Tag Archives: Ukraine War

#AfricansFromUA, African Unity, Black Community Coalition for Justice & Self-Defence, Black Community Hamburg, Black Lives Matter, Education - Bildung, english, EUROPEAN DAYS OF SOLIDARITY WITH ALL REFUGEES FROM UKRAINE, Infoveranstaltung, Lecture, politisch, Termine, Ukraine Krieg, Veranstaltungen

Global Pathology of Wars, Borders, Migration and Exclusions from Equality

EUROPEAN DAYS OF SOLIDARITY WITH ALL REFUGEES FROM UKRAINE

(APRIL 25 to MAY 25, 2022)

April 25, 2022 | 19-21 h – Online-Zoom-Meeting

Meeting-Link: https://t1p.de/European-Days-of-Solidarity-with-ALL-Refugees-from-Ukraine (Log-In with Zoom-Account obligatory!)

Keynote Speaker:  Harsha Walia (Canada)

Global Pathology of Wars, Borders, Migration and Exclusions from Equality:

Racialized violence and discrimination of refugees fleeing the European war in Ukraine on all levels and at all stages of their flight. The European Council’s choice to exclude 3rd country national refugees of the war in Ukraine was opening doors and opportunities for arbitrary administrative and executive decision making including violations of and obstructions from refuge and human rights. Black & Brown refugees/displaced are being neglected and left to the charity of civil society. The shameful neglects target also minorities like Roma/Sinti. 

Continue reading Global Pathology of Wars, Borders, Migration and Exclusions from Equality →

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Offener Brief Afrikanischer und Internationaler Kriegsgeflüchteter aus der Ukraine

WIR SIND AFRIKANISCHE UND INTERNATIONALE STUDENT*INNEN UND GEFLÜCHTETE AUS DEM KRIEG IN DER UKRAINE

Wie Millionen ukrainischer Bürger*innen waren wir gezwungen, aufgrund des Krieges in der Ukraine seit Februar 2022 um unser Leben zu fliehen – wir sind Geflüchtete dieses Krieges und mussten unser Hab und Gut, unsere Häuser und Wohnungen, unser Studium und andere Formen des friedlichen Lebens in der Ukraine sowie unsere Investitionen und Gebühren für unsere zukünftige Ausbildung und Perspektiven zurücklassen – einige von uns wurden von Freund*innen und geliebten Menschen getrennt und einige mussten sogar mit ansehen, wie diese gewaltsam getötet wurden …

Im Gegensatz zu diesen Millionen von ukrainischen Staatsbürger*innen wurden viele von uns während der gesamten Flucht diskriminiert – wir wurden ausgeschlossen und sogar aus den öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln gedrängt, wir wurden aufgegriffen und in abgelegenen Wäldern ausgesetzt, wir wurden an den Grenzen daran gehindert, das vom Krieg erschütterte Land zu verlassen, ohne Schutz vor den eisigen Temperaturen und einige von uns starben ungeschützt vor der Kälte bei Tag und Nacht. Wir wurden an den EU-Grenzen sofort aufgefordert, in unsere jeweiligen Herkunftsländer zurückzukehren – ohne Rücksicht auf die gegebene Situation und ohne Zugang zu den temporären Geflüchtetenschutzmaßnahmen …

Der EU-Rat verkündete sehr schnell, dass ukrainischen Staatsbürger*innen im Rahmen des vorübergehenden Schutzes für Kriegsgeflüchtete uneingeschränkter Schutz innerhalb des EU-Gebietes gewährt wird, einschließlich des bedingungslosen Zugangs zu sozialer und medizinischer Versorgung, Arbeit und Bildung. Später verkündete derselbe EU-Rat sogar, dass „ALLEN MENSCHEN, die vor dem Krieg fliehen, Schutz und Zugang zur EU, zu Gesundheit, Bildung, Arbeit und Aufenthalt gewährt wird – unabhängig von ihrer Nationalität, Ethnie oder Hautfarbe“ …

