Racism Report 2003 - Zara

Page 44 Full Reports Racism Report 2003212213214• „(...) Hello, it makes me sick when I see you headscarves running around the streets here. You‘re all scroungers whotake advantage of our economic power and claim our freedoms but don‘t want to integrate yourselves but go onliving in the same way which left your countries of origin in poverty. Off with the headscarves or off with you tosome Allah-country!! With headscarf-less regards (...)“• „(...) What business have you to be in Europe with your headscarves? Go back to where you came from. Profitingfrom the western economy and demanding a lack of freedom in the name of western freedom - that‘s what‘scalled scrounging!! (...)“• „(...) Unfortunately I can‘t prevent the fact that headscarves must be tolerated in public, but I can keep my workand private surroundings free - and I do that successfully! I chase headscarves out of my surroundings!! (...)“Full Reports of Individual OrganisationsAnnual résumé from Asyl in NotAsyl in Not was once again confronted with numerous forms of state racism during 2003. The worst waswhat happened to our African fellow-citizen Cheibani Wague. On 15 July 2003 Cheibani was killed during a policeaction in the Africa Culture Village in the Stadtpark, Vienna. Asyl in Not reacted immediately to the news of Cheibani‘sdeath: we supported the spontaneous demonstrations starting from the Africa Culture Village and were one of theorganisers of the main demonstration on 25 July in which 6,000 people took part. The demonstrators demandedan independent investigation commission and the resignation of Minister of the Interior, Ernst Strasser. Asyl in Notsupported these demands with a leaflet and poster campaign under the motto, „Strasser must go“.Also the illegal deportation of 74 Chechnyan asylum seekers to the Czech Republic on 1 November 2003, whichwas carried out by the Gmünd police and evidently personally ordered by Minister of the Interior, Strasser (who wason the spot at the time of the deportation), is characteristic of the racist screening policy intended to keep refugeesaway from fortress Europe. Austria deports them back to neighbouring countries such as the Czech Republic andthese countries also deny them access to asylum proceedings because they had moved on to Austria. The refugeesare therefore threatened with further deportation into the unknown.The deportation of the Chechnyans was unlawful because they had applied for asylum in Austria and under currentlaw cannot be deported during proceedings.A Chechnyan family was forced to withdraw their application for asylum with the threat that the father wouldbe separated from his wife and children and put on remand pending deportation (as admitted by the chief of theLower Austria Police Aliens‘ Branch, Anerinhof in the Profil of 17 November 2003. While being held at the Gmündpolice station the Chechnyans, who had previously been driven across the river by Czech border police with dogsand who were soaked to the skin, were not allowed to change their clothes. A mother was also not permitted tochange her child‘s full nappy. Some of those held reported that they had to sit for hours on a cold stone floor. Asylin Not reacted to this infringement by bringing a charge against Minister of the Interior, Strasser, and accomplicesamong the police, among other things for misuse of authority, coercion, the torture of prisoners and people smuggling- because Strasser unlawfully sent the Chechnyans into a neighbouring country of Austria and did so with theintention of creating a not inconsiderable financial benefit for the Ministry of the Interior (through not having thecosts of caring for the refugees); in accordance with the wording of the paragraphs on people smuggling. Asyl inNot appealed against the refusal of permission to stay in the country imposed on the Chechnyans and demanded thecontinuation of their asylum proceedings in Austria; the lawyers Nadja Lorenz and Georg Bürstmayr filed complaintsabout the deportations at the Independent Administrative Board.Asylum seekers are exposed to continual infringements in Austria. Three Chechnyan brothers reported to us thatthey had been forced to withdraw their applications for asylum by a civil servant at a counselling centre for thereturn of refugees set up by the Ministry of the Interior. Firstly they were discharged from the care of the state;in order at least to get a roof over their heads (in the quarters for returning refugees), they signed „stop asylum“- they were then informed that they would have to return to Chechnya via Moscow (!). This could have meant theirdeath. Asyl in Not filed new asylum applications for the three Chechnyans; a short time later they were recognisedas refugees.In the year of this report all the asylum policies of the Ministry of the Interior were directed by racist motives.Numerous asylum seekers were discharged from the care of the state solely because of their country of origin - in twoprecedent-setting judgements the Supreme Court declared this to be unlawful. Minister Strasser has not botheredabout this ruling until now.