Tuesday, November 20, 2007

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

'OURY JALLOH - 3. Jahrestag eines mysteriösen Todes' von azadi

Thursday, November 15, 2007

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.

Monday, November 12, 2007

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 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!

Sunday, November 11, 2007

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.