Political framework of the No Border Camp 2011
General political situation:
Following the EU eastward expansion, countries like Bulgaria and Romania are progressively cracking down on those that try to cross their borders and rampantly working against freedom of movement. Next on their foreign policy agenda is joining the Schengen agreement area. The Bulgarian government’s current target date for becoming a member of Schengen is 2012. The decision is to be taken in the summer of 2011.
Strengthening of the border control, building new detention centers, increasing the quality and the quantity of the border equipment, and the new migrant and visa legislation are only part of the measures that are already underway. The border control between Bulgaria and Turkey is cited as the biggest problem Bulgaria is faced with in order for the country to join Schengen. Following the participation of Bulgarian border police in FRONTEX operations along the Greek-Turkish border, these operations are currently taking place at the Turkish-Bulgarian border as well.
Beyond these general political circumstances migrants and refugees in Bulgaria are confronted with rather non-transparent, unsocial and truly confusing administrative system of regulation. An ignorant and/or uninformed local institutions and society are also to be kept in mind. It is expected that the number of migrants will rise rapidly after Bulgaria’s joining the Schengen area.
These developments, coupled with the deterioration of the migrants’ situation in neighbouring Greece, are the two immediate reasons for organizing a No Border camp at the border between Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey in the coming summer. The camp will be also used as a reminder of the 60 year anniversary of the signing of the UN convention relating to the Status of Refugees (1951).
Non-violence
The No border camp Bulgaria will be organized as a non-violent civil form of protest and resistance. The plan is to have a camp with low levels of confrontation. We do understand the importance of diversity of tactics; nevertheless, we do need to take into account the local context. That is why the plan is to have the camp within the framework of non-violence.
Problems to be addressed:
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militarization of the borders
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deteriorating freedom of movement across the Balkan borders
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criminalization of the situation of the migrants and refugees in Bulgaria
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better human, social, legal and economic treatment of the refugees and migrants in Bulgaria
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exploitation of the cheap migrant labour
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local nationalism economic, political and social situation in the countries of origin of the refugees and on global scale
During the No Border camp we will place certain demands that can be separated in two main categories: general demands and immediate goals.
General demands:
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Freedom of movement for all
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Status for all refugees now
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Legalization of all immigrants now
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Decriminalization of migrants
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End to the militarization of the borders
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Equal rights for all
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Closure of all detention centers
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Replacement of the detention centers with coordination centers that will support migrants’ social, political, and economic emancipation (run with the support of migrants, grassroots initiatives, and the local communities; where decisions are taken by migrants themselves)
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Wide visibility of migrants in our societies
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We declare ourselves against the Schengen Area and the continuous building of Fortress Europe
Immediate goals:
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Interpreters provided for all migrants that cross the border
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Information concerning migrants’ rights to be distributed to them as soon as they cross the border (in their respective languages)
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Independent observers to be present during the procedures for asylum as well as during examinations
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Transparent asylum procedure
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Social, medical and reasonable financial support in the course of the duration of the procedure and after that
Expected contributions of the camp:
1.
Attracting the attention of the local people, the media, and the international community towards the problems mentioned above.
2.
Expanding the NoBorder network on the Balkans and throughout Europe
3.
To rise and deepen local solidarity
4.
Monitoring of specific migrants’ cases
Contact:
http://noborderbulgaria.wordpress.com/
Email: noborders.bulgaria@gmail.com
