Koreas Migrants' Trade Union Leadership Arrested

Urgent Call for International Solidarity

Migrants' Trade Union Leadership Arrested on November 27th.
http://migrant.nodong.net/bbs/view.php?id=news_notice&no=279

-Stop the Repression against KCTU affiliate Migrants' Trade Union!
-Free President Kajiman and other Imprisoned Union Officers!
-Stop the Crackdown and Deportations!

1. Background

On the morning of November 27, MTU President Kajiman, Vice President Raju and
General Secretary Masum were arrested, in what was clearly a targeted
crackdown against the leadership of MTU. We, the KCTU and the
Seoul-Gyeonggi-Incheon Migrants' Trade Union call on the international labor
and human rights community to do whatever in their power to secure the release
of the MTU leadership and end this labor repression against MTU.

At roughly 9:20am on November 27, President Kajiman was leaving his home in
order to attend a plan protest in front of Seoul Immigration Office when he
was confronted by more than 10 immigration officers who had been hiding in
front of his house. The immigration officers restrained the Korean activist
with President Kajiman and then encircled the president. After protesting
strongly, President Kajiman was eventually arrested, his shoulder hurt in the
process.

General Secretary Masum also left his house the morning of the 27 in order to
attend the protest in front of Seoul Immigration. As he walked down the street
he was passed by four 4 large men who were laughing amongst themselves. He
originally did not pay attention to them; however, immediately after roughly
10 immigration officers came up from behind him. He was suddenly surrounded by
nearly 20 people and despite protesting was eventually arrested.

At roughly the same time Vice President Raju was confronted by 4 immigration
officers in front of the factory where he worked. Upon seeing the vice
president, the immigration officers immediately attempted to handcuff him, but
failed due to his forceful protest. When Vice President Raju demanded to see
the officers' identification cards, they presented them along with a
prepared detention order. Despite his protests the vice president was also
eventually arrested.

Soon after all three men were sent to a detention center in Cheongju, Northern
Choongjeong Provience, south of the capital Seoul.

2. Clear Labor Repression

The simultaneous arrest of three MTU leaders, is a clearly a targeted attack,
planed in timing with an intensification of the crackdown against undocumented
migrants in South Korea. Since the beginning of August of this year, the
government has carried out a mass-scale crackdown in an attempt to reduce the
number of undocumented migrants in the country. During this time more than 20
MTU members and officers have been arrested.

By their own admission, despite this crackdown, the numbers have not
significantly decreased. Thus, Immigration Control has stepped up the
crackdown in the last several weeks. At the same time a proposal is being put
forth to revise South Korea's immigration law to make it completely legal to
carry out the crackdown continuously without any procedures, such as requiring
warrants or detention orders, to protect the human rights of the people it
targets. The government has clearly stepped up its repression against MTU
leadership at this moment in order to get rid of the force that has been at
the forefront of the struggle against the crackdown.

3. Call for Solidarity

We, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and affiliate the
Seoul-Gyeonggi-Incheon Migrants' Trade Union, make an urgent appeal to you to
do whatever you can to support our struggle to free the arrested union leaders
and end the barbaric crackdown underway in South Korea.

In particular we are calling for protest letters to be faxed to the Ministry of Justice,
Minister Jung Seong-Jin: +82-2-503-3532 or +82-2-500-9128.

Please be sure to send a copy to KCTU by +82-2-2635-1134(fax) or e-mail at
inter@kctu.org

We wish you also to know that KCTU and MTU are by no means deterred by this
attack. MTU has already selected a temporary leadership and we have already
planned protests for the next days. We are currently making further
preparations and will mobilize every means possible to win the release of
MTU's leaders.

If you have any questions or need more information, please contact:

Lee Changgeun
International Executive Director
Korean Confederation of Trade Unions
Tel.: +82-2-2670-9234 Fax: +82-2-2635-1134
E-mail: inter@kctu.org Web-site : http://kctu.org
2nd Fl. Daeyoung Bld., 139 Youngdeungpo-2-ga, Youngdeungpo-ku, Seoul 150-032
Korea

Liem Wol-san
International Coordinator
Seoul-Gyeonggi-Incheon Migrants' Trade Union(MTU)-affiliated to KCTU
Tel : +82-2--2285-6068
Email: migrant@jinbo.net Website: http://mtu.or.kr

SAMPLE LETTER

Mr. Jung Seong-Jin
Minister of Justice
Seoul, South Korea

Dear Minister Jung,

On the morning of November 27 between 9:00 and 9:30, the president, vice
president and general secretary of the KCTU affiliate, Seoul-Gyeonggi-Incheon
Migrants' Trade Union, were arrested, each in front of his separate home or
workplace. This event has already received international attention. It is
clear from the form in which the arrests took place that this was a targeted
crackdown meant to silence MTU and the opposition struggle it has lead against
the anti-human rights crackdown being carried out against undocumented
migrants in South Korea. That this was a meditated act of repression is also
apparent from the fact that the arrests came at the same time as the South
Korean Immigration Control Office is stepping up its crackdown and a proposal
is being put forth the revise immigration law to make it possible to carry out
the crackdown continuously with complete disregard for the most basic
procedures to protect human rights.

The arrests of the MTU leadership is a gross violation of human rights and a
horrendous act of labor repression which targets not only migrant workers and
MTU but also the KCTU, the 15 million workers it represents and the
international labor community. As such, we will not remain silent.

We therefore forcefully call on you to meet the following demands:
-Immediately release President Kajiman, Vice President Raju and General
Secretary Masum!
-Stop the targeted crackdown and labor repression against MTU!
-Stop the crackdown and deportation of undocumented migrant workers!

Signed,

Lee Changgeun
International Executive Director
Korean Confederation of Trade Unions
Tel.: +82-2-2670-9234 Fax: +82-2-2635-1134
E-mail: inter@kctu.org Web-site : http://kctu.org
2nd Fl. Daeyoung Bld., 139 Youngdeungpo-2-ga, Youngdeungpo-ku, Seoul 150-032
Korea

2007-12-13 18:20:10

3. memorial anniversary of a mysterious death, OURY JALLOH burnt alive

INVITATION TO THE
3. memorial anniversary of a mysterious death, OURY JALLOH burnt alive on
07.01.2005 in a police cell in the city of Dessau

Failure of assistance?...Manslaughter?...OR…Murder?

A statement of the ‘Initiative in Memory of Oury Jalloh’.
http://thevoiceforum.org/628
Deutsch Text: Smoking gun missing: Der Oury-Jalloh-Prozess. Ein Zwischenbericht
Protokoll vom Plenum am 15.11.07
Kay Wendel
ak - Zeitung für linke Debatte und Praxis
http://akweb.de/ak_s/ak522/14.htm

The struggle of the nationwide initiative in memory of Oury Jalloh.
Information on the court proceedings in Dessau presentation, video,
foto-exhibition, discussion and food

01.12.2007 14:00 – 20:00 hours
University-Campus FSU Jena
Carl Zeiss Strasse 3 (beside Goethe-Galerie)

From 21:00 hours Soli-After-Party with the Nigerian Community Thüringen
at JG-Stadtmitte, Johannisstrasse 14
**************************************************************

It was more than 2 years before the trial against the responsible police officers was opened!
In these 2 years the preliminary proceedings of the public prosecutor were dominated by attempts to raise prove of the possibility, that Oury Jalloh must have been able to burn himself, chained in a “naked” police cell.
The opening of the trial despite the official theory of suicide was only due to the massive public protests of the nationwide campaign of the initiative in memory of Oury Jalloh under the motto „BREAK THE SILENCE“.
An end of the court proceedings cannot be foreseen, as the official hypothesis of suicide itself is accumulating more and more far reaching contradictions.
Since public interest decreased as time went by and the obviousness of the unbearable contradictions is wearing down, we those who witness the trial now strongly demand for an independent investigation, which is also able to seriously and dreadlessly follow up other possible courses of the "myterious death" in question!

