Ladies and gentlemen, negotiators of the future governing parties of Germany:
We are refugees who have come to Germany from various countries of origin. We are following with interest your efforts to define the policies for the coming years in this country. We want to give you an insight into our living situation and our problems. This is combined with the heartfelt request that you take these concerns into account in your discussions, agreements and decisions.
We appreciate this country as an economically prosperous country with very many people open towards refugees, but also aggressively hostile racists. We would like to contribute with our skills and strength as well as the experience and knowledge from our home countries to make Germany's potentials flourish. Therefore, it is our great wish to be allowed to work for this!
Most of us have learned professions in our countries of origin and we wish that our skills and abilities are valued and recognized. Unfortunately, most of the time our qualifications are not recognised. Many of us do not get permission to work or are not allowed to live in the place where we have found or could find work. Some have even been deported away from the workplace. Often we have difficulties to provide the necessary papers and to get the necessary German courses. We urgently need help for both!
It is a great concern of ours to bring our families from war and crisis areas to us. However, we do not want this to be financed at the expense of the people living in Germany. That is another reason why we are desperate to work. We hear about a great shortage of skilled workers in Germany! We are mostly young and strong, inquisitive and willing to learn. Giving us training and work would be a win-win situation.
We respect the laws of this country and voice our concerns or even our protest in a democratic and reasoned way. However, we often experience that we are not treated with the same respect for the laws and human dignity by state authorities. Complaints against this in court are often successful in the end – but lengthy. Many shy away from risk and expense. As we speak now, many of us have already been arrested and deported to their country.
Our living situations in the shelters are sometimes miserable. Corona was rampant without sufficient protection. We try to convince everyone to vaccinate, which is often not easy because of mistrust and bad experiences. We need more support for this. We are often not used to the food from canteen kitchens, because we bring very different eating habits from our countries. This should be respected more and our own work should be quietly included in the supply.
We also appreciate Germany as a country of religious freedom and yet we experience racist and religious bullying again and again.
Often the same problems oppress us as the German population: the housing shortage makes it difficult to find a place to live, and in addition we experience reservations of some landlords towards refugees. The cost of living is high and continues to rise, older people have particular problems that are difficult to cope with the low social security rates.
We have left our home countries under duress, with sadness and melancholy and are very homesick. We experienced terrible things during our flight. Friends and family members of ours drowned, we were harassed also by allies and financial beneficiaries of the German government (such as the Libyan coast guard).
We wish that our experiences would be believed. Our countries are facing multiple problems that have driven or even forced us to take this step. Do you seriously believe that we have exposed ourselves to all the dangers of flight for no reason? We would like to see a policy in the world that makes it possible not to have to flee, but to be able to enjoy the treasures of our countries, to cultivate friendship with all the countries of the world. We would like to stay with our families and friends, live and work and give our children a future. We are ready to work hard for that.
For all these reasons, we have joined together in the Circle of Friends of Refugee Solidarity.
We wish for ourselves and for you all over the world a society in solidarity and prosperity for all.
We ask the future government to reach out to us, because our heart is full of love and peace.
Greetings Justice Yuko Isaiah Subhia Demba Kevin Haytham Solution Jerry Faith
Azumah, Dania and many others
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