Meeting of November 13 to 16, 2014 in Rome (Italy)
The CISPM calls all members of movements and collectives of Sans-papiers, Migrants, Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Europe to attend the next meeting of workshops and actions to take place in Rome from November 13 to 16, dedicated to the organization of struggles, present and future in the name of our claim to equality, dignity and freedom of movement and settlement for all.
The CISPM created during the highly symbolic crossing of 9 borders in Europe during the 1st European March of Sans-papiers and Migrants made in June 2012, is the consolidation of a group of collectives of Sans-papiers and Asylum Seekers residing in several European countries. Up to now: Germany, Belgium, Italy, France, the Netherlands and Switzerland. But also in Africa: Mali, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Mauritania, CISPM aims to actually extend the mobilization to all actors of migration, “here and there”. Its aim is to fight for real progress in the rights of Sans-papiers, Migrants, Refugees and Asylum Seekers at European and international level, the only relevant today to tackle problems at their true height.
Through this way, we set out to answer in movement to issues common to all migrants from the moment they leave their countries and land in Europe. First we had to denounce the laws and practices of repression (arrests racial profiling, detention, expulsion) responsible for “dealing with the problem” of immigration, and demand a permanent residence permit, not linked to the employment contract, to bring integration based on respect for rights and dignity. Then we had to remember the history, reactivating the memory of our elders, since colonization had so painfully, often to death, contributed to the liberation of the peoples of Europe and their economic growth. We also had to stand up against the most reactionary and racist delusions become fashionable in Europe, crying wolf to immigration in times of crisis, and fight xenophobia. In addition, with the economic and social crisis which primarily affects the most insecure and poorest populations, which include undocumented immigrants and migrants, we also had to clearly express our solidarity with all the people who have enough of a society of intolerable inequalities.
We, migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers in the CISPM, all know from experience that it is not enough to seek justice to achieve our full rights. Only the patient struggle, long, determined, recovery, renewed, can hope to mobilize the whole society to radical change. Therefore, from 22 to 28 of June 2014, with hundreds of Sans-papiers, Migrants, Refugees and Asylum-seekers from several European countries (Germany, Belgium, Spain, France, Greece, Italy, Netherlands), we gathered in Brussels around actions and debates, ending with a demonstration of 2,000 people Thursday, June 26 against the Summit of Heads of State dedicated to issues of asylum and the immigration. This Caravan for Equality, Dignity and Social Justice showed the determination of many European collective fight together.
Today, Europe has chosen to deal with this economic and social crisis by accentuating austerity policies imposed by the European Central Bank and discriminatory measures and fear mongering politics of the European Union and its member countries towards Migrants, Refugees and Asylum-seekers. We are among those who believe that these policies are not at all “solutions”, neither for the economy in crisis, nor in the daily life itself in all its complexity, even when everything is done to speed up privatization, liberalization markets, dissolution of the labor code, operation and relocation of workers, eradication of public service, and ultimately enriching the richest! From our side, we cannot accept that our situation of Migrants is exploited for electoral purposes, especially when our lives are spent in the calculation of loss and profits of a selfish world in organized bankruptcy.
It is time for us to take the measure lucidly of the situation, to recognize the value of our presence in Europe, politically think our struggle from the perspective of convergence and units to be part of the guidelines of the society that will be decided in the future, and to be heard at all levels of authority and responsibility in the countries where we live and work.
These are the objectives of the Rome meeting.
During these 4 days, from November 13 to 16, 2014, plenary meetings will be held, inspired by the work of the various workshops. For now, four main themes were selected: undeclared work and regularization (economics, law, politics of the issue according to the diversity of the states concerned), freedom of movement and settlement (questions of the border, Frontex bilateral agreements, evictions …), the European Union (friend or foe?), victims of migration and complaints (police violence, killing in the Mediterranean sea, whose Lampedusa is the emblem, racist crimes against Subsaharians in Morocco, how to put the plaints …). In parallel, actions and events will be held, for which we call associations, unions, workers, students, social movements, anti-fascists, all the citizens to join us and support by all means possible questions and proposals that will be raised from the Rome meeting.
FOR A EUROPE OF RIGHTS AND SOLIDARITY!
ALL AND ALL TOGETHER IN ROME FROM 13 TO 16 November 2014!
We claim:
• the right to free movement and free installation.
• closing of detention centers for undocumented migrants and asylum seekers. We join the campaign Frontexit which requires the removal of Frontex.
• the permanent legalization without conditions (not conditioned to employment contracts).
• stopping the evictions of the host country and from the offshore areas destinated to the externalization of the evictions outside Europe.
• the enactment of the right to vote and to be elected in all elections for Migrants, Refugees and Asylum-seekers.
• unconditional respect for the right of asylum in particular in terms of freedom of movement for Asylum seekers, against the Dublin trap (against the residency obligation).
• equality of right between nationals and migrants (same working conditions for all, access to health, housing, education, culture, particularly access to all jobs according to the skills, fight against the dis-qualification of migrants).
• Stop the EU imperialist policies (free trade treaties, NATO wars).
• Stop the humanitarian business on the backs of Migrants, Refugees and Roma people.
• Against any kind of racism and discrimination
These 10 points are our fundamentals and our reasons for fighting. CISPM September 13, 2014
La caravane des sans-papiers et réfugiés
Pour l'égalité, la dignité et la justice sociale
10.17.2014
Info / contacts: migrants.refugees.caravan@gmail.com