Information
-on the recent court proceedings in Dessau
-on the life and death of Oury Jalloh
-on the attendant campaign of the initiative in memory of Oury Jalloh Videoclips and Foto-exhibition on the campaign „BREAK THE SILENCE“
Discussion with members of the initiative, witnesses of the ongoing trial and friends of Oury

Stellungnahme der Initative in Gedenken an Oury Jalloh
Eins, zwei oder gar kein Feuerzeug?
Lügenkonstrukte - Made in Germany http://thevoiceforum.org/node/619

-Kein Ende im Prozess um Tod in Polizeizelle
/© AP/
*(PR-inside.com 31.10.2007 09:48:53)*
http://www.pr-inside.com/de/kein-ende-im-prozess-um-tod-r275552.htm
Telepolis Artikel-URL: Wenn Flüchtlinge in Deutschland sterben...
http://www.heise.de/tp/r4/artikel/26/26307/1.html
Oury Jalloh Solidarity Poem and Jingle by Azubuike Erinugha
http://thevoiceforum.org

A dedicated Poem in Solidarity with the Initiative in Memory of Oury Jalloh:
-The Poem of a Nigerian in Erfurt: A hymn for him and for us a hymn by Azubuike Erinugha
http://thevoiceforum.org/node/617
-Solidarity Jingle for Oury from Southern Chile: Penguins !!
http://paperboy.nl/?PID1=84%24%3A%26C%5DZ6%5FD%22%3AEO%5D%3AGQ%3BOM%2BH491LDV%244%3B%0A

A statement of the ‘Initiative in Memory of Oury Jalloh’.
http://thevoiceforum.org/node/628

Mumia Abu-Jamal on Oury Jalloh: http://thevoiceforum.org/node/619
-Mumia Abu-Jamal über Oury Jalloh (Deutsche Übersetzung) http://www.mumia-hoerbuch.de/oury.htm
-'I spend my days preparing for life, not for death': http://thevoiceforum.org/node/627

Mumia Abu-Jamal on Oury Jalloh: http://prisonradio.org/MumiaCell5.htm
-Mumia Abu-Jamal über Oury Jalloh (Deutsche Übersetzung) http://mumia-hoerbuch.de/oury.htm
-'I spend my days preparing for life, not for death': http://thevoiceforum.org/node/627

Osaren Igbinoba,
Tel: 0049 (0)17624568988
The VOICE Refugee Forum Jena
E-mail: thevoiceforum@emdash.org

http://thevoiceforum.org
http://thecaravan.org
http://initiativeouryjalloh.wordpress.com/

FURTHER EVENTS OF THE NATIONWIDE INITIATIVE:
6th of December in Hamburg, at B5, Brigittenstrasse 5 (19:00hrs)
Nationwide meeting 8/9th of December in Wuppertal, at AZ, Markomannenstrasse
10th of December in Halle/Saale, at VL, Ludwigstrasse 37 (20:00hrs)
Nationwide conference and demonstration 5-7th of January in Berlin and Dessau

Meltem Avcil - Still Here, Still Fighting

Meltem Avcil - Still Here, Still Fighting

Meltem and her mum were woken up just before 2:30am this morning, kept in Yarl's Wood reception for an hour and at 4:00am were put into an escort van and taken to Heathrow Airport.

They were taken onto the plane and according to a very irate Home Office person in Croyden; mother and daughter were so disruptive the Captain of the plane ordered them off.

They are now on their way back to Yarl's Wood.

There will be more about this anon.

http://www.ncadc.org.uk/Newszine88/Meltem2.html

http://www.ncadc.org.uk/archives/filed%20newszines/newszine87/Meltem.html

Help to stop the deportation of Meltem Avcil

Meltem, her mother Cennet and the family's solicitor have requested that this information is made public.

Meltem Avcil

Meltem and her mother have been detained in Yarl's Wood , for more than three months. After bail has been refused for the fourth time Meltem was so distressed that she self-harmed that evening and had to be taken to the hospital.

There, Meltem alleges, a Yarl's Wood officer made fun of her in front of all the other patients saying something along the lines of 'Now you got your day out. Hope you enjoy it'. Meltem said afterwards that this made her so ashamed 'I couldn't even lift my head up'.

Part of the frustration for Meltem is that the bail court has refused to allow Meltem to attend any of the bail hearings. She feels strongly that her presence could make a difference.

Her 15th birthday will be on Wednesday 21st November and Meltem wants to celebrate with her friends in Doncastor. "Can you feel how I feel right now, maybe I will have my birthday in here with no friends" she said.

Support Meltem by signing the petition list!

There has been a deportation order for the 12th of October. But their Lawyer managed to apply a Judicial Review in time. Unfortunately this Judicial Review was rejected. Now a new deportation order can be given at any time!

11th of October Meltem has written the following letter from inside Yarl's Wood Detention Centre:

My name is Meltem Avcil. I have lived in the UK since September 2001. Our family was initially dispesed to Bradford where we lived for 6 months and then to Doncaster where we have lived ever since. I am due to be deported with my mom to Germany tomorrow Friday 12th October.

I was born in Turkey. In Turkey the life was so difficult in our village my mum and dad got persecuted like everyday. They were living in the fear of persecution all the time and that fear never stopped.

One day they thought if we live like this there is no point of living. Finally I was born. My parents said to themselves we have to do something about this. They moved to Germany when I was 6 year old. Germany refused to give us asylum, so our family made their way to the UK - this was in September 2001.

Please think for a minute - if we had not come to UK, Germany would have sent us back to Turkey. From there I would have the same persecution. I know you might be thinking how can they persecute a little girl but I'm sure they do. Because in this country, the UK, there is something called human right. But in Turkey they don't have that so then we moved to UK and claimed for asylum but they refused that in 2005.

Immigration 'Snatch squads' first came for us at 7 o'clock in 2005 and bought us to Yarl's Wood removal central. I was small then I did not know anything, after three days they released us. From that day I could not get a bit of sleep in my eyes as I was growing up. Can you feel how I felt always thought what's going to happen to us tomorrow?

My dad ran away in 2006. I didn't feel anything. My mom was sad about it. We have never heard from him and have no idea where he is or why he left.

Was thinking again and again there is a big difference between asylum child and child who has leave to remain in UK. I never thought they were different.

When a friend asks you 'can you come to my party next week' the child that is an asylum seeker thinks first what is going to happen tomorrow? All day all night always asking them, what is going to happen? But when it comes to the party day. You feel nothing happened. Why do I have to live
with this feeling all the time? And you start thinking about that as well you think the questions get more and more you can't concentrate on your work.

In August 2007 the immigration came for us again in the morning at 7 o'clock. My friends were sleeping in our house. As soon as my mom opened door they rushed in. They do that to all families but can't they think why do they have to come in the morning? Sometimes they awake small babies from their hot bed! Even sometimes they get teenagers to think y future is down. They said to us to be quick, they were shouting in our ears. One time they lead my friends away with out her saying bye to me! How do they feel that I'm never going to see her again?

Anyway they took us to the car and drive us to the police station, told us to stay there and wait, there is another car going to come and take you to the removal centre. The car came and it was awful. For a minute I thought to my self am I an animal? They even treat animals better then that. The car had a cage. I said to myself I wished I had died and never saw this day.

