Migration at the European Social Forum 2004

Invitation to all groups working on migration to an europe(an)wide preparation-meeting in september 2004

29.May.04 - This is an open invitation for a preparation meeting for an event on the question of migration at the ESF in London, October 2004.We propose to meet from the 10th to the 12th of September, if possible in London.

We are aware of the different realities and struggles of migration caused by the limitations of the right of mobility all across Europe. The actions and demonstrations of January 31st 2004 in 52 cities were the beginning of a necessary europe(an)wide mobilisation. It was an important step ahead in creating a movement for the right of mobility. This action day was made possible thanks to the collaborations between a wide range of groups and individuals during the two previous European Social Forums. We would like to build up on this experience, because the right of mobility has to be a central issue at the ESF.

This year is particulary significant given the enlargement of Europe and the ongoing process of border transformation. Borders of the new Europe are not confined to geographical limits, but well beyond. They affect the everyday lifes of migrants both inside & outside of Europe.

We believe that the right of mobility encompasses different struggles of migration taking place everyday throughout Europe. These struggles address all aspects of everyday lifes such as work, health, education,housing, political, social & human rights of migrants. They are fighting for the closure of detention camps, and the end to deportations, they challenge the negation of rights & demand the right of legalisation, and they struggle against all forms of racism & exploitation.

We invite all the groups involved in those struggles to discuss on a preparation meeting how we can develop and strengthen an europe(an)wide movement. We believe that the ESF in London will be a very important opportunity to bring those struggles together.

Signatures:

Tavolo migranti dei social forum italiani; Coordination Nationale des Sans Papiers/France; Droits Devant/France; Gisti/France; Act up/Paris/France; Barbed Wire Britain Network to End Refugee and Migrant Detention; no one is illegal/UK; volunteers from noborder London/Britain; Indymedia Estrecho/Madiaq/Spain; CGT- Andalucía/Spain; Centro Social- Casa de Iniciativas 1.5 -Malaga/Spain; Papiers per Thotom-Barcelona/Spain; Network for social support to immigrants and refuges /Greece; Network for political and social rights /Greece; Dost je!-Ljubljana/ Slowenia; Kanak Attak/Germany; Refugee Initiative Brandenburg/Germany; The Voice Refugee Forum/Jena/Germany; no one is illegal-amplitude/Germany; off-limits/Hamburg/Germany;

Contact for further coordination: frassainfo at kein dot org

About us:

The initiative for the invitation above came up by discussions of the so-called "frassanito-network". People from Tavulo di migranti, Act up, Kanak Attak and no one is illegal met a first time during the frassanito-nobordercamp in Italy in summer 2003 to discuss about a better coordination of migrationrelated groups for the European Social Forum. We share a common approach to consider migration as social movement and to see migrants struggles in a crucial role for the further development of the whole global movement.
In Paris last November some of us have been involved in launching the proposal and original call for the europeanwide action-day. And while some more friends from Spain and Greece joined our network this year, we decided to put some more efforts in the preparation of upcoming ESF. Before the meeting in september we will send out a paper addressing five central topics of our struggles: work & migration, detention camps, the negation of rights, anti-racism and borders. The meeting, of course, is open for other topics & proposals.
It is nice to see, that immediately some more groups and networks have signed the invitation, and we just think about the adequate communication-structure, to make possible a broader process to elaborate the agenda for the preparation-meeting within the next weeks.