refugee protest camp vienna
Zurück in Österreich nach Jahren von Kampf und Abschiebungsstress
aufstand hinter gittern und zaeunen
Outcomes of the Presse- conference on 3rd of January 2013: The minister of internal affairs Mikl-Leitner is still maintaining that the asylum system will not be transformed. Nevertheless, inspired by the protests, the debate on concrete changes in the system is well underway.
Salaheddine N. stresses on the press conference, summoned by the refugees on Thursday: "En faite on n'a pas des demandes, on a des solutions pour les trous dans le système d'asile en Autriche". (Translation: "In fact, we do not have demands, we have solutions for the flaws of the Austrian asylum system.")
The German language courses, which started in the Votive Church on Thursday, demonstrate how easily the wish to learn German can be put into practice. It is also possible to provide all asylum seekers with vocational education and training. "If we get our right for education, we would be able to build our own future. It is not impossible to make this happen," stated Muhammad N.
On top of the list of demands is the access to the labour market: "We don't want charity, we want to work and pay our taxes", clarifies Khan A. There is no reason why an interdepartmental working group on the improvement of the access to the labour market for refugees should not already start tomorrow. The refugees will be happy to function as experts on the subject.
The issue of freedom of movement is even simpler (choice of residence during the asylum procedure). To put this into practice, merely a decree by the minister of internal affairs would be necessary. The free choice of residence in self-organized accommodation and homes would constitute a real alternative to the current involuntary allocations.
In order to include the protesting refugees as equal partners in the discussion, they are in need of a secure residence permit.
Furthermore it has to be permitted to question inhuman asylum regulations, such as Dublin II - in Vienna, Berlin, Paris, Brussels and the Votive Church.