The escorts bought us to Yarl's Wood. And since that day I haven't seeing no friends. It has been 1 month and 3 weeks I'm here. I tell you it has no difference than a jail. Put your hands to your heart and think this girl's family, friends and loved ones are all in this country.

What would this girl do in a different country? How would she survive in different country one that she doesn't even know?

Now I need your help for the first and last time. Please help me!

Devious Constructions - Made in Germany

One, Two or No Lighter at All? Devious Constructions - Made in Germany

A statement of the ‘Initiative in Memory of Oury Jalloh’.
(deutsch)

Berlin, November 1, 2007

To the national and international public:

Since the end of March 2007 a trial has been held at the Landgericht (District Court) in Dessau. Accused are two policemen of the city of Dessau. The main accused, Andreas Schubert, is blamed for "bodily injury resulting to death". The second accused, Hans- Jürgen März, is blamed for "manslaughter" in the case of the burning to death of Oury Jalloh. On 9th October 2007, the 27th day of the trial, Peter K., a member of the staff of the Landeskriminalamt (Department of Criminal Investigations) of Sachsen-Anhalt testified before the court. The fire expert testified that he was present as expert in the "discovery" of the lighter. His testimony strengthens the worst fears. Also on the 25th of October, the 28th day of trial, it became known that there had been a video tape of the scene of the crime which has since disappeared.

Here is the statement of the “Initiative in Memory of Oury Jalloh”:

For us who have been following the case of Oury Jalloh critically from the very beginning, the latest developments in this trial at the Landgericht (District Court) in Dessau against the two policemen is by no means surprising.
Since the very beginning of the trial in March 2007, we have been witnesses to extremely absurd and alarming concealment tactics on the part of the Dessau police. These tactics are the continuation of camouflaging and obstructionism by the investigating authorities and the state prosecution which already started long before the trial.
During the trial itself, we have experienced on all levels and almost without any exception that the testifying police officers tell everything possible - but not the truth.
But now, the truth and the cover-up of an inexcusable crime slowly comes to light. Because now, the whole construction on which the accusations were based start to break apart. Beside the fact that no one can explain how the lighter, which appeared later on the list of evidence, could have come into the cell, we wonder whether there had been a lighter at all with which Oury Jalloh could have ignited himself; or whether there had been two different lighters or whether one of those lighters had been declared as evidence afterwards in order to distract from the real incidents.

On 9th October, 2007, Peter K., member of the staff of the Landeskriminalamt in Sachsen-Anhalt was heard. Mr. K. works for the LKA as an expert for fire and explosions in Magdeburg and has 27 years of working experience.
Following the testimony of officer K., on January the 10th the policewoman Gisela P. brought him a single bag from about a dozen bags in his laboratory, with remains from the cell in which Oury Jalloh burned to death.
She demanded him to identify the pieces of evidence with her. This procedure, is for us hard to understand since people who work in a laboratory identify things daily and usually they do this in absence of people who do not work in the laboratory.
Why did Gisela P. bring this bag of all bags? As she emptied the content of the bag on the table, a charred lighter appeared which had not been found until then. After this detection Gisela P. phoned her chief and told him: "We've got something here".
So, some days later a lighter appeared on a second list of evidence on which all things that had been found in the cell are listed, and which was not found on the first list of evidence.

After listing the content of the bag Peter K. added the lighter in handwriting to the list of evidence. This handwritten note was not found in the protocol in the files.
In addition to that the witness Peter K. neither knows what was labelled on the unsealable bag nor why this bag had been brought to him. Furthermore, he does not know the name of the chief fire expert and his name does not even appear anywhere in the files of the trial.
The testimony of Mr K. contradicts the that of officer H. from the State office of criminal investigation of lower Saxony (Landeskriminalamt Niedersachsen). Mr. H. had inspected the cell on 7th January and collected evidence. He wrote in his report which carried the date of the 25th February, 2005 and also in the files that, there was an area beneath Oury Jalloh’s back that was less burnt than the rest of his body.

There he found a whole "block" in which rests of the brown corduroys, the T-shirt and the mattress were located. This block was securely preserved as evidence in its entity. In his report describing the secured "block" a lighter which was not severely damaged by the fire was also mentioned. The testimony of Mr. H. was based on his inspection of the cell made on the same day of the fire.
During the interrogation of Mr. K. on 9th October, he was asked if the lighter which had been brought to him in the plastic bag by Gisela P. and which he added to the list of evidence could be the same one that had been described by Mr H. in his report. Mister K. answered that this could not possibly be the same lighter since the lighter (described in mister H.’s report), which was not severely affected by the fire while the other one inspected by him and Gisela P. was totally charred. When asked by the lawyers of the joint plaintiff if the description in the case file of the photo of the lighter was not utter nonsense, the fire expert answered, "Yes, it is nonsense".

How many lighters existed in the cell? One was later found and inspected but not in the cell; another one had been found just after the fire beneath Oury Jalloh's back? How is it possible that the lighter with which Oury Jalloh allegedly set himself on fire was located underneath his back while both of his hands were fixed? Which lighter was it that was brought by Gisela P. and inspected by mister K. on the 10th of January? Why did officers not find a lighter when they collected evidence the first time? Where's the "block" with the not severely damaged parts of the trousers, the T-shirt, the mattress and the lighter? And why is it that the taking of evidence in this case was altogether so carelessly carried out? There exists no sketches describing the places in the cell where the pieces of evidence had been found.

Where there one, two or no lighter at all? Lighters made in Germany, by one of the most efficient police forces on earth to hide the most horrendous crimes?

Concerning the fireproof mattress which had been allegedly ignited by Oury Jalloh Mr. K. said: "To get the mattress ignited I muss use a fire accelerant or ignite the tissue from the inside". We know from the testimony of the cleaner who had cleaned the whole cell the same day that the mattress did not show any sign of damage.

We must not forget that, one month after it was published that Oury Jalloh had been fixed on an fireproof mattress the authorities and the prosecution had already put up the thesis - which until now has been neither questioned nor changed - that Oury Jalloh ignited himself with this fictive lighter.
The broken nose bone which had allegedly not been recognized (although they claim that Oury hit the wall with his face several times), the damage in his middle ear - should we forget and ignore all these just because neither the prosecution nor the court is willing to take these clear facts into consideration? Is it only important for the state prosecutor to find out whether the two accused had enough time to save Oury Jalloh's life after the burst of flames?

From the day Oury Jalloh was murdered until today, we have always strongly and vehemently condemned this crime and its cover-up. As a result of that, we have been persecuted and segregated. The cry to "Break the silence" could hardly find an echo in a society that is used to passivity and complicity.
Although in the beginning even the international press reported on this case, there were almost no reports on it in the last months. Meanwhile, the persecution of the initiative "in memory of Oury Jalloh" has been continued. Above all, the legal representative of the Jalloh family and founder of the initiative "in memory of Oury Jalloh" is still not allowed to get back his cybercafé in of Dessau or his business license, which we understand to have been revoked as punishment for his activities.

The trial is supposed to last at least until February next year; that would be more than three years after the murder of Oury Jalloh. Those who had their doubts should have realized by now that the sentences against both accused (and many more that haven't been charged yet) should be far more severe than it will be as if two policemen only acted carelessly. The construction of the suicide now appears to be what it always used to be: a horrendous lie! It is more than clear that this time there must be political as well as juridical consequences—and not only in Dessau!

Some weeks ago judge Steinhoff banged his fist on the table in court, referring to the cover-up and dishonesty, proclaiming that Germany is not a Banana Republic. Also some weeks ago, the now retired vice- director of the police administration, Hans- Christoph Glombitza, said referring to the prosecution of rightwing- motivated crimes that one should not see everything, since the programs of the government against right-wing extremists were just "for the art galleries". In the meantime, the abuse of the rights and persecution of refugees and migrants continue in a violent way in Germany and Europe.

