Protest and Rally in Solidarity with “Blind Banga” - Bamkali Konateh on 29th August 2013 at 10:30 am in front of the Verwaltungsgericht Gera (Rudolf-Diener-Straße)
Activists of The VOICE Refugee Forum – Network with the representatives and the friends of the support initiative will stage a support and solidarity rally “Blind Banga - Stays in Berlin” during the court hearing of Bamkali Konateh in Gera against his residence stipulation. Bamkali Konateh lived as a refugee living in Thüringen since 2001. He became blind and critically ill for years in the Gerstungen refugee isolation camp due to the brutality of the German police violence against him in 2004 and 2009 and because the responsible authorities of Wartburgkreis arbitrarily refused necessary medical treatment inspite of the diagnosis of Diabetes mellitus.
To show their solidarity with the struggles of the refugees activists and supporters from Berlin and Thüringen will be arriving to the protest rally starting at 10:30 am in front of the Verwaltungsgericht Gera (Rudolf-Diener-Straße 1) and continuing during the court process that starts at 11.00 in room 102 (house 2).
We are appealing to all to participate and support Bamkali Konateh’s demand to have official residence in Berlin and to observe his court trial which will be on his claims against the residence stipulation for refugees by the „Wohnsitzauflage“ that restricts and conditions the residence of refugees to a certain district or Bundesland. In Bangas case this means no access to the treatment of the medical specialists he is accustomed to and no contact to the network of supporters – the possibilities of self-organization in solidarity would be zero.
Although he undergoes intensive medical treatment by the doctors in Berlin to regain his eyesight, he is not entitled to take residence there.
Bamkali Konateh is blind and handicapped. In order not to endanger his physical and psychological health, he needs to attend regular medical consultations at doctors and in hospitals as well as rehabilitation measures. In Berlin he can count on the daily care and support of his African cultural community and of the familiar network of activists and sympathizers. With the help of his community in Berlin he would be able to go to a school for blind people in Berlin.
Bamkali Konateh continuously suffers from the trauma of his long isolation and maltreatments of refugees in Gerstungen by the official authorities in Wartburgkreis district leading to the desperate death of Michael Kelly from Liberia in 2010 and the Kurdish-Iraqi refugee Hama Amin Rabwar (25yrs) in the year 2013 who was also forced to live in an isolation camp.
In 2010 the situation of Bamkali Konateh under the campaign title of “Blind Banga” became known to the network of The VOICE Refugee Forum and the Caravan campaign in Germany. His situation was and is reason and part of our general and principal demands for the closure of all refugee lagers like the Gerstungen Refugee Camp. As a result to this campaign the support initiative in Berlin provided accommodation since then till now.
Break the isolation of refugees for freedom of movement!
Demand for the immediate rehabilitation of Bamkali Konateh in Berlin!
Demand for the full residence of Bamkali Konateh in Berlin as per Freedom of movement!
The Right to self organisation should be protected as per freedom to normal accommodation and his choice to choose a place of residence!
We demand for the unconditional right to full residence in Germany!
We demand for the closure of the Gerstungen Refugee Isolation Camp!
More Information under: https://thevoiceforum.org/node/3315
Press contakt:
Bangas Support
Mobil: 0157 77092610
Mail: blindbanga@gmx.de
The VOICE Refugee Forum Jena
https://thevoiceforum.org/about
Schillergässchen 5, 07745 Jena