Support network for Afghan refugees

On Monday the 26th of June at 17:00 there will be a meeting at Solidaritetshuset in Osterhausgate 27.

What will we do now?
How can we stop the deportations?

Organizer: The support network for Afghan refugees.

Earlier this week the government made promises to the Afghans. This have unfortunately proven empty words. Early Friday morning, activists went to Trandum and Oslo Airport Gardermoen, to hinder the police in the deportation of two Afghans. From what we have learned, the plan was that the deportation was due to 11 o’clock. The activist managed to delay this. At Trandum, activists blocked the area with vehicles, and inspected all the cars that entered and left the area.

At about a quarter to four yesterday, the activists at Trandum were arrested and brought to Lillestrøm police station. Zahir Athari, the Afghans’ spokesman, was also amongst the arrested persons.

At about five o’clock yesterday afternoon, there was a demonstration outside the cathedral of Oslo. During the demonstration, we learned that the activists were released, one by one. Zahir Athari was amonst the last who were released. One by one, the activists arrived at the demonstration, and Zahir arrived last, with a few other activists.

During the demonstration, we learned that the police had succeded in deporting the two Afghans.

The struggle continues!Â

During the weekend, we will try to put up an e-mail list for distribution of important updates and planned demonstrations arranged by the support network and other relevant information.

The solidarity festival will be arranged for the second time by the Latin-America groups in Norway (LAG) with the initiative from the solidarity brigade of Chiapas autumn 2005.

Where: Kubaparken
When: Sunday, 25th of June 12:00-03:00

The hunger strike was ended Tuesday evening, after the goverment for one thing promised that all the Afghans should have a possibility to get their cases reevaluated, and that no Afghans without connections to Kabul, would be deported in 2006.
The National Police Immigration Service told the media that they had not gotten new instructions, and are therefore continuing the deportation of Afghans.

Tomorrow, Friday, the police is going to deport another two Afghans to Afghanistan.

We have taken note of the recent political developments, expressed by the Norwegian Government’s statement of 19th June 2006, in which the Governement clearly confirms

• the right of all Afghan refugees in Norway to receive legal counselling in order to apply for reversal of their final rejections on their application for asylum.

and in which the Goverment states that this re-evaluation will follow

• the recommendations off the UNHCR regarding the return of refugees to Afghanistan, and
• that no one will be deported to Kabul inless the UNHCR clearly ensures their safety.

We take the Government’s commitment to the UNHCR guidelines to mean that re-evaluation of each case will be based on wheter it’s relevant and reasonable for the refugee to return to Kabul.

We also hold that this right to apply for reversal must include all the refugees that are about to be deported, and expect that they will not be deported until this process has taken place.

Tomorrow - -on the International day of the refugee - we foresee a further clarification on the practical consequences of yesterdays’s statement from the political authorities, and we will continue to claim our rights as refugees in relation to this.

Within 90 days we will call for a meeting with the political authorities, participants of the civil society and the Afghan refugees, for a critical review of the implementation of yesterdays political statement and of the condition Afghan refugees in Norway.

On this background we have decided to end the hunger strike immediatly and continue the struggle for our political rights with no other means.

Oslo, 20th of June 2006

Zahir Athari

The hunger striking ended their hunger strike tonight. More information will be posted tomorrow morning.

The support network has made a newspaper about the hunger strike. The newspaper is avaliable at the tent camp at the cathedral, and you can also read the newspaper as PDF.

During the press conference at the Ministry of labour and social inclusion monday afternoon, Kristin Halvorsen, the Minister of Finance, criticised SOS Rasisme and other voulenteers that helped the hunger striking. - They take a very large responsibility, said Halvorsen.

We who work on the spot, work with giving them dignity and support in their own decisions. We work with helping the Afghans to meet basal human requirements, like supply of clean water, sanitary supplies, shelter from weather and people, safety during the night and other practical tasks.

The volunteers that supports the hunger striking Afghans have never urged for a hunger strike, and they do not call on the Afghans to continue the hunger strike. This is the Afghan refugees case, and they consider the situation and a possible ending of the hunger strike themselves.

We also refer to SOS Rasisme’s statement regarding this case.