Time and time again, we continuously experience how the victim is made the criminal. In the case of Oury Jalloh, the burnt victim is made an arsonist. We can see how through collective disrespect for human dignity, crimes are committed and justified. On the one hand the historical background of the two accused policemen is of no interest for judge Steinhoff but on the other hand he uses the life of Oury Jalloh to give a false representation of the dead. Concretely, the background investigation is not based on the fact why Oury Jalloh had lost his life three times, how he loved his family, how he fought for the right to be with his child born in Germany but only on which problems he had with drugs and violence. Through this, a human whose rights to live had been robbed here in Germany is portrayed as a criminal.

Nevertheless there has to be an end and that can only happen if people who live here stand up, open their mouths and break the silence. Everybody is being asked to challenge the impunity of the police not just in the case of Oury Jalloh but also other victims in Germany and elsewhere, demanded to make research for information and to point out the despicable system which generates such crimes daily. We call on all to mobilize so as to start a trial in all the other cases like the one of Dominique Koumadio from Dortmund (shot and killed at close range by the police) and John Achidi from Hamburg (drugged to death by the police) to name only two of many. We call for solidarity to create enough pressure so that in case of infringement of rights by the police, independent commissions and organisations of the victims can verify the investigations, making it possible to start a trial.

OURY JALLOH - THAT WAS MURDER!

Break the Silence!

Clarification! Jusitce! Compensation!

Initiative in memory of Oury Jalloh

For more information we're at your disposal all the time.

Press spokesman of the initiative:

Cornelius Yufanyi Mbolo
Initiative in Memory of Oury Jalloh
+49-(0)170-8788124

Mumia Abu-Jamal on Oury Jalloh
Mumia Abu-Jamal über Oury Jalloh (Deutsche Übersetzung)
'I spend my days preparing for life, not for death'

Notice 1:
We need help for the translation into the following languages: French and Spanish. If someone is able to translate the statement into the above mentioned languages or others, please contact:
chiflito@riseup.net

Notice 2:
The next court proceedings in Dessau will take place from the 13th to 15th November, 2007. The official plans for these days are: All pieces of evidence collected from the cell on January 7, 2005, which has not yet disappeared is going to be seen in court presumably on 13th November. On 14th November it's expected that the supervising police officer who relieved the main accused, Andreas Schubert, on the day of Oury’s death, will be called to testify.On November 15th, the fire expert who allegedly found the lighter under Oury Jalloh's back is supposed to testify.

There will be a collective trip from Berlin to Dessau. It is necessary that people from other cities and towns also mobilize.

We also want to make known that the third part of the newspaper "Break the Silence" is ready to be picked up from several places amongst others in Berlin, Hamburg, Dortmund, Wuppertal and Bremen. If you want a newspaper, please contact the initiative or the local groups of the Caravan for the rights of refugees and migrants.
Collective trips organization by people in Berlin ( contact: Chamberlin 0176/64124793).
Places to sleep are also available.

Stop the roundups in Morocco!

Urgent call for help

During a meeting on Sunday, Oct 28, 2007, the board of the Association Beni Znassen for culture (ABCDS) stated that, near Oujda (Morocco), countless deportations of sub-Saharan migrants to Algeria continue to take place since Dec 23, 2006. This initial action was but one episode of a series of mass deportations of immigrants. Subsequently, several roundups followed, a last one being conducted during the night of Oct 25/26, 2007, in Rabat, at the same time as the campus of Oujda University was violently attacked by police troops. Both roundups followed two months after the police has violently raided Oujda’s campus on July 27, 2007, to clear the area of sub-Saharan refugees, arresting more than 450 migrants and leaving several people seriously injured.

Also, the roundups took place just two days after Nicolas Sarkozy’s first state visit to Morocco.

As a result of continuous agitation, persecution, arrests and forcible deportations to the borders, immigrants are physically, mentally and morally exhausted and find themselves unable to bear the burden of the war that is waged against them.

More and more people come; they live under extreme weather conditions, dispersed across the whole city, especially in the border region, where hygienic conditions are miserable, and in a number of nearby villages close to Oujda.

ABCDS calls on all Moroccan, European, American, international organizations and all women and men who are willing to help, to mobilize so that ABCDS is able to sustain urgently needed help for these people. They are victims of a war against immigrants that has been declared by the European Union and that is being supported by the Moroccan government.

No matter who is politically responsible, no matter what the result of a political analysis of this situation might be – it is impossible to abandon human beings to their fate in such a moment. At least, they need to be provided with emergency supplies, food and clothes.

Contact: Hicham BARAKA, President ABCDS

Phone: 00212 - 67 71 65 24 / 00212 - 36 68 67 50

E-mail: hicham.baraka@gmail.com / abcds.asso@gmail.com

Germany - Police raids refugee camp in Remscheid

On October 24, early in the morning at 6:20 am 250 policemen raided the refugee camp in Remscheid. They broke into the rooms of the refugees, forced them to the ground and hancuffed them. Thereafter they searched in the rooms for "drugs". The refugees had to wait at least two hours until they were released. The police raid was accompanied by the press, that reported in detail ((rp-online, Remscheider General Anzeiger) to spread the criminilization into the brains of the people.

For the refugees of the camp this raid in the dark morning was not the first time. Most of them have already experienced such raids and each time the society and the media shouts, "See the criminals in our neighbourhood!"

We will defend ourselves against the state terror imposed on us and we request the state persecuter to doo his job correctly and not forget the crimes committed by the state. Mohammad Selah one young refugee from the same camp had to die last January, because the city administration of Remscheid refused to give him the health card to go to the doctor. The rejection of the health insurance is the normal status in Remscheid and elsewhere. But the state persecutor in Wuppertal who should investigate remains silence and instead sends the police to the camp. He send the same police to the refugees which is known in Wuppertal and Remscheid because of their racist insults and brutalities against migrants and young Punks, and which increases the rage of the people not only in Wuppertal and Remscheid.

Next week we will go to the streets to name the crimes of the German police and government and inform the poeple about the situation of the refugees. Be aware of calls spreaded by email or throughthe caravan homepage. We will name the crimes of the German police that burns refugees like Oury Jalloh in police cells, that shoots young men like Dominique Koumadio on the streets of Dortmund and rapes refugees in deportation prisons like they did in Bremen. When they attack one of us, they aim at all of us, and they should know we will not stop us from naminig the criminals and their bosses, who bring racism and hatred into the society and prepare the ground for all the racist attacks and the poeple for the wars in other countries.

Solidarity against the state terror, deportation, racism and war.
Down with racism.

The Caravan for the rights of refugees and migrants
Düsseldorf & Wuppertal

Freedom for Joseba Alvarez!

Solidarity with the liberation movement of the Basque people –

Freedom for Joseba Alvarez!

Joseba Alvarez Forcada. Foto: Ralf Streck.

ICAD expresses full solidarity with the liberation movement of the Basque people, with the party of Batasuna and its leader Joseba Alvarez, who has been arrested last week by the Spanish police.

This repressive action against Joseba Alvarez and other members of Batasuna is part of a strategy all over Europe, especially in Italy, Germany and Turkey, where the European States try to restrict the freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and freedom of association, i.e. restriction of fundamental human- and democratic rights. ICAD is very much concerned about the European development. The so-called fight against terrorism is used to get rid of critical opposition and to criminalize social movements of the people.

