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Happy Holidays/Greetings to the new year

Dear friend,

The Friends of Refugee Solidarity can also look back on successful work in the second Corona year. Information was provided in press releases, solidarity developed and positions taken on the government's refugee policy. Together with SI we informed about the work of the circle of friends with information stands in Stuttgart. The refugees do important public relations work in their accommodation, where they make the circle of friends known to their roommates and encourage them to get advice and help and to organize themselves in the circle of friends. The Circle of Friends often receives inquiries and the Refugees members develop into advisors themselves.

A first highlight of the public relations work was undoubtedly the Alassa trial against the state of Baden-Württemberg. A whole series of information rallies took place in February in the run-up to the trial. On the day of the trial itself, the Circle of Friends, together with Solidarity International, organized a rally and demonstration parallel to the court hearing. We then reported the result:

"The court upheld the court in important parts of the action to establish the illegality of the police operation in the Ellwangen state initial reception center (LEA Ellwangen): The judgment states that the police operation, insofar as it affected the plaintiff Alassa Mfouapon, was unlawful. However, since all residents of the State Initial Reception Center were treated similarly that night, common sense would suggest that the entire operation was unlawful. The position of the lawyer and other courts in Germany that a room in a refugee accommodation is an apartment for which the protection of Article 13 GG applies to the inviolability of the apartment and therefore a search warrant according to clear criteria is required before a search , but the court rejected it. However, the appeal to the Administrative Court of Baden-Württemberg in Mannheim was allowed. This will continue to be argued in court.” (from the PM of March 26th, 2021). The continuation of the process is expected to take place in Mannheim in 2022, which we will prepare accordingly again.

With great effort, especially by the friends from Baden-Württemberg, it was possible to get our circle of friends homepage going in good time. It still needs improvement and work is being done on it. Use this opportunity to inform yourself, but also to write reports yourself and, above all, to encourage refugees to report on their stories. www.freunde-fluechtlingssolidaritaet.org

On February 26th, 2021, our consulting lawyers informed about the application for the initiation of preliminary proceedings at the International Criminal Court because of "the inhumane refugee policy of the EU, which saw the death of thousands in the Mediterranean and put up with it, and the degrading conditions in EU internment camps such as Moria/Kara Tepe: "The motion is directed against those primarily responsible for the reactionary EU refugee policy, such as the President of the EU Commission von der Leyen, Chancellor Merkel, French President Macron or the head of the EU border police FRONTEX."

Also due to the initiative from the regional group South, in May 21

a video campaign for the corona vaccination for everyone. It turned out that many refugees have a big problem with this because they fear being abused and not being properly informed. Unfortunately, this video does not find the distribution that it should - it is still up-to-date and helpful:

In July, members of the Circle of Friends support a protest rally in Sigmaringen because of the long period of barracks in the LEA there without prospects for learning and work.

On August 6th, Alassa's lawyers informed us that his application for asylum had been rejected and that he was threatened with deportation. We immediately became active in many ways to organize solidarity. The objection of the lawyers in connection with the broad public relations work was successful: On 17.9. we learned that the administrative court in Sigmaringen stopped the threat of deportation against Alassa. A victory for the great solidarity that unfolded with rallies like in Stuttgart and many declarations of solidarity!

Also in September we were able to prevent the threatened deportation of our seriously diabetic friend Jacob.

When we heard about Isaiah Ehrauyi's planned asylum process on October 28th at the beginning of October. found out, we immediately provided broad information and started preparing our solidarity campaigns. The process was on 19.10. canceled by the court. To this day we do not know the actual reason and no new date.

We were also able to strengthen ourselves organizationally: In May we were happy about the founding of a local group of the Friends of Refugee Solidarity in Essen, in September about the new group in Cologne and at the founding in Mannheim in December a representative of the speakers from the south was there.

At the finally possible regional members meeting south of the circle of friends on 23.10. in Stuttgart the previous spokespersons committee reported, a new spokesperson group was elected with a total of 5 refugees!. A great development towards a real self-organization of the refugees. 

The new speakers also took direct action and implemented a resolution of the assembly to write a letter to the representatives of the traffic light coalition with the demands of the refugees. Essential points from this letter have been implemented in the coalition agreement. It is now necessary to measure actual policy against these declarations of intent! A second refugee congress in the summer of 22 is well suited for this.

The new speakers feel the need to actively take to the streets, especially against deportation policies - which unfortunately continue unchanged under the new government, and to place greater emphasis on the regular work in the refugee shelters. A letter to network partners and friendly organizations is also to be used to promote active support for refugees in their search for jobs and their efforts to learn the language and obtain work permits.

On November 20th there was another real highlight: the visit of Michalis Aiwaliotis from Lesbos/Greece, who reported on his work and our cooperation in the solidarity pact between SI and "Stand by me Lesvos". A concrete result was the decision to collect for a Christmas joy for every child in the camp and also in the surrounding villages and that we could give him a large donation directly.

With this in mind, we wish all friends peaceful holidays and a successful start to a fighting year 2022!

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