Trotz dieser eigentlich eindeutigen Aussage gab es aber sofort Ausgrenzungen von genau diesem bedingungslosen Schutzstatus für Kriegsgeflüchtete, formuliert entlang genau jener Nationalitäten, Ethnien und Hautfarben von ein und denselben Sprecher*innen des EU-Rates für jene Kriegsgeflüchteten, die nicht die ukrainische Staatsbürgerschaft besitzen, bzw. keinen ukrainischen Daueraufenthalt oder Verwandte einer der beiden ersten Kategorien haben …

Was wir fordern:

Gemäß der Allgemeinen Erklärung der Menschenrechte der Vereinten Nationen, dem Internationalen Übereinkommen zur Beseitigung jeder Form von Rassendiskriminierung, den Genfer Konventionen und Protokollen, der Europäischen Menschenrechtskonvention und anderen internationalen Verträgen, Erklärungen, Kodizes und Aktionsprogrammen, denen die EU-Länder beigetreten sind

FORDERN WIR SOFORTIGEN SCHUTZ UND GLEICHBEHANDLUNG!

Wir appellieren an die deutsche Regierung, dass die beispielhafte Entscheidung, ALLEN Menschen, die die Ukraine ihre Heimat nennen, sofortigen vorübergehenden Schutz zu gewähren, nun auch in eine Praxis der Gleichbehandlung umgesetzt wird.

Für uns alle ist die Ukraine unsere Heimat und der Mittelpunkt unseres Lebens.

Wir alle haben beträchtliche Mittel und Anstrengungen investiert, um unser Studium oder unsere Lebensweise in der Ukraine zu ermöglichen, und wir alle mussten beträchtliche Werte, Eigentum und Einlagen in der Ungewissheit zurücklassen, dass sie durch Bombenangriffe, Plünderungen oder Notstandsgesetze wahrscheinlich verloren gehen oder zerstört werden könnten. Auch unter diesem Gesichtspunkt unterscheiden wir uns in keiner Weise von anderen Flüchtlingen des immer noch andauernden Krieges in der Ukraine.  

Wie fühlen wir uns?

Nachdem wir tagelang zu Fuß unterwegs waren und Ausgrenzung, Rassismus, Hunger, Missbrauch und Gewalt an den Grenzen sowie die Trennung von Familien und geliebten Menschen erleben mussten, wobei auch Eltern mit ihren kleinen Kindern betroffen und den rauen Witterungsbedingungen ausgesetzt waren, und nachdem wir die Zerstörung von Dokumenten, finanzielle Verluste und Verluste in der Ausbildung erlebt haben, sind wir nun mit einer belastenden Ungewissheit über unsere Zukunft konfrontiert. Wir haben Angst und sind verunsichert. Das Trauma verfolgt uns alle. Einige von uns haben Schlafprobleme, andere haben Flashbacks oder starke Reaktionen auf unerwartete Geräusche. Der Krieg hat uns alle getroffen. Wir wissen nicht, wie unsere Zukunft aussehen wird. Wir beginnen uns zu fragen, ob wir in ein anderes Land gehen sollen …

Wir wissen nicht, ob wir hier jemals akzeptiert werden …

Sollen wir gehen oder sollen wir bleiben …

Als wir in Deutschland ankamen, sahen wir uns erneut einer ungleichen Behandlung aufgrund unserer Nationalität, ethnischen Zugehörigkeit und Hautfarbe gegenüber Menschen mit ukrainischer Staatsangehörigkeit konfrontiert, die warmherzig und unbürokratisch behandelt wurden. Während die deutsche Innenministerin am 3. März 2022 erklärte, dass „Drittstaatsangehörige, die mit einem regulären Aufenthaltsstatus in der Ukraine leben, ebenfalls kein Asylverfahren durchlaufen müssen“, bleibt die deutsche Richtlinie zur Behandlung unserer speziellen Situation vom 4. März, 2022 sogar hinter den Vorgaben der EU zum Vorläufigen Schutz nach Artikel 5 der EU-Ratsrichtlinie 2001/55 zurück, indem sie alle Gruppen mit ukrainischer Aufenthaltsberechtigung vom Vorläufigen Schutz nach § 24 AufenthG ausschließt, die zur „Rückkehr in ‚ihre‘ Länder“ drängt, die sie aus immer noch unveränderten gültigen Gründen verlassen haben, und damit ihre bisherigen Leistungen und auch ihre Zukunft verlieren würden.

