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.
We stand in solidarity with the refugees from Ukraine and we condemn the racism experienced by refugees of colour fleeing Ukraine. For all refugees we demand fair procedures that respect human dignity!
Madeleine Mawamba: “The Demos Motto is “We fight for peace”. There is no peace without justice! And justice does not exist in this country! So let’s fight together for peace. We are refugees and non-refugee friends, we are Black women, women of colour and white, we are lesbians, inter*, trans*, non-binary people. We use International Women’s Day as an occasion to go out on the streets together and fight for our rights against all kinds of discrimination and violence.
Together with solidarity groups and individuals we represent the forces of wholesome change. And even if these are reactionary, hard times: Together we will change the course of history! And live a new inclusive and intersectional feminism to mark an era that puts an end to all powers of state violence.
We see social justice and equality coming, if it is based on grassroots self-organisation and radical democracy also in the economic sphere! We support this by empowering refugee women* to understand their rights and defend their interests. As women, we don’t have a country and we don’t want a country, because our home is the whole world.”
No camps for women and children! Abolish all camps!
For the RIGHT TO COME, RIGHT TO GO, RIGHT TO STAY!!!!
Press contact: Madeleine Mawamba tel. nr. 01707082819