+++ From Mare Nostrum to Frontex Plus +++ “Watch The Med Alarm
Phone” in preparation +++ from 1.-5.10. in Jena: 20 Years of
Voice Refugee Forum +++ 12.-14.9. in Hamburg: Europe Of The Arriving
+++ 20./21.9. in Munich: National meeting about EU – labour migration
+++ Blockupy-meeting in Frankfurt (14.9.) and in Brussels (26.9.) +++
Review August: w2eu and JoG on Lesbos +++ Advanced notice for
October: Baden-Württemberg-AntiRa-conference in Stuttgart +++
Dear friends!
By now over 100.000 Boatpeople have landed in Italy coming over the central Mediterranean Sea, mostly intercepted or saved by “Mare Nostrum”. Several times we wrote about this ambivalent sea rescue operation in our newsletter and recently a paper has been published which we strongly recommend again:
http://afrique-europe-interact.net/index.php?article_id=1193&clang=0
“Frontex Plus” is the new magic formula which will replace Mare Nostrum until end of November. The fact that the Border Agency Frontex – accurately related to as “mobile barbed wire” – will take over the control makes clear in which direction the EU-migration policy goes: less rescue and more let-them-die (see below for more information). It makes even more important that public criticism and practical resistance against the deadly border regime do not weaken. Around the 3rd October, the anniversary of the Lampedusa-“tragedy”, various activities are being planned, and the attempt of setting up an alternative alarm system for the Mediterranean seems to be specifically ambitious (see below).
At the same time, from 1st to 5th October, an anniversary conference will take place in Jena: 20 years of “The Voice Refugee Forum”. “The Voice” planted the first tracks of refugee resistance in Germany 20 years ago. Since then it spread the experiences of self organisation – for example since 2000 in showing civil disobedience against the residence requirement -, without it the today’s diversity of refugee struggles wouldn’t even be conceivable (below more information and in particular a donation appeal for the conference).
Furthermore you will find in this newsletter a short review about the impressive “Back-to-the-borders-II”-project on Lesbos as well as advanced notices for several working sessions and festivals. On the furher developments of the protests and struggles in Berlin, Hamburg, Hannover, Rhein-Main … please follow the links in the last newsletters.
All the best,
the Kompass-crew