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GEMMI was founded in May 1999 to face the constant aggravation of laws on foreigners, the racist instigation in the bourgeois Austrian media and the expansion of the governmental repression machinery; as well as the deterioration of the living conditions of marginated groups living in Austria by the means of illegalization, criminalization and discrimination, of which the public opinion hardly takes any notice and which are increasingly tolerated. The "Operation Spring" where approximately 100 persons were arrested has helped to suppress the discussion about the increasing racism and abuses of the police - especially after the death by suffocation of Marcus Omofuma - which had sprung up more vigorously in Austrian media and politics at the beginning of the year. With the consent of the public opinion, people with dark skin are generally suspicious of being drug dealers and criminals, and they are treated accordingly. Harassing controls right in the street and racist insults happen every day. In a higher degree than any other group, dark skinned people are nowadays in the focus of margination, discrimination and criminalization. We neither want to serve the governmental racism directly nor contribute to keep up the "democratic" face of racism. Therefore, our work is not supported or subsidized by public institutions. We vehemently reject the conviction of people for racist reasons and political purposes. GEMMI has taken on the task of unveiling racist methods of the police and partial justice, of informing about them and where ever possible fight against them. GEMMI draws attention to the institutionalized racism in Austria and fights against the continous expansion of racism, repression and their consequences within the public opinion and institutions. GEMMI fights against violations of human rights commited by Austrian institutions and public authorities, exposes human right violations and racist abuses of police and justice and promotes their publication. GEMMI supports politically, socially and legally affected persons. We appeal to all of you to protest against the increasing racism in Austria - the persons responsible for the progrom atmosphere in Austria must be internationally condemned in order to generate efficient pressure on public institutions. Progressive forces and the Communities have to become more solidary and offer stronger resistance to racist governmental violence. All critical people in the media, organisations, social work, education and politics are called upon to firmly declare their positions and put them into action. Letter from Jail: Letter from a Prisoner of Landesgericht Wien form July 2000 concerning the Conditions of his Inprissonment Speech from Jail: War on Drugs - Target on Blacks gemmi-info 3: Ethnic Cleansings in Austria - Racist practices of police and justice - Trials of Africans gemmi-info 5: Responsibles and Victims of Institutional Racism in Austria - Drugs and Capitalism - More Trials on Africans