To live as a
refugee inside of Europe is often considered to be at least a life in safety.
Not only since 2015 migrants are supposed to integrate well and the new rising
right-wing party’s in Europe demand that anyone who doesn’t obey to the laws of
the host land and who is not willing to accept the host culture has to be send
back to the country’s they came from. It seems obvious that people seeking
asylum should respect the equal rights of everyone despite gender, sexuality
religion or whatsoever. Right wing parties, though, are construing a “spectre”
of an Islam that seeks to threaten the democracies in Europe. In fact, many
Europeans are afraid of a future where they have to live under Sharia law,
regardless whether this fear is justified or not. This would lead to the “simple” requirement
that everyone coming to Europe as a refugee should become a good democrat who
does not threaten the political systems. A good democrat in Germany would
participate in elections, would raise his voice against problems in society
which, in his point of view, need to be fixed and of course respects other
opinions and believes in the right of free speech and free participation in
society. But if you try to do so as a refugee, to demand better treatment or
demonstrate in public for a change in refugee politics you get criticised and
are seen as an ungrateful brat who has to be pushed back to his place in
society – to the bottom. The refugee regime wants people at home to think that
every action is taken for humanitarian reasons. But in reality humanitarianism
is not only about care but also about control (Algier 2011). Many organizations
expect refugees to be powerless victims and treat them like objects without a
free will. So instead of supporting people who act democratically, these people
get suppressed so they can’t disturb the refugee regime.
Last week in class
we had the pleasure to speak with Mr. Daniel Mekonnen a human rights lawyer and
activist from Eritrea. He told us that he was actively criticising the
department of immigration of Switzerland and were organising demonstrations,
knowing well he had his own applications for asylum at the department of
immigration.
“I should
have kept quiet at least until my papers were done. What does it show you? (…)
You are seen as a humanitarian object. (…) Even when you are not willing to
depend on any sort of support that comes from the state. (…) Sometimes you are seen as helpless people, as
people who are coming in, only to depend on the state or society regardless of
your value as a professional, regardless of your personal background whatever
experience you have (…) and this is very frustrating and challenging”
So as a
Refugee you have the choice: Be a quiet object, don’t interfere with the
refugee regime and do not integrate into your new society but if you behave
like that, you don’t stand a chance to have a free will and see democracy as an
opportunity. Or take your chance, participate actively in your new society but
get pushed back by the system you depend on and reduce your chances to be
accepted as a refugee. The choice is yours.
By Rasko
Sources:
Agier,
Michel. 2011. Managing the Undesirables: Refugee camps and humanitarian
government. London: Polity.
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