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We took part in the kick-off event of the 33rd Brandenburg Women’s Week (der 33. Brandenburgischen Frauenwochen 2023) on Thursday 2nd March 2023 with the beautiful slogan of “bei uns doch nicht”. But in our speeches marking different events in Berlin and Brandenburg, we did say, “bei uns doch”. This is because of the following facts, which refugees face in Germany and at the European borders:
The number of attacks on refugee shelters in Germany is on the rise again. In 2022, there were at least 121 attacks – an increase of 73% compared to the previous year. So there are many many more! This is a direct consequence of the European war against refugees. We are presented as a threat in parliaments and laws.
On the occasion of this year’s International Women’s Day, we invite you on 08.03.2023 from 12:30 to 15:00 clock to our rally in front of the camp in Eisenhüttenstadt. Women in Exile & Friends, supporting groups and individuals will say loud and clear: Abolish Residenzpflicht! No camps for women and children! Abolish all camps!
We have chosen this location because it is where the Central Foreigners Authority of Brandenburg is located and here is the location of the Central Initial Reception Facility for Refugees in Brandenburg. Elizabeth Ngari had contact with women currently living in the initial reception. “We were told that registration is going sluggish. That means no identification, no pocket money, no access to education for children and no procedural progress. In addition, since the pandemic, the county restriction again applies to refugees in Brandenburg’s initial reception centres. After decades of successful struggles for freedom of freedom of movement and against the compulsory residence, this is an enormous step backwards.”
As a refugee women’s group, we lead a feminist campaign against racism and camps for women and children. Through our various platforms, we highlight the harmful effects of community shelters on women, queers, and children publicly. From gender-based violence to sexual assault to post-traumatic Stress Disorder due to fear of deportation and depression due to isolation and lack of perspective. We are also concerned about the increasing number of attacks on refugee shelters in Germany. In the year 2022, there had been at least 121 attacks. That is an increase of 73 percent compared to the previous year. In addition, there are thousands of attacks on refugees.[1] Every day, three victims – according to the police statement! The number of unreported cases must be much higher.
“This is a consequence and part of the European war against refugees. We are being presented in parliaments and laws as a threat,” says Elizabeth Ngari. “We are witnesses to the consistent violation of human rights. The beautiful Mediterranean Sea has become the deadliest border in the world. So has one of the few virgin forests in Europe between Poland and Belarus. It is now crossed by a newly built, hermetically sealed border. When we refugees finally make it to Europe, we experience these disgusting little racist laws designed to make us small and keep us out! Every day we have to stand up to deportations, racism and sexism. Really, enough is enough! We are fed up! And we say STOP to this discriminatory treatment on all levels! We demand participation, justice and safe living conditions! We demand respect for the rights of women and queers. We demand fair procedures for all refugees, that respect human dignity!”
No camps for women and children! Abolish all camps!
For the RIGHT TO COME, TO STAY AND TO LEAVE!
Press contact 015212874966
[1] Vgl. Neues Deutschland: Mehr Anschläge auf Flüchtlingsunterkünfte, Matthias Monroy, vom 02.03.2023.
Wir laden Sie herzlich ein zur Auftaktveranstaltung zu unserer Internationalen Frauen*konferenz und zur Vorstellung unseres neu erschienenen Buches “Breaking Borders to Build Bridges” anlässlich unseres 20-jährigen Bestehens als selbstorganisierte Flüchtlingsfrauengruppe. Die Eröffnungsfeier beginnt am 04.08. um 17:30 Uhr am gleichen Ort.
Die Konferenz wird von Women in Exile & Friends organisiert und lädt internationale Gäste aus verschiedenen Kontinenten ein. Die Gäste berichten über geschlechtsspezifische, koloniale und klimatische Ungerechtigkeiten als Fluchtursachen und über den Rassismus und Sexismus, den sie auf der Flucht und im Exil erleben, und ihren Widerstand dagegen.
Bei der Pressekonferenz haben Sie die Möglichkeit folgende Menschenrechtsaktivist*innen zu hören und zu ihren Projekten und Kämpfen zu befragen:
1. Karolina Lopes von Mariposas Sin Fronteras (USA), die das Projekt Casa Mariposa und die Kämpfe von Menschen ohne Papiere und insbesondere von LGBTIQ-Menschen in Einwanderungsgefängnissen in Arizona vorstellt.
2. Elizabeth Nassy Silakan von IMPACT (Kenia), berichtet über die Kämpfe nomadischer Frauen gegen die Klimazerstörung im Norden Kenias.
3. Florence Sissako Mbango, stellt die Geschichte von Women in Exile und die Idee der Konferenz vor.
4. Sarah Wangari, stellt die Idee und den Schreibprozess des neu veröffentlichten Buches “Breaking Borders to Build Bridges” vor.