Besides the attacks on Batasuna in Basque, equal operations took place in Italy and hit the (new)Italian Communist Party. The Turkish State operated against the MLCP (Marxist Leninist Comunist Party). In Germany G8 opposition where attacked and arrested days before the meeting started. These people were arrested, imprisoned and procecuted, because of their antifascistic, antiimperialistic opinions. They open spoke out against neo-liberal economy, facism in Europe and supported national liberation movements. That’s why they were attacked and imprisoned.

ICAD supports a common international front against repression, occupation and war.

Freedom for Joseba Alvarez Forcada!

Freedom for all political prisoners!

ICAD

International Office

13.10.07

The international Justice for Sankara Campaign

A LEGAL PRECEDENT AGAINST IMPUNITY IN AFRICA

The international Justice for Sankara Campaign has filed a complaint with the United nations after having exhausted all recourses inside Burkina Faso. Sankara was a panafricanist and an internationalist.
He strove for self - directed and sustainable development that prioritized women, peasants and the poor, where social justice would be the bulwark of a new truly decolonized Burkina Faso. In the present era of dehumanizing globalization, his example and contribution to a development defined by honesty and accountability should serve to remind us that there are alternatives.

http://www.thomassankara.net/

Federico Bastiani, italian freelance journalist, he writers for Amnesty International magazine, Volontari per lo Sviluppo and for website of Women Library of Bologna (www.women.it) where inside their website he has the survey
"women without borders" www.women.it/blogs/donnesenzaconfini

---

THOMAS SANKARA, "I HAVE A DREAM.."

Every time we read books concerning Africa, pessimism reigns supreme, corruption, underdevelopment, malnutrition, disease, these the words most frequently used.

Nevertheless more than twenty years ago Africa had the possibility to change its destiny thanks to one man, a revolutionary, the African Ghe Guevara, Thomas Sankara. The slogan of the no global movement “another world is possible” is based on the revolutionary experience of Thomas Sankara in Burkina Faso from 1983 to 1987. France from 1919 used the Alto Volta (today Burkina Faso) as a strategic territory in order to control the other colonies nearby. It was the only possible use of a country lacking in raw materials. In 1960 it obtained independence and Alto Volta was plundered by the ruling class that had taken the power which grew under the french.

Before 1983 Burkina Faso was one of the poorest countries in the world, without raw materials, one doctor to every 50.000 inhabitants, an infant mortality of 107 for every thousands, a rate of schooling of 2%, a life expectancy of life 44 years old.

Thomas Sankara, the son of a soldier, at 34 years old took the power “in order to give Africa back to the africans”. In four years he changed his country first of all renaming Alto Volta Burkina Faso meaning "country of the integral ones". In Africa corruption was and is one of the main impediments to a real development, for example the defunct dictator of Zaire, Mobuto, had a personal patrimony deposited abroad of eight billion dollars. In 2004 the country’s foreign debt was thirteen billion dollars. Thomas Sankara drastically reduced expenses of the state apparatus which upto that point absorbed 70% of the budget; those suspected of corruption were fired. The blue cars were abolished, Sankara arrived at ministerial meeting by bicycle. “We cannot be the rich ruling class of a poor country” he loved to repeat. The foreign heads of state visiting Burkina Faso, were not received in the presidential palaces but in the poor villages of the country. One of the targets of Sankara was to give dignity once again the neglected to the peasants. In order to do this he adopted unpopular political measures such as increasing the prices of agricultural products and introducing customs duties, his mission was to achieve the alimentary self-sufficient. The “intentional colonial pact” wanted by European countries still today renders many african states enslaved to the market. The Europeans imposed on their own colonies to cultivate what they needed. Chad produces cotton, Rwanda tea, Senegal peanuts. The monocultivation has put in a position of submission these countries. Every year the price of the agricultural products comes down on the international market therefore the African countries are forced to import food in order to survive becoming indebted. Sankara wanted to escape from this cycle and he succeeded in this. During the years ’85- ’86 the Burkina Faso achieved alimentary self-sufficiency, the production of cereals touched record levels, the GNP grew by 4.6% per annum. Sankara understood the importance of infrastructure and began the construction of the main railways of the country. February of 2004, Ethiopia had a tremendous alimentary crisis. Hundreds of thousands of tons of maize spoiled in the silos because there was not the infrastructure to allow distribution to the population and they died. These were the injustices which Sankara opposed and therefore refused international aid. “With the annual wage of a FAO employer we can build a school in Burkina Faso”. The international community was not in agreement with Sankara’s policies because he did not want to open the market to foreign companies and he entered "war" with the International Monetary Fund. In 1983 the foreign debt of Burkina Faso amounted to 398 million dollars (40% of GNP). “The debt in its actual form is the colonial reconquest, the debt cannot be repaid, that which the IMF has asked, we have already done" .

Sankara put into effect the reorganization of the public accounts not following the IMF advice that is cutting social welfare state leaving military expenses unchanged. In the revolutionary program of Sankara the women played an important and somewhat atypical role for an African country. In 1985 he launched the campaign against genital mutilation , he introduced divorce which could be requested by the woman without the consent of her husband, feminine participation in the political life achieved unhoped levels. Sankara’s sister, Odile Sankara, has continued the work of her brother on themes regarding women, having founded the association “talents de femmes” in order to promote feminine excellence in writing and in the arts. We have met Odile, actress of the theatre and cinema, in Ancona. “Burkina Faso does not have natural resources but we are rich culturally, we are made up of ethnic groups that can cohabit and are carriers of cultural values. The objective of the association is to show the woman artist, to render her an accepted figure and to value the handcrafted artistic production of women”.

On 15^th October 1987 the revolutionary experience was interrupted. Thomas Sankara was killed in an organized ambush by his companion Blaise Compaoré, the President of Burkina Faso. Today Burkina Faso has returned to being “a normal” country. Spreading corruption, expenses of the State have returned to previous levels of growth, as has the national debt. Blaise Compaoré has followed exactly dictates of Washington, he has opened the market to international GMO food companies which other countries such as Zambia has refused to do while the population in Burkina Faso continues to suffer. What thing did not work with Sankara’s policies? We have asked Carlo Batà, author of the italian version of the book on Sankara “He tried to change things too fast and has underrated the forces that were against him (above all those who had the power in rural areas and the city bourgeoisie). Informed of the attempt of coup d’état het answered that in Burkina Faso there were seven million Sankaras”. Jean Ziegler, special rapporteur on the Right to Food author of the book “empire of shame” who knew Thomas Sankara, asserts that it is only an issue of time. Sankara is still a very strong figure in the collective African imagination , he was the first protester against globalisation and today the changes dreamed by him are indeed possible. The Latin American countries are showing marks of a radical change of direction, in Africa there are charismatic antiglobalisation figures such as Aminata Traoré so the dream of Sankara could not be so far away.

Federico Bastiani

Germany - France - Guinea - Benin.... : transnational resistance against deportations

On the 16th of august 2007, six french policemen were beaten up at the airport in Conakry/Guinea, when they delivered two deportees. Not only the two deported Guineans, who had taken part in a hungerstrike of sans papiers in Lille, and some of the passengers, who protested against mistreatment of the deportees, were involved, but also two Guinean policemen. This caused a lot of diplomatic troubles.

Similar problems were created by a dubious delegation from Guinea which came to Germany for the fourth time, after visits in Switzerland, France and on the Canary Islands, to "identify" African refugees in order to enable their deportation. Protests in Germany and Guinea resulted in a declaration of the new Guinean government on the 27th of august to suspend all measures of identification and deportation until a bilateral agreement is signed.

Also a charter deportation on the 10th of september from Hamburg to Togo and Benin caused diplomatic problems, because the German authorities wanted to deport a Liberian to Benin, without having valid papers from this country. Before, they wanted to put him on board a plane of Air France, where trade unionists are campaigning against deportations and denounced the collaboration even with German authorities. The Liberian was released some days before the charter deportation - thanks to all these transnational protests.