Wir brauchen jetzt vorübergehenden Schutz und Klarheit!

Wir Afrikaner*innen und andere nicht-europäische Staatsangehörige aus der Ukraine sind weder verantwortlich noch Teil des laufenden geopolitischen Krieges, sondern gleichwertig Betroffene. Wir sind in die gleiche Kriegssituation geraten – und zwar sowohl NICHT-EUROPÄISCHE BÜRGER*INNEN als auch UKRAINER*INNEN – und wir sollten entsprechend auch die gleichen Rechte und die gleiche Behandlung erhalten, denn keine*r von uns hat diesen Krieg geplant, aber die Auswirkungen und das Trauma betreffen uns alle. Bomben und Kugeln machen keinen Unterschied zwischen ihren Opfern! Daher sollten alle, die in der Ukraine ihre Heimat hatten und verloren, als der Krieg ausbrach, den gleichen Schutz genießen. Viele unserer Freund*innen oder internationalen Studentenkolleg*innen haben sogar die dramatische Entscheidung getroffen, lieber in der vom Krieg zerrissenen Ukraine zu bleiben, als in EU-Länder zu fliehen, die sich weigern, ihnen temporären Schutz zu gewähren.

Nicht-ukrainische Staatsangehörige, die aus dem Krieg in der Ukraine nach Deutschland kamen, wurden sehr unterschiedlich behandelt – sowohl in verschiedenen Bundesländern und Städten als auch innerhalb ein und derselben Stadt im Laufe der Zeit und in verschiedenen Einrichtungen. Während die einen sogenannte „Fiktionsbescheinigungen“ für ein Jahr erhielten, wurden andere unter Druck gesetzt, unmittelbar einen Asylantrag zu stellen, wobei ihre Fingerabdrücke registriert und ihre Pässe beschlagnahmt wurden. Wieder andere bekamen eine sogenannte „Duldung“ mit der ausdrücklichen Androhung ihrer Abschiebung.

Wir bitten um sofortigen und ungehinderten temporären Schutz, einschließlich des Rechts zu studieren, des Rechts zu arbeiten und des gleichwertigen Zugangs zu Sozialleistungen, d.h. Unterkunft, Finanzen, medizinische Versorgung und Sozialhilfe wie ukrainische Kriegsflüchtlinge. Diejenigen von uns, die aufgrund mangelnder Informationen und verwaltungstechnischer Ungereimtheiten gezwungen waren, einen Asylantrag zu stellen, sollten den Asylantrag zurückziehen und ihre Pässe zurückerhalten.

Wir fordern zuverlässige und einheitliche Informationen, um Klarheit zu erhalten.

Deutschland sollte sich ein Beispiel an anderen EU-Ländern nehmen, die ALLEN Menschen, die aus der Ukraine flüchten mussten humanitären Schutz und Möglichkeiten zum Studium bieten. Im Grunde wäre es eine Schande für Deutschland, sich aus seiner Verantwortung zurückzuziehen.

GLEICHBEHANDLUNG IST EIN UNIVERSELLES RECHT – KEIN PRIVILEG!

BILDUNG IST EIN MENSCHENRECHT – KEIN VORRECHT NACH ZUFALL!

Kontakt #AfricansFromUA

c/o ARRiVATi – Community Care Network – mailto:info@arivati.de

Ansprechpersonen:

Sister Omwenga +4915216149012

Brother Enyia +4915781315784

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Statement #AfricansFromUA on Equal Treatment

WE ARE AFRICAN AND INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AND REFUGEES OF THE UKRAINE WAR

Like millions of Ukrainian citizens we were forced to flee for our lives due to the war in Ukraine since February 2022 – we are refugees of this war and had to leave behind our belongings, our houses and flats, our studies and other ways of peaceful living in Ukraine as well as our investments in and fees for our future education and perspectives – some of us were separated from friends and loved ones and some even had to witness them being killed violently …

