Kompass-Newsletter No. 80 - 07+08/2019

 

Free Carola, Seebrücke-Mobilisation for 6.7. und the accused from El-Hiblu-Case +++ Central Med: more boats reach Maltese SAR zone by themselves +++ 9.-14.7. near Nantes/France: Transborder Summer Camp +++ 24.8. in Dresden: big Demo against the shift to right and to defend solidarity +++ 31.8. in Büren: big demo against 100 years deportation prisons +++ New Mapping-Projekt against Push-Backs +++ Alarm Phone Reports on all three routes in the mediterranean sea +++ Research Company (FFM) is going to take responsibility for the online database about the externalisation of the European border management +++ New circular: „In which society we want to live?!“ +++ Review - Berlin: Congress „"Safe Harbours - Cast off for Communal Reception“; Naples: meeting of the Palermo Charter Process Platform; Munich: Sol City Conference +++ Outlook: 18.-20.10. in Berlin: Strategy-Conference of Bewegungsstiftung; 1.-3.11.: Tribunal goes Chemnitz

Dear friends!

Solidarity will win! With the judgement of Agrigento's judge (2 July 2019), which was fatal for Salvini, the slogan seems to fit once again. "Free Carola" was on everyone's lips in the last few days, about 1.5 million euros came together within a few days in donation campaigns, especially in Germany and Italy, for Sea Watch and sea rescue. This great success for a "heroine" should now be passed on as well and as broadly as possible to the often overlooked, true heroes of this story: the migrants who oppose the border regime every day. For example, by making donations available to the defense of the El-Hiblu accused, the three West African youths, who significantly prevented an illegal push back with a cargo ship to Libya and thus saved themselves and over 100 other refugees, including many women and children, from being returned to the detention and torture camps. And who are still accused of terrorism in Malta. These and so many other "everyday heroes" who fight their way through the deadly EU border regime at the external borders and in the boats must now be put at the centre of public solidarity! 

To develop and extend infrastructures for freedom of movement and equal rights! This is the central topic of the Transborder Summer Camp, which will be pitching its tents near Nantes next week. The proposal was brought into the (internal) discussion last summer by Welcome to Europe and met with a lot of interest. Over 600 activists from all possible cities across Europe as well as from North and West Africa will come together for a four-day strategic exchange. And We'll Come United will travel to France in a "well mixed composition" with its own (50s) bus. Never before has a Noborder Camp been so transnational! The focus of the workshops is on the infrastructures that have grown along all flight routes in recent years: from the various alarm phones and rescue ships to (occupied) social centres, rest houses and self-organised projects to information guides and various maps against push backs or for solidarity cities. "From the Sea to the Cities ..." has set many things in motion.

Defending solidarity - United against Racism and Fascism! Under this heading We`ll Come United calls for everyday self-defence, for participation in the parade block at the upcoming big demonstration on 24.8.19 in Dresden and for "Swarming", to support the migrant structures (not only) in Saxony. From the impressive call: "...Let's start with the obvious: To defend solidarity, together and in new coalitions. Solidarity is more than a word. Solidarity is the most beautiful relationship in the world. Solidarity means that our different stories are not an obstacle to a common struggle. On the contrary. The desire to fight together is more than just an act of despair. It can be the beginning of a great friendship. A friendship of self-organized groups and initiatives that do not allow themselves to be forbidden to speak and to live, that dare to say what is. And they don't follow the right turn, but stand up to it in everyday life. We are more than we think!“

In this sense: For a hot summer of solidarity!

The Kompass team

P.S. Twitter of WTM Alarm Phone in reference to a photo from Mediterranea at 4.7.19: „A few hours ago, when they called the #Alarm Phone, they were scared of drowning or being returned to the hell in #Libya - now we can see the relief in their eyes. They cannot stay on the #ALEX for long but need to be brought to land immediately! Open the ports!“