press release: International demonstration in solidarity of Refugees and Sans Papiers

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21.Jul.02 - In solidarity of Refugees and the Undocumented persons there will be an international demonstration for freedom of movement at the European Human rights court in Strasbourg on Monday 22. July at 11.

This is in protest against the in humane "residenzpflicht", a law of movement restriction for refugees within Germany and in Europe. The residenzpflicht means a residential obligation pass law for refugees and migrants which isolates, segregates, discriminates and criminalises refugees depriving them the freedom of movement with the country. It also restricts the personal development of the refugees.

The "Residenzpflicht" exists in Germany for some 20 years and was implemented in 1982 and Germany is lobbying that in 2004 residenzpflicht will become part of the asylum laws of the european union. The refugees took this challenge for abolition by launching civil disobedience against the residence obligation. This was after the international "Karawane Refugee congress" for the rights of refugees and migrantes in May 2000 in Jena-Germany which restricted refugees from participating with penalties of deportation threat. This congress was initated by The VOICE Refugee Forum against social exclusion and deportation.

The undocumented people including the collective of Belgum, The Caravan For The Rights of Refugees and Migrants / The VOICE Refugee Forum in Germany stand for Freedom of movement to abolish fortress Europe:
- We demand abolition of the European policy of illegalization and the movement restrictions.
- We denounce the segregation of refugees and europeans and the separation within refugees.
- We call for abolition of the fortress Europe inhumane residenzpflicht in Germany and forbid this in other parts of Europe.
- We stand oppose to any form of deportation threat,and call to abolish the deportation prisons and the deportation camps.

Our choice is to unite with refugees and the undocumented people from all nations, cultures and languages and to fight for our rights here and for our countries. We stand up for freedom in the freedom of movement because it is everybody's fight, we are here and it is right!

Viva la Strassburg no border camp!

The Caravan for the rights of migrants and refugees:
The Voice Refugee Forum, Germany
Sans papiers collectif, Belgique.

Initiative committee of noborder camp in strasburg