Unlike those millions of Ukrainian citizens many of us have been discriminated against all the flight way long – we have been excluded and even forced out of public transportation, we have been picked up and set out in remote forests, we have been held back at the borders from leaving the war-torn country without shelter from freezing temperatures, some of us have been dying unprotected from the cold at night and day, we were immediately told at the EU borders to return back to our respective countries of origin without regard to given situations and without access to refugee protection measures …

The EU-Council was very fast to announce that Ukrainian citizens will be granted unequivocal protection inside EU territories including unconditional access to social and medical care, work and education under temporary protection for refugees of war. Later on the same EU-Council even went on to announce that „ALL PEOPLE, who are fleeing war will be granted protection from and access to the EU, health, education, labor and residence – regardless of their nationality, ethnicity or skin color“ …

Despite this actually unambiguous statement, there were immediate exclusions from exactly this unconditional protection status for refugees of war, formulated along exactly those lines of nationality, ethnicity and skin color from the very same speakers of the EU-Council for those refugees of war who do not hold Ukrainian citizenship otherwise a Ukrainian permanent residence or have spouses of one of the 2 first categories …

What we demand:

According to the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the Geneva Conventions and Protocols, the European Convention on Human Rights and other subsequent international treaties, declarations, codes and programs of action that EU countries are party in

WE DEMAND IMMEDIATE PROTECTION AND EQUALITY OF TREATMENT!

We appeal to the German government that the unprecedented decision to grant immediate temporary protection to ALL those who call Ukraine their home is now being translated into a practice of equality.

For all of us Ukraine has been our home and the center of our lives.

All of us have invested substantial funds and efforts as to enable their studies or respective ways of life in Ukraine and all of us had to leave behind considerable belongings, properties and deposits in uncertainty of probable loss or destruction by bombing, looting or to state of emergency laws. Also from that point of view we are in no way different from other refugees of the ongoing war in Ukraine. 

How do we feel?

After walking for days on end and having to experience segregation, racism, hunger, abuse and violence at the borders as well as separation from families and loved ones, with parents and little children being affected and exposed to harsh weather conditions and the experiences of destruction of documents, financial losses, educational losses, we now face burdensome uncertainty about our future. We are afraid and have anxiety. The trauma haunts us all. Some of us have problems sleeping, some of us have flash backs or strong reactions to unexpected noises. The war has affected us all. We do not know how our future will be. We start to wonder if we should go to another country …

We do not know if we will ever be accepted here …

Should we go or should we stay …

We arrived in Germany to again face unequal treatment based on our nationality, ethnicity and skin color as compared to people of Ukrainian citizenship, who were treated warmly and differently. While the German Minister Interior stated on March 3, 2022 “Third-country nationals who have been living in Ukraine with a regular residence status are also not required to go through an asylum procedure”, the German directive on how to address our specific situation of March 4, 2022 even falls short of the EU operational guidelines to the Temporary Protection under Article 5 of the EU Council Directive 2001/55 by excluding various groups of Ukrainian residence holders from temporary protection under section 24 of the German Residence Act, who would lose their actual accomplishments and their future by “going back to ‘their’ countries”, which they have left for still unchanged true reasons.

We need temporary protection and clarity now!

We Africans and other non-European nationals from Ukraine are neither responsible for nor part of the ongoing geo-political war but equivalently afflicted. We got into the same situation of war – both NON EUROPEAN CITIZENS & UKRAINIANS alike – and we should be given the same rights and treatment because none of us planned this war and the impact and trauma affects all of us. Bombs and bullets do not discriminate amongst their victims! And thus protection should be the same for all of those who had and lost their homes in Ukraine when war broke out. Many of our friends or international student colleagues have even met the dramatic decision to rather stay back in war-torn Ukraine than to flee to EU countries that refuse to provide protection for them.

Non-Ukrainian nationals from the war in Ukraine arriving in Germany have been facing very different terms of treatment – both in different federal states and cities but also within the very same city throughout time and different facilities. While some received so called “Fictitious Certificates” for 1 year without further procedures others were pressurized to submit an asylum application with their finger prints registered and passports seized. Again others were given a so called “Duldung” including the threat of deportation.

