Kompass-newsletter No. 93 - 03+04/2021

 

19.2. in Hanau and in many cities: Commemoration, accusation and protests one year after the racist terror attack +++ 26-28.3. transnational decentralized: solidarity with El Hiblu 3 +++ 17. April in Trieste: Balkan route calling - caravan for freedom of movement! +++ Deportation lunacy continues +++ Justice for Moria 6! +++ Criminalization of Mediterranea in Italy: Call for solidarity and donations +++ New hotline: Push Back Alarm Austria +++ History of CommemorAction in Greece +++ What society we want to live?!!: “Trossenstek” for connecting struggles +++ Review: 9.2. transnational: CommemorAction +++ Outlook: Planned demonstration for May 8th in Kassel: In Solidarity against right wing violence – denazification now! Zapatistas in summer on European tour; Postponed to September in Palermo: Camp & Convergence

Dear friends,

In Hanau 2000, in Berlin 20,000 - many people took the streets in many cities around February 19 to show their solidarity with the relatives and survivors of the racist terrorist attack. For several weeks, those affected had made the chain of official and police failures before, during and after the night of the crime a public issue in all kinds of media. As soon as the pandemic allows it again - so the pre-arrangement with initiatives in other cities - a joint large-scale demonstration against racism, for equal rights and for the society of the many should be organized. The voices from Hanau will not fall silent after the anniversary. Rather, they have the potential to give new impetus to the self-organization of victims of racist attacks and assaults.

"Last night (28.02.21) the crew of our Sea-Watch 3 arrived at a sixth sea emergency and witnessed Europe's inhumane migration policy: with already 363 people on board, the rescue crew stabilized the wooden boat and demanded the responsible coast guard to finally intervene. For hours, about 90 people had to hold out on life rafts because the Maltese and Italian authorities did not react. What is actually a duty on the high seas once again became the plaything of European border policy. After finally arriving seven hours later, the Italian Coast Guard was able to evacuate the people and bring them safely ashore to Lampedusa."

These are the repeated experiences from the central Mediterranean, while just one day later, on March 1, Italian police conducted house searches against Mediterranea Saving Humans. The accusation against sea rescuers is always the same: "facilitating illegal migration". The concrete case: Mare Jonio, the ship of Mediterranea, had brought 27 people from a cargo ship to Sicily in September 2020. They had already been detained there for 36 days because Italy and Malta refused to allocate a safe port. The longest stand-off of sea rescue, an inhumane deprivation of freedom of traumatized survivors, which Mediterranea broke with a medically necessary and courageous action. Solidarity and donations are needed here just as for "El Hiblu 3": March 28 marks the second anniversary of the scandal of the criminalization of three young migrants in Malta, who in 2019 had helped to prevent an illegal push-back to Libya ordered by EU authorities.

Racism takes many forms. Racism excludes, hurts, kills. Everywhere. No forgiving, no forgetting. We will not rest. Not in Valetta, not in Moria, not in Hanau.

With solidarity greetings,

the Kompass crew