[Halberstadt] Inhabitants of central refugee camp (ZASt) resist to deportation

Almost every day, refugees are being deported from the central refugee camp (ZASt) in Halberstadt. Be that because they are obliged to return to another European country according to the so-called Dublin regulation or because it is about a deportation to the respective country of origin.
Every day and especially at night, for several hundred people (including families witch children), this means fear, insecurity and sleeplessness. Because how could you live peacefully if you do not know whether police is not standing in front of your own door and takes yourself along violently. How can one sleep quitely if police, searching for a neighbour who should be deported, is repeatedly standing also in your own room without being asked and without legal legitimation.
This situation is shaping the life of people who have to live 18 months in the refugee camp if they do not have been deported before. It is destroying them, makes them sick and angry. And rightly so!
As the MZ has reported , this week several people have been resisting to a deportation and have been protesting. A 22-year-old man has been taken by police. Following that, a protest by around 30 inhabitants from the refugee camp has been errupted by throwing dishes out of the window and making noise. The MZ was writing about „riots“ which could be prevented by the authorities. Against several people, a preocedure has been initiated due to „breach of the piece“ (ger. Landfriedensbruch). This will again lead to affected people being considered as criminals after having been convicted, which will make it even easier to deport them in turn.
It is striking for the migration policy of this country as well as for the media and societal discourse that regarding deportations, it is never mentioned from whom the violence is actually originating in such situations. It is the term itself which is verbally veiling to which extent a deportation entails an outside influence and complete deprivation of rights. The word deportation is not being used in German language any more. The link to an equalization of millions of deportations during Holocaust would be too close. Anyhow, it needs a visualization also in the language and within the discourse on what „removal/ expulsion“ (ger. Abschiebung) actually means, which is certainly not a normal bureaucratic act. It is massive state violence which forces people who are seeking protection, who claim their right to having rights, freedom of movement and inviolableness, to take to the road which is provably ending up in even more desperate living conditions for a lot of people. Be it because the affected persons are landing on Italian’s streets or in the completely overcrowded camps in Greece. Be it because people are being deported to countries with completely instable political systems, where the climate change has already arrived or terrorism and war are dominating.
Already in the past months and years, reports repeatedly reached the public despite the isolation in the refugee camp which show how life within the fences and walls of the reception centre is structured. Recently, it has been reported that security employees have beaten and threatened inhabitants.
The Antiracist Network Saxony-Anhalt stays in contact with inhabitants of the refugee camp (ZASt) and tries to support them as good as possible under these circumstances.
The Network is demanding
+ no criminal persecution of people who resist to a deportation
+ an immediate end to illegal searchings of private rooms in the refugee camp and observance of preserving the private sphere
+ the end of the Dublin regulation and the Dublin system
+ an immediate stop of deportations to crisis regions world-wide
+ a right to freedom of movement and self-determination of all people
+ the reversal of a repressive, racist asylum politics and withdrawal of the „Hau-ab-Gesetz“ (engl. „Go away law“)
+ basic improvements of the living conditions in the refugee camp (ZASt) which mean
an independent consultation on migration and asylum procedure in the camp for everybody
sufficient translators for all consultations and office conversations with authorities
an end to the regime of fear which is dominating due to the security employees in the camp
a health-promoting medical care for everybody
enough places in German courses and considering child care
cash money and self supply instead of canteen food and coupons
Antiracist Network Saxony-Anhalt, October 2019