We call for immediate and unobstructed Temporary Protection, including the Right to Study, the Right to Work and equivalent access to social benefits i.e. accommodation, finances, medical care and social welfare as Ukrainian refugees of war. Those of us that have been forced to apply for asylum due to lack of information and administrative inconsistencies should have the asylum application withdrawn and given back their passports.

We ask to be given valid and consistent information for clarity.

Germany should take an example from other EU countries that offer protection and opportunities for studies to ALL. It is basically a shame to Germany for stepping back in regard to its responsibilities.

EQUALITY IS A UNIVERSAL RIGHT – NOT A PRIVILEGE TO SELECT!

EDUCATION IS A HUMAN RIGHT – NOT PRIVILEGE BY CHOICE!

Contact #AfricansFromUA c/o ARRiVATi – Community Care Network – mailto:info@arivati.de

Speakers:

Sister Omwenga +4915216149012

Brother Enyia +4915781315784

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University and Higher Education in Germany

Donnerstag | 17.3.2022 – 18h | Thursday

Information event for Africans who seek to continue their disrupted studies in GermanyLet’s talk about: „University and Higher Education in Germany“

 
Get important information about the German higher education and the latest facts that concern African students who fled the war in Ukraine, as well as helpful content and exclusive tips.
 
Host: Sista Oloruntoyin
 
Speaker: Brother @Jethro Chikato – Engineer from Zimbabwe based in Hamburg, Germany – School Director and Educator providing educational services and medial help to students especially of African Descent
 
We give guidance and tips to those who would like to take up studies in Germany.
This includes: career guidance, choice of degree programs, applications, students jobs and meeting required conditions to study here.
 
We look forward to assisting you, so that you can make a difference here and on the continent.
 
„You’re the ones we have been waiting for“
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Call for solidarity and equal treatment of all refugees of the Ukraine war

Hamburg, March 9, 2022

Call for solidarity and equal treatment of all refugees of the Ukraine war

The war in Ukraine has forced millions of people to flee war-torn areas, and many more are currently either unable to escape the hostilities or are still on the run.

Unfortunately, people of African Descent have experienced racial discrimination, horrific treatment, and violence at the EU’s external and internal borders, and exclusion from public transportation as they have fled. In particular, people of African descent were excluded from intra-Ukrainian train and bus travel and were forced to trek for days with children and in freezing temperatures. Families and circles of friends were sometimes separated or torn apart. At Ukrainian borders, Blacks were prevented from leaving the country for days at a time and were left to fend for themselves without shelter from the cold and wet. Once again Black people face a double-sided sword of war and racism.

Due to this unbearable situation for people of African Descent in war-torn Ukraine, our Black Community Coalition for Justice & Self-Defense joined the rescue action #EvacuateAfricansFromUA, initiated by Asmaras – World e.V.  and the Association of Mandate Bearers of African Descent [VMA] e.V., in collaboration with The African Network of Germany [TANG] e.V..

Within the framework of this rescue operation, we participated logistically and organizationally in the rescue operation by traveling with the bus convoys to the Polish-Ukrainian border and bringing back refugees. In the last three weeks, we have self-organized accommodation, medical consultations, legal advice, crisis intervention, psychological counselling and for African refugees, as well as care for Ukraine war refugees of other origins.

Since the European states offered immediate, unconditional assistance to war refugees from Ukraine right from the beginning only to people with Ukrainian citizenship and people with permanent residence permits in Ukraine, all other war refugees like students or temporary residence permit holders were unequivocally signalled by the border authorities of neighboring states that they were not welcome, would not receive official assistance, and must leave the EU-Schengen area as soon as possible.

The Black Community Coalition for Justice & Self-Defence condemns the unequal treatment of vulnerable people who have all been equally affected by the war in Ukraine and we demand that unconditional and equal protection be distributed regardless of nationality or residence status at the time of the start of the war on February 24, 2022.

