Refugee Congress to close Lagers and Isolation Camps

One year ago, we, the refugees from Katzhütte started our protest for the closure of the camp in Katzhütte. Then, refugees for the first time formulated their demands for the improvement of their situation in the camp. With time, the protest developed and with it our consciousness and our demands, and the struggle in Katzhütte became an example for other refugees in similar situation. Others are still learning from it. One year later, the impact of this protest is being felt, not only in Saalfeld-Rudolstadt, but in the whole of Thüringen. Today: the exploitation-company of refugee housing K + S is withdrawing their service to control the refugees and the Maintanace of the Isolation camp in Katzhütte and from the place, the administration of the Landkreis is left alone. The closure of the camp by the refugees is just one step ahead. The project by the head of the administration of the Landkreis to keep the lager is about to fall into pieces, only a last push to break the isolation is needed.

Therefore, we, the refugees from Katzhütte and former inhabitants call for support in this last battle to close the camp once and for all. We are organising a demonstration on 26th March, 2009 in front of the Parliament of Thueringia at 15.00 Hours in Erfurt, Thüringen. Together with our friends and supporters we will bring our demand for private housing and for the closure of the isolation camp into public awareness.

The methods the authorities had used against us should be remembered and also that without our protest, there wouldn’t be any public debate nor would K + S be withdrawing from now. This is because their business has been to perpetuate our horrible conditions in the camp while making massive profit of cash from it. Therefore, we are the ones closing this camp.

At the same time we know that the struggle for private housing that we have been fighting with the anti-lager-campaign since the beginning of 2008 is likely to be prolonged till 2010. Our resistance will remain ever present in Saalfeld-Rudolstadt until our demands are fulfilled.

As part of the campaign there will be a refugee congress on lagers and isolation camps. There, we will present our struggle and the latest developments about the closure of the lager and we will demonstrate our solidarity with the struggles of the refugees in other German states. The detail program which will follow soon will include contributions and reports of other refugee activists and resistance from Gehlberg, Apolda, Oldenburg/Blankenburg, Remscheid, Möhlau and Halberstadt etc.

Congress on Lagers and Isolation Camps
Erfurt, 26. - 28. March 2009

One year of Katzhütte Refugee Protest against the isolation camps in Thueringen: Katzhütte Isolation Camp is not closed yet!

Protests on Thursday, 26. March 2009:

• Rally - Manifestation in Am Anger Square at 13.00 Hours and
  
• Demonstration in front of Parliament (Landtag) of Thueringia at 15.00 Hours

• Information on the closure of Katzhütte and our demands to close the isolation camps.
  
• Presentation of The VOICE Refugee Forum on the struggles in the Lagers.
  
• Protest and Campaign initiatives since 2008
  
• Refugees and activists who formally lived in Katzhütte and Gehlberg with those still living there will present their struggles and their solidarity with other protest refugee activists in other lager and isolation camp.
  
• Reports on the perspectives of our struggles and the objectives of the refugees’ self-organised political communities in the lagers and isolation camps with refugee activists from Oldenburg/ Blankenburg, Sachsen-Anhalt, Nordrhein-Westfalen and Thüringen
  
• The Caravan struggles and challenges in the refugee protest
  
• Exchange of information on our experiences and ideas in the struggles with refugee protests in Thüringen in their lagers and isolation camps with The VOICE Refugee Forum and The Refugee Council in Thüringen, Karawane Wuppertal, Antira-Plenum Oldenburg
  
• Presentation on the caravan campaign and reports on the refugee struggles in Remscheid and Oury Jalloh protest in Germany

• 27.03.2009 um 21.00 Hours: Documentary Film on the refugee struggles in Blankenburg
  
• 28.03.2009 um 22.00Uhr: Konzert – LesRéfugies from Blankenburg *Reggae / *Afro-Beat / *Rap
  
• Presentation on the Katzhütte Actions and Protest.