Last week a first talk between representatives of the group “Lampedusa in Hamburg” and representatives of the ministry of interior of Hamburg took place. The results of this talk show the shameful ignorance of the senate of Hamburg, which wants to continue to play the hardliner.
We quote the press release of the group “Lampedusa in Hamburg” on the talks:
Ministry of Interior stays on hardliner-course – but the protest is getting stronger
Hamburg, 12.08.2013. In the past week the Ministry of Interior of Hamburg has made their Hardliner Position clear once more and ignores the demands of the refugee group “Lampedusa in Hamburg” – free access to job market, to education, to medical and social care and the right to freely choose their residence in the EU. But the protest of the group that has persisted for over 3 month is growing stronger. Now the workers unions ver.di and GEW are officially calling their members to participate in the Demonstration “Lampedusa in Hamburg-We fight for our right!”.
On the 6.8.2013 there was – on the initiative of the diakonie hamburg – a first talk between representatives of the Ministry of Interior and representatives of the group “Lampedusa in Hamburg”.
The ministry only used these talks to repeat its negative stance. It made clear that:
- in her view the situation in Italy alone does not give any reason to grant the right to stay to members of the group; there seem to be no reasons to assume that there is a failure of the protection of european refugee-protection in Italy
- the right to stay will only be considered in special cases, i.e. for pregnant women, sick and underaged
This makes clear that the result of the examitation of all single cases, as promised by the senate in the past, is already clear: Applications for the grant of a right to stay for humanitarian reasons will be declined , with very limites exceptions
Refugees could take legal action against the negative decision of the authorities. In reply to a question a representative of the ministry of Interior made clear that the authorities are not even ready to suspend a deportation in case of legal action against a negative decision by the affected refugee.
Protection from deportation is then only possible via emergency procedures. This procedure is not suitable to clear out fundamental questions and furthermore it is not guaranteed that legal protection can be obtained in time.
The lawyer Daniela Hödl comments on the talks with the ministry of Interior:
“The examination of single cases as promised by the senate is ultimately only an instrument to deport the concerned persons. The only offer that the represantatives of the ministry of interior had was the willingness to increase the commonly provided financial return assistance for the refugees of the group “Lampedusa in Hamburg”. What Hamburg is offering us is therefore the same as Italy had done: one gives the refugees money and drives them out of the country.”
Press release as PDF