Dividing war refugees into groups of those worthy of protection and those groups not worthy of protection is a painful double standard that is neither acceptable nor consistent with universal human rights. The affected and marginalized people have found themselves in this war situation through no fault of their own, and they were all driven out of what they thought was a safe home in Ukraine where they had legalized residency conditions.

The consensual and immediate offer of protection for war refugees with Ukrainian citizenship must be followed by comparable offers of protection for ALL other victims of this European war if the much-invoked European values and principles of humanity and equal treatment are to be taken seriously, especially when war and hardship make it particularly necessary.

Against this backdrop, we take note of the transitional regulation issued by the German government on March 7, 2022, according to which Ukrainian war refugees from third countries are to be temporarily exempted from the requirement of a residence permit until May 23, 2022, although the arbitrary setting of a deadline without reference to the end of the Ukrainian war seems neither appropriate nor comprehensible. What happens after May 23, 2022?

We point out that a temporary exemption is no guarantee for a residence permit – after the deadline expires, there is a risk that registered persons will be obliged to leave the country again or will be forcibly deported. This is not acceptable. It is a shame if the German authorities fail to challenge the violence of migration policy and choose to use citizenship as a racializing weapon.

We draw particular attention to the plight of pregnant women and also children. Children and their families, regardless of their nationality and especially when fleeing war, should be given priority and equal treatment and urgently receive humanitarian assistance, protection and child-friendly housing and education.

We demand

– Residence permits for ALL people affected and displaced by the war in Ukraine

– immediate right to stay for pregnant women, children and families

– immediate and unconditional access to medical and psychological care

– possibilities to receive BAföG or scholarships for ALL students affected by the Ukraine war

– issuance of work and student permits to complete or continue studies

as to enable all people affected by this extraordinary war situation to live a largely self-determined life in Germany.

Students among the non-Ukrainian nationals who had to flee from the war already had to bear and traumatic experiences and financial burdens for their respective studies in Ukraine. We demand the exploration of all possibilities to avoid financial double burdens for normative study access here in Germany and to create regulations for the transitional continuation of their courses of study interrupted by war as well as for the acquisition of the necessary language skills.

The registration of African students and nationals of third countries other than Ukraine who were legally in Ukraine at the time of the outbreak of war should be carried out without forcing them to apply for asylum.

We would like to appeal to all people of African origin and the Afro-diasporic communities national associations, churches, mosques, etc. to join the demands formulated here to the federal and state politicians and to organise together. Refugee work for the most neglected groups needs all of our commitment and networking so that the available resources can be optimally used and coordinated.

We thank Hamburg’s civil society, anti-racist organisations, labour unions, student organisations for the extraordinary solidarity and concrete willingness to help, especially those people who have been racially marginalised alongside the unspeakable traumas of war.

The German government has a responsibility to ensure that ALL refugees not only have safety but also equal access to rebuild their life and heal in dignity. Majority of „Africans Fleeing Ukraine“ can barely survive in Hamburg without self-organised civil society solidarity measures.

The refugee crisis in Ukraine is not only an important opportunity for Germany and Europe to demonstrate its humanitarian values and commitment to the global refugee protection regime, but also a critical moment of reflection. It is a question of political and humanitarian decision-making at the federal and state level as to how the effective and equal protection of all Ukrainian war refugees can be concretely designed and implemented.

This is not the time for legal restrictions and false demarcations. We call for a wholesome ethic of care and responsibility.

Grant full protection to ALL refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine.

Action must be taken NOW!                                                                                    

Touch One -Touch All!

Individuals and organizations who would like to support this appeal, please let us know by mail info@blackcommunitycoalition.de.

 

1st Signatories:

Black Community Coalition for Justice & Self-Defense

Black Community Hamburg

ARRiVATi – Community Care for BPoC

AKONDA – Eine Welt Café Hamburg

Alafia Afrika Festival Hamburg

African Community Organizers

ASUIHA – African Survival in Hamburg

ARCA – Afrikanisches Bildungszentrum Hamburg

Asmara’s World

Black Media Group

Tschoobé For Freedom

 

2nd Signatories

Park Fiction Komitee