5. Chahim A’jam Vásquez Leal von Acuerpamiento (Guatemala), berichtet über kommunale Heilungsräume.
We are tired of hearing outcries only when images of inhumanity and death on the European external borders are seen on screens in the living rooms. Melilla is not an individual case. Deadly Borders are everyday evil. But the European government, the politicians and most of its citizens pretend it is not happening. People are dying everyday: in Melilla, in the Mediterranean see, in Poland, Belarus, Lithunia – in the name of protecting fortress Europe.
Activists are on the streets everyday condemning these policies but the European governments and politicians have no interest in listening. We condemn the brutality and inhumanity leashed out to the African Black people, who are fought as invaders of the European continent and civilization. Today, we are not going to start a colonial or neo-colonialism history lesson. We are demanding justice for all the past and current victims of these inhumane European colonial border policies.
The Spanish Prime Minister Sanchez praised the actions of the security forces. EU Council President Charles Michel pledged his full support to the Spanish authorities. Without a post-mortem examination and identification, people are to be buried quickly. Is it to cover up the crime?! Don’t the families have the right to bury their grandchildren, children, lovers and siblings themselves? What an inhuman and lack of leadership way in responding to a disaster! “This blood will not go for free from their hands. These killers will not know peace!”, was a response from one of us.
Brandenburger Organisationen rufen zu Paradigmenwechsel in der Flüchtlingspolitik auf
Potsdam, den 16. Mai 2022
Mit dem Aufruf „Vom Untergebracht-Werden zum Wohnen“ wendet sich heute ein Bündnis aus Vertreter*innen von Vereinen, Beratungsstellen, Initiativen, Selbstorganisationen, der Wissenschaft, der Kommunalpolitik und der Zivilgesellschaft an die Brandenburger Landesregierung. Die Unterzeichnenden fordern eine langfristige Abkehr vom Prinzip der Massenunterbringung von Menschen und ein Bekenntnis zur Wohnungsunterbringung. Auf sechs Seiten macht das Bündnis, zu dem auch der Flüchtlingsrat Brandenburg gehört, konkrete Vorschläge, wie Geflüchtete in Brandenburg schneller in eigene Wohnungen umziehen könnten.
Das Bündnis lehnt die systematische und langfristige Unterbringung von Geflüchteten in Sammelunterkünften ab. Massenunterkünfte verhindern gesellschaftliche Teilhabe und wirken sich desintegrierend aus – die gesellschaftlichen und sozialen Folgen dieser Politik sind seit langem verheerend. Sammelunterkünfte sind zudem gewaltfördernd und nicht erst seit der Corona-Pandemie gesundheitsgefährdend.
Vorschläge für konkrete Schritte auf dem Weg zur Wohnungsunterbringung als Regelunterbringung (vgl. Aufruf):
Schaffung eines Brandenburger Teilhabe- und Partizipationsgesetzes,
schnelle Verteilung aus der Erstaufnahme, unabhängig von “Bleibeprognosen”,
sofortige Wohnungsunterbringung besonders schutzbedürftiger Personen,
Umsetzung der im Koalitionsvertrag festgelegten Begrenzung der Aufenthaltsdauer von Familien in Gemeinschaftsunterkünften auf 12 Monate,
Spielraum bei der Umsetzung der Wohnsitzauflage nutzen,
Schließung von isoliert außerhalb von Städten und Dörfern gelegenen Unterkünften,
unangekündigte Kontrollen der Standards in Gemeinschaftsunterkünften,
In summer 2021, many refugees fled across the eastern border into the European Union to Lithuania or Poland. In July 2021, the Lithuanian parliament passed a law authorising the six-month detention of refugees after entry. In December 2021, this detention period was extended to 12 months. In Lithuania, mainly African refugees have been imprisoned in the camps in Mavini, Medininkai, Linkmenys and Kybartai. They are victims of brutal state racism. Our sisters report that they were locked up in Mavini, handcuffed, beaten and tortured as if they had committed a crime. We appeal to human rights organisations, the Lithuanian embassy, social media and the international public to support us in these demands: Abolish this law! Support the release of all refugees from Lithuania’s camps! Stop the war against refugees! We want peace and justice! Flight is not a crime! Let our sisters go!
In face of the war in Ukraine, European countries talk about humanitarian actions and on the other side divide humans and sort them in small boxes. It is disheartening and upsetting to see on social media refugees refused entry into trains and safe countries, because of their skin colour.
Madeleine Mawamba: “We will not go along with this division of people. Women in Exile and others are going to show solidarity to all fleeing wars. We demonstrate in Rathenow on the International Women day, because our black sisters have reported structural racism in Rathenows Registry office concerning the birth certificates. Women with children by German and African fathers long have to fight to get one. We demand the Registry office to work on their racism and hand out the birth certificates for these children!”