Free the Jena 6!

The Case of the Jena 6

Last fall, when two Black high school students sat under the "white" tree on their campus, white students responded by hanging nooses from the tree. When Black students protested the light punishment for the students who hung the nooses, District Attorney Reed Walters came to the school and told the students he could "take [their] lives away with a stroke of [his] pen." Racial tension continued to mount in Jena, and the District Attorney did nothing in response to several egregious cases of violence and threats against black students. But when a white student--who had been a vocal supporter of the students who hung the nooses--taunted a black student, allegedly called several black students "nigger", and was beaten up by black students, six black students were charged with second-degree attempted murder. Last month, the first young man to be tried, Mychal Bell, was convicted. He faces up to 22 years in prison for a school fight.

Justice for the Jena 6

The lives of six young black men are being ruined by Jim Crow justice in Jena, Louisiana.

The District Attorney has refused to protect the rights of Jena's Black population and has turned the police and courts into instruments of intimidation and oppression.

—Click here for the full story—

We can help turn things around by making it a political liability for the authorities of Jena to continue the racist status quo, and by forcing the Governor of Louisiana to intervene.

20th of September 2007: Thousands rally in Jena 'march for justice'

JENA, Louisiana (CNN) -- Thousands of protesters clogged the tiny town of Jena, Louisiana, Thursday to show their indignation over what they consider unjust, unequal punishments meted out in two racially charged incidents.

Read more...

Stop deportation to Iraq

Stop deportation to Iraq!
Stop war ans occupation!
Stop this madness!
http://www.csdiraq.com/








Support the Iraqi refugees! Send a fax to the UK Home office!


UK Home Office
Fax: 00442070354745

Proposed text:

To:

Home Office
2 Marsham Street
London SW1P 4DF

Ladies and Gentleman,

The UK government is currently arresting and detaining and deporting Iraqi Kurdish asylum seekers. I believe that the deportations could not be happening at a worse time with the recent cholera outbreak affecting Sulaimaniya, Arbil and Kirkuk, in which more than 2000 people have been infected so far. Northern Kurdistan is not a safe place to return Iraqi asylum seekers. The situation in Kurdistan may be relatively more stable compared to other parts of Iraq, but Iraqi Kurdistan is not an independent state and continues to be subject to the outcomes of the policies of the US and occupying forces whilst the Iraq war continues. The two ruling parties in Kurdistan, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) are authoritative and undemocratic. Many people are unemployed in Kurdistan and public services are very poor. The Kurdish authorities continue to persecute human rights campaigners and journalists. Terrorist groups and Islamic parties are intimidating Kurdish people on a daily basis. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and US State Departments reports all indicate violations of human rights in Iraqi Kurdistan. The KDP and PUK are not able to protect Kurdish people and provide public services and utilities. All of the factors above lead to the continuing flow of refugees leaving Iraqi Kurdistan.

Iraq including Kurdistan is not safe. Iraqi refugees should not be forcibly returned.

Yours Sincerely,

_____________________

FREE PROF. JOSE MARIA SISON !

Sign the online petition and send emails to Dutch, Filipino, U.N. and U.S. officials and members of the media!

Joma Sison Questions & Answers Fact Sheet

Declaration of the Caravan demanding Jose Maria Sisons immediate release

What you can do to demand the release of beloved Philippine leader falsely arrested and in detention

On August 28, 2007 Professor Jose Maria Sison, a Filipino political refugee living in exile for 20 years in Utrecht, Netherlands, was lured by Dutch police under false pretenses, arrested and unjustly detained. As the chief political consultant of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), Professor Sison has been an instrumental force in pursuing peace talks between the Government of the Philippines and the Philippine underground movement. Sison was a political prisoner under the Marcos dictatorship and has since been exiled and suffers continuous harassment and persecution by the Philippine Government.

At the age of 68, Professor Sison is one of the most influential figures in Philippine politics, highly regarded by millions of Filipino workers, peasants, women, students, national minorities, and other segments of Philippine society seeking national sovereignty and genuine democracy for their homeland.

Internationally, he is a renowned writer and poet and a highly respected anti-imperialist intellectual providing incisive analysis on the crisis of the world capitalist system. He is currently the chairperson of the International League of Peoples Struggle (ILPS), an alliance of over 100 peoples organizations from over 20 countries in the world advancing national independence, democracy and social liberation.

At the same time as his arrest, the Dutch police, in Gestapo-like fashion, raided the homes and seized the property of 7 other NDF personnel, This bolsters our belief that Prof. Sison is not the only target of the attacks. The entire NDFP Peace Panel based in the Netherlands are also being subjected to harassment and repression.

According to Netherlands authorities, Sison is being charged with incitement to murder in the Philippines. Dutch prosecutors allege that he ordered the killings of Filipinos Romulo Kintanar and Arturo Tabara. This is only the latest in the long list of politically-motivated false charges being levied against Sison. Recently, the Philippine Supreme Court dismissed the rebellion charges against Sison and 50 other personalities including progressive members of the Philippine Congress and leaders of the mass movement. The court ruled that the pieces of alleged evidence used in the rebellion cases, including the Kintanar and Tabara deaths, can no longer be used in other legal proceedings against Sison and his co-accused.

The attacks on Sison are part of the continuing political repression being implemented by the US-backed Arroyo regime. In the past, this has included extrajudicial kilings, abductions and the filing of false charges against activists and critics of the Arroyo regime.

As Sison is one of the sharpest critics of US imperialism and Philippine President Arroyo's puppetry to the Bush regime, the Bush-Arroyo clique have worked hand and hand to criminalize him, even going as far as placing him on the U.S. list of Foreign Terrorists. Just last month, the Court of First Instance of the European Court of Justice nullified the Council of the European Union�s inclusion of Sison on their "Terrorist List" and they found no basis or due process for the original listing.

The solitary confinement and treatment of Sison, not allowing visitors such as his wife, children, or his doctor to see him, while in detention violates provisions of the United Nations High Comission on the Rights of Refugees. Sison is a recognized political refugee in the Netherlands.

We again call on all truth and freedom seeking people to help defend Professor Sison's rights and demand that the Netherlands authorities release him at once.

Sign the online petiton and send emails to public officials

CALL, FAX, MAIL, AND/OR VISIT ACCOUNTABLE BODIES IN THE NETHERLANDS, PHILIPPINES, UNITED STATES, & UNITED NATIONS TO DEMAND IMMEDIATE AND UNCONDITIONAL JUSTICE NOW!

(Phone numbers, fax numbers, emails and addresses of officials are listed at freejomapetiton.org/freejomapetition.html along with the text of the petition, which can also be used as a script for call-ups or visits to officials. The text can also be printed as a petition and names gathered in support.)

FREE JOMA SISON!
DROP ALL THE FALSE CHARGES!
STOP THE POLITICAL PERSECUTION OF FILIPINO PROGRESSIVES!

FreeJomaPetition.org
Solidarity Center - 5C
55 West 17th St
New York, NY 10011
For further information call: (212) 633-6646
FreeJomaNow@gmail.com

60 refugees detained in Büren deportation prison on hunger strike

On 02/09, about 60 refugees detained in Germanys largest deportation prison in Büren went on hunger strike in order to demand their liberation.

Below you will find a letter concerning the reasons for the hunger strike that was read out during a demonstration against the prison which took place on that day. Please spread the information, as those on hunger strike in Büren will need our support.

