aufstand hinter gittern und zaeunen
Ein Jahr nach dem Brand
Families with children and other People in the Rückkehrzentrum ("Return center") Bürglkopf have been on Hunger strike since the 3rd of June 2019.
Isolated from the Rest of the World, about 40 people are stationed there, who are supposed to leave the country "voluntarily", in other terms be deported, even though it is not clear if these deportations are allowable and if they can ever be carried out.
The inhabitants are not kept informed about legal measures, because the BFA and the BMI keep each other accountable, in order to discharge their own responsibility. The Verein Menschenrechte (Group for Human Rights) only visits at the Beginning of the peoples stay and their only advice is "humanitarian deportation".
At the moment the longest resident of the facility has been living there for 9 months. The establishment, stationed at 1250 meters above sea level and 3-4 hours away from the next village (Fieberbrunn) on foot, is extremely isolated. In winter, masses of snow make the trail to the village unpassable.
The people are distressed, a lot of them take sedation pills in order to endure it.
A 15-year-old striker isn't allowed to go to school. Another says: "I would rather die, than stay here". The medical care and the health situation is abysmal, and no money is given to the inhabitants, making the acquisition of appropriate medication, fresh fruit and vegetables or clothing nearly impossible.
One resident is situated in the hospital, because the prescribed drugs were insufficient for their illness. The services provided at the facility are restricted to strongly rationed food, that often is not enough for everyone. The residents have no access to the kitchen.
The management had this to say in response to the hunger strike: "Now there is more food for the rest of them".
The inhabitants must constantly endure racist and abusive threats from the staff. The youth welfare office threatens families with seperation, and that they will take the children into their own care, should they continue to strike.
Theoretically the occupants could leave the establishment from 06:00 to 22:00 and be brought to the village once a day. This doesn't help them much though - leaving the Gemeinde Kitzbühel is forbidden and would have legal consequences.
We demand the immediate relocation of all the inhabitants in regular accomodation for refugees with conventional care and supplies. Isolation is inhumane!
Immediate closure of the Rückkehrzentren Bürgelkopf and Schwechat!
