lager Officials and Prof Köhnlein to discuss the development further.
The Mayor at that instance telephoned a Utility Officer and asked him to come over to the Asylum accommodation where he was ordered to effect immediate repairs on the Toilets and Bathrooms.
A refugee used the opportunity to ask the Mayor “Are refugees seen as part of this Community”? At the Mayor’s “Yes” for an answer! The same refugee went further to
asked “Then why are we not treated like other members of the Community”? This difficult and complicated Political question was left as homework for the visiting Mayor to please think about and act upon.
To end the visit, the Mayor encouraged refugees to always make themselves good Ambassadors wherever they may be. The Mayor also informed the refugees of the upcoming 850th Years anniversary of the Schwäbisch Gmund district and his intention that refugees be part of the celebration in 2012. He advised the refugees to organize themselves and organize programs that will bring them close to the community for better understanding of who they are.
Refugees are meeting to create more awareness on their community activities to reach the demands:
ABOLISH the asylum-seeker benefits law (AsylbLG)!
ABOLISH compulsory "Residenzpflicht" residential restriction!
ABOLISH any forms of institutional racism!
ABOLISH all kinds of racist special laws!
Stop the deportations!
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Ankündigung:
Erfurt: Demo zur Schließung der Flüchtlingslager und zur Durchbrechung der rassistischen Isolation in Thüringen
Erobert die Kontrolle über euer Leben zurück – Rassistische Isolation brechen!
Die Flüchtlinge in Thüringen organisieren sich und stehen gemeinsam auf, gegen die rassistische Isolationpolitik in Thüringen und für die Schließung aller Lager. Am 22. Oktober wird es eine gemeinsame Demonstration der Flüchtlinge in Erfurt geben.
Dauerkundgebung ab 10 Uhr | Erfurt, Anger
Demonstration um 14 Uhr Uhr | Erfurt, Hauptbahnhof
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