Letter of Lampedusa in Hamburg to the Trade Union VERDI‏

LAMPEDUSA in HAMBURG
c/o Infotent, Steindamm 2, Hamburg-Mitte


to the Trade Union ver.di and all workers who are open to listen to us

Since we came to Hamburg we met a lot of people and civil organizations. 
When the politicians closed their ears and eyes to our suffering we 
organized ourselves and raised our voices in the public. Deprived from 
any means and rights we fought for surviving -- not the first time in our 
lives -- and we found many people and civil organizations which 
understood and stand in solidarity with us. Humanitarian aid refused by 
the government of Hamburg was given to us by the church, the mosques, 
grassroots organizations and many ordinary people, citizens of Hamburg. 
We are very grateful for that. But our main goal is to take our rights 
as everybody needs the basic rights to build up our lives again.

In close contact with workers and members of the trade union we decided 
to become member in the workers organizations as we were all workers in 
our continent. We appreciate very strongly the support by the trade 
union in the sense of international solidarity.

While some politicians spread wrong information about us to break down 
the solidarity and put us in a bad image the union as well as many 
people who met us face to face countered the false and wicked propaganda 
against us.

What we experienced since the war started in Libya amplified by the NATO 
intervention is for nobody easy to take. We were lucky to survive while 
many others of us lost their lives. Bombs were dropped everywhere under 
the slogan "protection of the civilians in Libya". We were part of these 
civilians. But after our forced refuge from Libya to Italy via Lampedusa 
nothing was left for us except a document which guarantees our 
humanitarian protection. In concrete we were put on the streets without 
any possibility to stabilize our situation. As we see the responsibility 
of the European Union as a whole for our devastating situation we are 
now dispersed in various European countries without means and without 
rights. So we have to fight for our rights.

In Libya we were all working in different fields and professions. 
Everybody could manage his life, feed his family and support their 
communities. Libya was investing a lot in the country. We worked in the 
construction as carpenters, bricklayers, plasterers or pavers, plumbers 
and electricians, we worked in the factories as mechanics, we earned our 
money as car mechanics, welders and service providers like hair dresser, 
security staff or software engineers, some of us had their own shops. We 
never thought about going to Europe. After various difficulties in our 
countries of origin we found in Libya an open society which wanted our 
labor force.

We were not involved in the political conflict which arose in the 
country and turned in an open war when France and the US and then NATO 
decided to engage the military forces for regime change. We were trapped 
and we became target of the conflicting parties fueled by the doubtful 
story of Gaddafi's mercenaries. The rebels started to attack, rob and 
kill blacks everywhere. Today we experience again this wicked accusation 
by some politicians which is totally unfair. They deny their 
responsibility instead they kick the victims down again.



It is easy for them to launch false information in order to mislead 
their own population.

To defend ourselves and to take our rights we have to fight. With the 
trade union we found one partner who realizes the injustice done to us 
and join our struggle. We want to inform all their members of the true 
story what happened to us, why we are here and why we have the right to 
stay. There is no other option anymore. We demand the recognition 
according to paragraph 23 residence law of our group "Lampedusa in 
Hamburg -- workers and war survivors from Libya". We hope with the union 
members and the workers movement we have a strong and conscious partner 
at our side. Together with the broad solidarity among the citizens in 
Hamburg we will overcome the traumatization of the war and the refuge to 
start a new life, to stand on our own, to work and to help our families. 
United we stand divided we fall.

Again we express our gratitude to the Trade Union ver.di and all people 
who share their policy statement which says that every human should live 
free from poverty and misery, from oppression and exploitation. Everyone 
has the right to physical and mental integrity, to humane work and 
living conditions, to acceptance and respect.

And as we always say the law was made for man not man of the law. If the 
law violates our human rights it has to be amended or abolished.



Join our struggle invite us to listen to our experiences and discuss with us



Lampedusa in Hamburg Hamburg, 
10th of July 2013

speakers:

Affo Tchassei: 0176-717 402 36

Anane Kofi Mark: 0152-170 045 94

Asuquo Udo: 0152-146 725 37

Friday Emitola: 0152-170 052 71