We asylum seekers in Germany and refugees from lampedusa want to use this statement to set a sign against the attemts of separation from certain media and politicians and to clearify our situation. Especially since the failed eviction of our camp in kreuzberg on sunday the 24th of November 2013 we are confronted with a massive change in the way the media reports about our protest. The demands to abolish Lagers and Residenzpflicht, to stop all deportations, for the unlimited right to stay, the right to work, study, and choice of housing, and freedom of movement were set up within a common discussion of refugee activists.
Media and politicians are now blaming so called „left-extremist supporters“ to instrumentalize the refugees. In contrary, the people who support us in our resistance come from very different social groups.We think its cynical, that one part of us refugees is silenced, by depicturing us as helpless victims and denying us the ability to express political demnads and engage ourselfs for them.We are not recognized as political actors, not quoted accurately and our content is being turned around or ignored. For every political action from us the so called supporters are depicted as the responsibles. However it is a fact that we, who are suffering from the racist asylum policy, decide ourselves, how and when there are demonstrations.
Some of us are even denied the status of a refugee and, by using false arguments, are catergorized as part of the group of „left extremists“ or are shown as new occupyers of oranienplatz. That is how a diffamation of us as legitimate spokespeople for the protest and a criminalization is attempoted.We condemn these tactics of seperation and polarization from the side of politicians and a big part of the media. We do not let us be divided and will continue to fight for our rights together. We call further social actors like workers unions, churches, and associations to use their influence on the Senate of Berlin, especially Mr. Henkel, to stop the eviction of the occupied school and the protest camp at oranienplatz.