Further information in German you can find at: http://buerendemo.twoday.net/

20. August 2007
Noel Asanga Fon

Ladies and Gentlemen, dear Comrades in combat. It's with mixed feelings that we prisoners of circumstances here in Büren are welcoming your ceaseless efforts in a struggle against the fundamental violation of human rights and freedom. We are comforted as we know there still exist people of good faith and humanitarian organisations in Germany and the world at large who care of victims whose rights are violated. Mixed in the sense that the circumstances under which we are detained are intolerable in 21^st century Europe.

We salute your efforts, people of good faith, human rights ambassadors, humanitarian organisations, press and media, the old and the young, who have mobilised themselves from all corners of the globe to manifest their grievances against gross violation of human dignity.

We know this is not going to be an easy struggle but eventually victory will be ours. Never in the history of Mankind has the cry of the masses gone in vain. Politicians have and will always give reasons to the rule of democracy, 'power to the people' 'the force of masses'.

There is great emergency for politicians of the 21^st century to recognise the necessity and importance for the respect of human dignity. And to exercise their duties without discrimination and prejudice.

We call for total respect of the fundamental rights of mankind as a whole, against the discrimination by the colour of the skin, faith, race or political and religious conviction. Political interest should under no circumstances jeopardise the integrity of the fundamental rights of mankind.
We prisoners of circumstances; victims of violence, war, plaques and disasters come from different angles of the universe, are prejudiced and held in captivity in Büren detention camp and other concentration prisons of human abuse in Germany. We are vulnerable and without any defence under the discriminatory racist laws mandated against us. Yet we have good people like you out there to advocate on our behalves.

We say thanks once more !

Büren prison is a multipurpose business arena. It has similarities to the nazist concentration camps. The idea behind this prison is criminal and for wicked agenda. It is a mini industrial complex, where prisoners work and make money to private pockets. Prisoners work for less than 50 Cents an hour, for a firma Löer and Schäfer, who pays about 20 Euros an hour for the services rendered to the prison authorities. There exists a provision store in Büren for prisoners, prices are 2 times or more higher than of Aldi, Penny Markt, Plus etc. A bottle of water costs 85 Cents. I have sent a shopping list ?Einkaufs-Shop Mewes JVA Büren?. You people can compare the prices yourselves.

Again the prisoners are given alarming bills to pay for their staying in prison. Some amount up to 14.000, 00. A German civil servant will not earn or save this money annually or in his life time, and what about a prisoner who earns just 50 Cent an hour or has no income?

Deportation Prison Büren an idea behind it is to promote and experiment the pro-nazist ideology on immigrants and why not later pass onto the Germans?

I call for German awareness!

To detain a victim of circumstances for a period of 3 months renewable up to 18 months is a racist practice and aims to eliminate the victim, not physically but psychologically and spiritually. Büren prison is a sect !

We have cases getting to 12 months awaiting deportation. Some are sick and insane.

The nutrition is poor, bread remains a large proportion of our daily menu and many prisoners suffer from constipation and other diet related sickness. When a prisoner dares to complain, the response will be? Do you have a better meal in your homeland? Prisoners are scared of the prison dispensary, because there is alleged conspiracy of ill treatment of immigrants and suspicion of body organ transaction and misappropriate treatment given to immigrants to destroy them mentally.

The prison doors are apparently locked throughout, less than 3 hours is accorded for both sport and sunbath. This is below recommended standard.

Prisoners are dressed in rags, representing caricatures or comedians to the amusement of prison authorities. Prisoners are forced to sign documents without understanding the content and implication behind such suspicious documents. Any resistance against such order and you will find yourself in the keller.

There exists a court within the prison buildings where verdicts are pre-prepared to the hearings of the persecuted. The persecuted has nothing to say in front of these judicial monsters, who smile at the desperation of the victim, as he receives his over 3 months extended sentence with tears. Nobody knows exactly when he will be released or deported. The action and decision is always sudden to the confusion and desperation of the victim who remains helpless and knows not what awaits him ahead. More so, victims are deported to a land which is not their homeland.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the suffering in Büren prison is enormous and every aspect here is abusive, unlawful and internationally unconstitutional.

Dear comrades in combat, we want to make our voices heard. Germany as a signatory of the international convention for the fundamental protection of human right and freedom is violating the same convention that paved a save passage for German refugees during post war Germany to seek protection and asylum without restriction, all over the world from 1948 to 1990 precisely. The fall of the Berlin wall in 1990 also marked an end of the cold war in Europe and western Europe especially registered increasing socio-political stability.

War, political instability, violence, plagues remained an Afro-Asian, Latino-American and Eastern Communist European problem.

Hence there were no more German refugees, so Büren saw its days in 1994 to prevent world refugees to benefit from the same privileges, German war and political refugees had benefited for almost 2 decades. Eurodac Regulation 2003 is also an egoistic political mechanism.

Comrades, today, 02/09/2007, will mark another historical page to the liberation of mankind. Our fight for equality and freedom is real and remains a prime issue throughout the world.

Our fight against illegal detention and deportation of victims of circumstances is legitimate and unless it doesn?t go as far to the total and complete liberation of mankind caught in any prejudice, discrimination and bias, in all legal and civil society, our effort will be meaningless.

We declare today, the Day of our Liberation and the total and complete liberation of Mankind, we call for a total and complete closure of all deportation chambers and prisons of human abuse in Germany and the world as a whole.

We challenge the racist laws mandated upon immigrants and asylum seekers in Germany. We call for the total respect and the obligation of the German government to protect the rights of people within and outside German territory without discrimination and prejudice.

Unless ! this demands, which are not negotiable, are met with present effect, we are declaring ourselves sacrificial lambs for freedom.

In effect we announce today the long awaited prisoner hunger strike, our civil disobedience, for the immediate release of all victims of circumstances, not charged with any criminal offence, in all German deportation camps.
Dear fellow comrades, we wish you all farewell back to your various destinations, as you enhance and propagate our suffering.

We are paying a price for freedom.
May God bless the world.
Long live F. R. Germany
Long live freedom.
Long live A.A.C.D.I.D ((action against corrupt detention and illegal
deportation)

Done in Büren 20/08/2007
Noel Asanga Fon

African activist detained, humiliated and strip searched by Israeli security

An African activist of The VOICE Refugee Forum, Germany detained, humiliated and strip searched by the Israeli security at the Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv.

Mr. Yufanyi Mbolo, a leading activist of The VOICE Refugee Forum Germany, on Wednesday the 5th of September 2007 received a racist and humiliating treatment from the Israeli security at the Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv when returning to Germany. Mr Mbolo was on a trip to Israel/Palestine with his girlfriend Miss Mai Zeidani also an activist, to visit her family.

On his visit, he also met with some homeless families in Israel who are now staging a squatting protest in the centre of the city in Jerusalem. In Israel/Palestine, there are at the moment about 53,000 families without home or support from the Israeli state. He also visited the office of the Physicians for human rights based in Tel Aviv, were he met with some African refugees and migrant activists.

On his return back to Germany, Mr. Mbolo was told at the airport to take another lane when he told one security officer after being asked that he had a Cameroonian Passport. He was left to stand there for some time until he protested through his girlfriend, to be attended to. He was then taken aside by one security personnel and interrogated with questions like why he came to Israel. He then told the personnel that the reason for his trip was nearby, the family of his girlfriend. At this stage, Miss Zeidani and her mother were some metres away and she was then called to answer some more questions in Hebrew so he could not understand and her identification was noted.

After thorough consultations with other agents and presumably with the realisation that Miss Zeidani has a Palestinian father, Mr. Mbolo was ushered again further aside but in the mist of everyone at the airport. His three luggages were striped apart and individual and personal items x-rayed in search for bombs or bomb traces. This lasted about 30 minutes and as if this was not enough, Mr Mbolo was then taken to a private room by two security agents where he was strip searched and part of what he was putting on taken away and x-rayed.

