D E U T S C H : -Stellungnahme der Bewohner der GU Katzhütte zum Besuch der Vertreter von Stadt und Land am 26.02.2008 https://thevoiceforum.org/node/709
ENGLISH.
Declaration of the inhabitants of the refugee camp in Katzhütte on the visit of local and regional government representatives on February 26, 2008
https://thevoiceforum.org/node/710
***
Hamburg - Solidarität mit den Flüchtlingen in Katzhütte https://thevoiceforum.org/node/711
-jw Presse: Flüchtlinge fordern Heimschließung
https://thevoiceforum.org/node/708
-OTZ Presse: Katzhütter Flüchtlingsheim in der Kritik
https://thevoiceforum.org/node/702
DEUTSCH AND ENGLISH:
Treffen von "The VOICE Refugee Forum in Jena" - Wir wollen dieses miserable Heim schließen!
Eng/DE. APPEAL FROM THE REFUGEE CAMP IN KATZHÜTTE TO CLOSE THEIR MISERABLE HEIM
https://thevoiceforum.org/node/701
*******
Declaration of the inhabitants of the refugee camp in Katzhütte on the visit of local and regional government representatives on February 26, 2008
On February 26, 2008, representatives of the District Office and the Municipal Administration visited the refugee camp in Katzhütte. As can be taken from the press reports from the ‘OTZ Rudolstadt’ and ‘Freies Wort’ newspapers, the camp administration, the Municipal Administration and the representatives of the District Office have attempted to trivialise our declarations regarding the camp, even going so far as to declare them to be untrue. As a result, we feel forced to present our own vision on these most recent developments.
During the visit of the above-mentioned representatives, the camp administration repeatedly attempted to prevent that we—the inhahbitants of this refugee camp—directly inform the press as to the conditions of our accommodations. Further, for no apparent reason, the camp administration prohibited both ourselves as well as representatives of the press from filming or taking any pictures of the refugee camp, thus making it impossible for us to demonstrate our situation to a wider public.
According to the press reports, the camp administration admits that there is mould growing on the walls of only two bungalows and the mildew can be easily removed. We want to make clear to everyone, however, that we live in a former vacational camp which was built in the times of the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Very few inhabitants actually live in these former holiday bungalows. On the contrary, the majority of us live in old military barracks whose walls are made out of thin fibre board. The walls are so thin that you can hear practically everything happening on the other side. In other words, families who have been forced to live in the barracks have practically no privacy. For its part, because it has never been restored, the former vacational camp is old and worn out. Further, it was never constructed for permanent living. The majority of camp inhabitants, however, are forced to live in these conditions for five or more years. The walls of the bungalows and barracks are thinly isolated—if at all—which means that many inhabitants are forced to buy electric heaters with their own money. Nevertheless, these heaters are taken away by the camp administration, who claim that these heaters use too much energy.
We receive 106 euros a month in vouchers and 60 euros in cash. Many of us don’t even receive cash money—only vouchers. Furthermore, we only recieve a pre-determined amount of clothing as well as household and hygenic artciles a month. Likewise, it has also been stipulated that a monthly total of 224 euros (which includes the above-mentioned expenditures) is to be handed out to every camp inhabitant. Nevertheless, we are only paid 166 euros a month. In other words, the camp administration is obliged to use this money to pay for toilet paper and other personal hygiene articles for the entire community. But this is not the case. In view of that, we ask ourselves what happens with the remaing 58 euros which is withheld from us on a monthly basis.
Moreover, collective punishment such as the lowering of the water temperature at night or the closing of the common kitchen are pedagogical measures which appear to have been carried over from the time of the vacational camp. Subject to such punishment as well as the fact that we have food vouchers and so-called ‘vacation permits’ forced upon us, we, refugees from all over the world who have been forced to leave our homelands for a variety of reasons, feel that our right to a dignified life is being systematically violated.
Consequently, we demand not that the mildewed walls be repaired in two bungalows but rather the immediate closing of this refugee camp and the granting of normal accommodations in which we are allowed to exercise our right to dignity!
We further denounce that on February 27, 2008, reason police officers entered into the common kitchen of the refugee camp for no apparent. Since that time, police cars are now frequently patrolling around the camp.
We demand that such attempts at intimidation be ended immediately!
The inhabitants of the Refugee Camp in Katzhütte
We want to live in normal houses, not in military barracks! We call for public support in our struggle to have our right to dignity respected! Your solidarity is urgently needed!
For more information please contact Mr. Sbaih: 0162 3574667 in Katzhütte.
The VOICE Refugee Forum; Tel.Handy: 0176 24568988.
E-mail: thevoiceforum@emdash.org, https://thevoiceforum.org