Declaration, Zella-Mehlis, 06.04.2012
Deportation threat of Family Lahmar Cherif
Miloud Lahmar Cherif, Algerian, asylum seeker in Germany since 29.12.2009
Olesia „Sarah” Lahmar Cherif, Ukrainian, asylum seeker in Germany since 29.12.2009
On the 03.04.2012, we received a letter from the Ausländerbehörde Schmalkalden-Meiningen, telling us that we have time left till 07.05.2012 to decide to leave Germany voluntarily – if we refuse they are going to deport us.
Because of our different nationalities (Algerian, Ukrainian), they plan either to oblige us to go together to one of these two countries, or deporting us separately. Although we presented our official ID’s and marriage documents, proving to them that we are husband and wife, they threaten us to be separated by deportation.
We don’t want to be obliged to live in a country that we will not be secure any more, it’s our right to decide, where to live – and that’s what we’re and we’ll be fighting for. In Ukraine I was persecuted and threatened with death by Ukrainian fascists just because of my outer appearance making it clear that I’m foreigner. My wife would live in Algeria with little or no social recognition and in a general danger, because of her Jewish background, that’s enough to be killed by Islamic extremist groups.
I am Miloud, an activist of the VOICE Refugee Forum since arrival in Germany. I spent most of my time denouncing the institutional racism and calling for justice and a fair life for Refugees in Germany and the world. I worked for changing the situation in the lager block of Zella-Mehlis, in which I still live in. Many things have changed in Zella-Mehlis since then – most of the families got normal flats and went out of the Zella-Mehlis horrible Lager. I stood face-to-face with the Thuringian minister of internal affairs in a podium discussion held by Radio Lotte in Weimar – the minister found no other way as to decide to visit the Zella-Mehlis Lager.
The Ausländerbehörde targeted me since the first action we made for the closure of the Zella-Mehlis lager. On the very day of a rally and a demonstration in Meiningen (24.03.2011) I received a letter telling me to pay 60€ fine, because months ago I have been controlled by the Police for Residenzpflicht in November 2010 at Erfurt Main Station, when I was going to participate in a Caravan meeting in Berlin.
My wife was denied medical care and her right to visit a Psychologist. She was even blocked from visiting the Doctor by Meiningen Sozialamt. Greiz Ausländerbehörde set us under pressure in 2010 by threatening us with deportation and even separating us, that made my wife Olesia fall in a deep depression and lose the ability to speak for 8 days. She was hospitalized in the Stadtroda hospital (Thür) for 11 days, but after she went out, the pressure from the Ausländerbehörde Greiz continued. I decided to take her and leave to Norway, where we stayed 14 months. She spent 9 months in 3 different hospitals in and around Oslo, as well as attempting a suicide while she was in Blackstad Hospital, after she understood that Norway will not be able to provide us a perspective for staying due to the Dublin-II-regulation. The doctors in Norway warned me that in case the traumatizing issues repeated in future, the results may be worse, which can lead to another major and long-term depression. The difficult situation of my wife is getting worse now after the deportation threat and I’m very worried.
My life will take place in Germany. I started studying the German language in December 2011, although I could not pay the course fee. Friends supported me with donations. I’m also in contact with the technical university Ilmenau TU in order to be admitted for the next studying season. I studied mechanical engineering before and I would like to continue my studies here, especially after receiving green light from the TU Ilmenau and being sure of a possibility to get financial help through donations. Me and my wife are part of the theatre play „My heart will go on”, that’s organized by Theaterhaus Jena and The Voice Refugee Forum. We’re both actors in the play and our show will go on until the end of May 2012. A restage of the play in the next season is already planned.
I will NOT leave Germany obliged. I’ll NEVER leave Zella-Mehlis refugee lager block, unless everybody else is out of it and I’ll be the last one to close down this horrible Lager.
My mission in Zella-Mehlis is NOT yet finished!
Miloud & Olesia Lahmar Cherif
The VOICE Refugee Forum
Industriestr. 29
98544 Zella-Mehlis
Phone: +49 (0) 176 99334119
E-Mail: thevoiceforum@gmx.de