The whole open and private sessions took about an hour and twenty minutes and when they could not find anything, Mr Yufanyi Mbolo’s things were separated and hastily parked. A luggage containing his clothes and some presents and a bottle of Arak (taken away and extra parked by the security agents) were taken to be extra checked-in. The extra checked things only arrived the next day after he was already in Germany. Only God knows what the agents did with his belongings after they took it from him.

When his girlfriend and her mother asked almost at the end of the racist humiliation what happened inside the room, Mr. Mbolo told them in front of the Israeli agents that it was one of the worst experiences of his life.

They tried to ask the agents what the problem was and were answered in Hebrew that they were just doing their job. On the question of Miss Zeidani in English to the agents why such humiliation, she was told to speak in Hebrew. During this time, the so-called security supervisor or chief Mr Jonathan Bar-lev, (known to the security agents as “Max”) was called. He then again noted the identity of Miss Zeidani and Mr. Mbolo.

Miss Zeidani asked why all these harassment when one protests against humiliation in Israel and the answer she got from the security boss in Hebrew was, “You are wasting your time, I am being paid to do this”. After Mr. Mbolo had already left, Miss Zeidani asked Mr Bar-lev for his personal number for future reference. Not only did he not show his card but upon request he hid the personal numbers that were on it and insisted that all Miss Zeidani needed is the number 15922.

This kind of racist humiliation at the hands of Israeli security agents is not an exception in the Ben Gurion airport or by the state of Israel. On the 19th of July this year, the South African Municipal Workers' Union (SAMWU) sent out a Press Statement (http://www.samwu.org.za/old_samwu/19jul07.htm) about the racist and aggressive treatment of their First Vice President who was detained, strip searched by Israeli security and underwent even a more horrible experience in South Africa and Israel/Palestine. The experience of Mr Yufanyi Mbolo also at the Israeli embassy (in Berlin) before acquiring his visa can only confirm this racist behaviour. He was mocked at by Israelis in Hebrew, asking the security guard if they allow people who have not had a bath to enter the Israeli embassy; and they all laughed, including the guard. They meant that because he was black, he did not have a shower. All this was at the entrance to the Israeli embassy. Even in the embassy itself, when Mr Yufanyi asked for a visa on paper and not in his Pass because he would like to go to other Muslim countries like Sudan, he was asked by the Consul, “What do you want to do in a country like Sudan where they are killing each other?” On arrival in Israel, he was told that his visa from the embassy was just a recommendation for a visa and not a real visa and that he should have gotten into contact with the internal ministry for a visa. The Palestinians have more horrible stories to tell.

We, The VOICE Refugee Forum condemn in the strongest terms, the racist and fascist treatment of our member and leading activist. The horrible treatment received by Mr. Yufanyi and also the experience which he reported to us, about the maltreatment and deportation of other Africans and migrants in Israel/Palestine are unacceptable. Israel, a country which should have learnt most through the last century about the effects of racism through European persecution of the Jews is doing nothing but repeating these on others.

- We demand that an investigation be carried out to prosecute the initiators of these racist acts. We demand an explanation of what happened to Mr. Yufanyi Mbolo’s belongings after they “somehow” got missing on the way to Germany.
- We demand an open apology to him and Miss Zeidani’s family.
We also demand a quick resolution of the problems of the families presently squatting at the city centre in Jerusalem and a political solution to the homeless families in Israel/Palestine.
- We demand the deportation stop for African refugees (http://www.greenleft.org.au/2007/722/37497) and refugees in general and the recognition of the Palestinian refugees.
- We demand the abolition of Israeli apartheid against the Palestinians and an end of Israeli occupation of Palestine.

For more information, contact Mr Yufanyi Movuh Mbolo.
The VOICE Forum Göttingen,
Tel.: +49 (0)551/58892 or 2712898
Handy: +49 (0)170/8788124
Fax: +49 (0)551/58898
Email: The_VOICE_goettingen@gmx.de
Homepage: www.thevoiceforum.org

Tony Onouha - Nigerian killed by Greek police

The state repression hasn't degraded at all, despite the upcoming elections and the hot summer in Greece. During the evening of Saturday 18th of August 2007, according to reports, undercover policemen were after the 25-year-old Tony Onouha, immigrant from Nigeria, who had been selling CDs in a cafe in Kalamaria, Thessaloniki.

Based on denouncements of his fellow countrymen, Tony Onouha, recognised those policemen as the ones who had beaten him up, one year ago. He tried to run away and finally fell from the first floor of the cafe, 5 meters height, to the street, where he died instantly. [photos]

Some reports say that the immigrant was pushed by the police officers. In any case, the death of Tony Onouha is one more assassination by the state repression mechanism, the Hellenic Police.

Right after Onouha's death, his fellow countrymen and anarchists in solidarity had a vigil at the place of the incident. Some of them protested and had a conflict with the riot police and undercover policemen who went there to suppress the protest. Roadblocks were set up and the riots kept on until Sunday 4am. [photos]

On Monday afternoon, 500 hundred people participated in demonstration including many people from the black community and people in solidarity, including the antiracist initiative of Thessaloniki, left and anarchist/antiauthoritarian groups. When the march was in front of the Polce Department, the demonstrators threw a lot stones against the guarding riot police.

The protests have been announced to go on during the following days.

photos from protest in memory of Tony Onouha
20/8,Thessaloniki

KURDISH INFANT MURDERED BY TSK FOR SUPPORTING PKK

"Security forces will intervene with every possible means indiscriminately, including against women and children."
~ R. Tayyip Erdoğan.

Back in June, Şirnex, Culemêrg, and Sêrt were declared "security zones" (OHAL) by the Turkish general staff, in an agreement with the centralized Ankara regime. Now, the rising pressure in these areas by the Turkish military has resulted in a baby's murder.

Özgür Gündem reports that a six-month old baby in Çemê Karê, a zozan of Pervari in Sêrt, became ill and the parents decided to take him to the hospital. However, the Turkish military did not let the parents take the baby because it had closed the roads into and out of the town two weeks before. According to the Turkish military, the people of the town were supporting PKK by giving supplies to the gerîlas. The father had asked for permission from the jandarma to take a vehicle to transport the ill baby, but permission was refused.

The father and sixteen other villagers then decided to saddle up, even putting the baby on the back of a horse to travel the 90 kilometer distance to the hospital in an attempt to save the infant's life. En route, the baby died.

Thus we can say that the Turkish military murdered a Kurdish baby because it was a supporter of the PKK. This is another example of who the real baby-killers and terrorists are.

After the death of the infant, the villagers and the father of the baby went to court to press charges against the jandarma commander who had refused permission of the use of a car to transport the baby to the hospital. On their way to the court, the group was arrested and detained by Turkish soldiers. After their statements were taken, they were released.

IHD is expected to investigate the murder of the baby by the Turkish military.

There is a pregnant woman in the same village who needs to go to the hospital because she's in a critical medical situation. She may be the next one to die, since permission to take her to the hospital has been denied, just as it was for the baby.

The irony of this report is that while the villagers are accused of providing supplies to HPG gerîlas, they are suffering a critical food shortage themselves due to the severe restriction of travel. Villagers are permitted one kilo of flour per person every three days, which makes it virtually impossible to provide any extra provisions to anyone at all.

This is another example of the continuing genocide against the Kurdish people. There's no other possible explanation for the murder of a Kurdish baby, the threat of death hanging over a pregnant Kurdish woman, and the slow starvation of an entire Kurdish village.

source:
Rastî: KURDISH INFANT MURDERED BY TSK FOR SUPPORTING PKK