Women in Exile & Friends also demonstrates against the Lagersystem in the county of Havelland and all over. Women and children are abandoned by the racist system of the European Union, isolated in broken Heims and traumatised again and again. Everyday refugee women experience personal racism and sexism on the streets and structural racism in offices, registry offices, city halls, schools, in the housing market.
This is why Women in Exile & Friends demand participation, reproductive justice, safe living condition and respect for women’s rights.
During our rally against Lager in Eisenhüttenstadt on the International Day against Violence against Women on 25.11., many reported, that their mobiles had been taken away by german police when crossing the german/polish border in Frankfurt Oder. Refugees – also families with small children – arriving in Frankfurt Oder are send, also in the late afternoon, to a Camp somewhere far away in Germany. Some had to go without a mobile. Taking away their mobiles is a an incomprehensible encroachment on fundamental rights. Flight is not a crime.
So we decided to make a spotanous action on the german/polish border. We wanted to show solidarity with the refugees crossing borders. Accompanied by our friends from Haus des Wandels, Seebrücke, Konvoi Potsdam and other supporters. We stood on the bridge between Frankfurt Oder and Slubice and demanded: Open Borders!
Today we celebrate the Human Rights Day. On December 10, 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In it: the right to asylum.
But who was sitting at the table discussing the definition of a refugee?! Only the Colonial Powers and the very few decolonized countries like India and Pakistan. So this definition was built to exclude us from asylum or give us away to over-exploitation as illegalized.
This is why, on the Human Rights Day, we condemn:
the racism, refugees have to face on their way to and in Europe
the deadly fortress Europe from Belarus to Libya
We demand:
to the German police in Brandenburg and Sachsen: Stop taking the mobiles from refugees! Give them back!
justice for the human rights violations happening at the Borders
Right to come, right to go, right to stay!
We call for solidarity from the communities on the flight-routes with those who are on the run.
Istanbul-Konvention auch in Brandenburg konsequent umsetzen – Rita O.s Tod muss aufgeklärt werden!
Am 10. November 2021 findet der Fachtag „Istanbul goes Brandenburg: Jetzt! Gemeinsam gegen Gewalt an Frauen und Mädchen: Fachtag zu Vernetzung und Austausch zur Umsetzung der Istanbul-Konvention“ statt. Das „Übereinkommen des Europarats zur Verhütung und Bekämpfungvon Gewalt gegen Frauen und häuslicher Gewalt“, kurz Istanbul-Konvention, verpflichtet alle Träger staatlicher Gewalt, „Frauen vor allen Formen von Gewalt zu schützen und Gewalt gegen Frauen und häusliche Gewalt zu verhüten, zu verfolgen und zu beseitigen“ (Art. 1 Abs. 1 lit. a). Die Rechte der Istanbul-Konvention müssen Staaten diskriminierungsfrei für alle Frauen und Mädchen gewährleisten (Artikel 4 Abs. 3).
Wir fördern dass,
– der Tod von Rita O., die Umstände die ihn möglich machten und dass Versagen der Strafverfolgungsbehörden bei dessen Aufklärung juristisch und politisch untersucht und aufgearbeitet werden,
– der Tod von Rita O., die Umstände die ihn möglich machten und dass Versagen der Strafverfolgungsbehörden bei dessen Aufklärung juristisch und politisch untersucht und aufgearbeitet werden,
Every day, up to a hundred refugees arrive in Eisenhüttenstadt from the Polish border. We know what this means for the already overcrowded accommodation spaces in the initial reception facilities. We are also aware that these are people who have made a hard and dangerous journey to get to Germany. They were chased and attacked by racist groups on the way, women experienced sexual violence. Border police from different European countries have beaten them up and unleashed dogs on them to push them back. Despite all this, they managed to overcome these hardships and we are glad that they arrived.
The purpose of this press release is to remind the authorities that we expect the new arrivals to be treated with dignity, that their rights are respected and that they have learned from 2015. When camps are overcrowded, there is more conflict between residents* and sexual violence/harassment against women and LGTB. We call for the protection of these vulnerable groups and for their cases to be processed quickly so that they can move out of the camps.
We ask civil society to welcome them without hostility and prejudice. It is the beginning of winter and the way here is even more dangerous. We have heard that the fascist group III. Weg is building a militia against us refugees around Guben. We call on the police to take action against the fascists. We need a civil society that welcomes the arriving refugees with open arms and allows them to arrive and participate.
Women in Exile and Friends are currently supporting a family in one of the Berlin reception centers and trying to empower them to stand up for themselves. This family is very vulnerable, even though they are participating in resettlement programs and have access to social services. The camp staff is also very supportive of them, but of course they have other people to accompany. For this reason, we are calling on organizations and individuals in Berlin and Brandenburg to support the arriving refugees.
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