We are calling on all activists, collectives, affinity groups, migrant solidarity initiatives and citizens in the region and all over EuropeCaravan

to join the Open Borders Caravan, starting in Ljubljana on the 26th of September at 10 am, and going to the border at which migrants will be struggling for freedom of movement (depending on where the migrants will be stopped by the police or military), to build solidarity with refugees and migrants and act together for an opening of the borders.

https://www.facebook.com/openborderscaravan?fref=ts

Call: Make Europe, open borders!

Call for a European Open Borders Caravan
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(EN)

Since past weeks a two-fold scene has been catching general attention and will mark the history of Europe. On the one hand, police or even army on EU borders are either violently and aggressively pushing back migrants and their children, that are fleeing away from poverty and wars (that often Western countries have caused or encouraged), or are trying to subject them to authoritarian registration procedures, while aiming to deny them rights allowing full and free life. On the other hand incredible persistence and courage of refugees and migrants driven by desire for freedom and great, self-organized response of grass-roots solidarity expressing that Refugees are welcomed, shape new reality on EU borders, suspending in practice the Schengen rule and Dublin Regulation, border regime often named fortress Europe.

The images that dominate the media are those of migrants in humanitarian need, while they are above all fighting for freedom of movement, resisting the border regimes, and practicing disobedience of the laws that exclude and criminalize them. On their journey to freedom and dignified life they reject to be dumped and forgotten in various detention facilities and remote refugees camps, to become permanently undocumented and illegal subjects trapped in buffer zones. They build and defend social ties and networks, that give power to cross borders and power to get inserted into societies of destination while the state is trying to individualize and isolate them. To stop such movement driven by aspiration for freedom and dignified life, national and European ruling classes are raising fences and walls on the borders, deploying massively police and military, criminalizing solidarity, suspending the rights of refugees and citizens, introducing police state. The attack on freedom of movement affects all the people living in Europe, both EU and non-EU citizens. While the attempts to stop or filter the arrival of refugees and migrants lead to violence and suffering, there are ongoing debates in several EU countries to introduce new obstacles to the freedom of movement of the same EU citizens consolidating growing inequalities and exclusion resulting from dictatorship of austerity.
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It is now the time to act, supporting the movement of refugees, fighting the Europe of technocrats and austerity, and the growing of nationalism and fascism in all the European countries. It is now the time to demand a Europe without borders, of social rights, equality and dignity. For those reasons citizens should stand side by side with refugees and migrants that are neither victims nor villains, but rebels and fighters. It is time to show concrete support for the liberation struggle of refugees and migrants regardless their country of origin. Thus we believe that we must do whatever is in our power to open the borders, to construct paths, corridors and passages. For this reason we call for transnational caravan for open borders.
We are calling on all activists, collectives, affinity groups, migrant solidarity initiatives and citizens in the region and all over Europe to join the Open Borders Caravan, starting in Ljubljana on the 26th of September at 10 am, and going to the border at which migrants will be struggling for freedom of movement (depending on where the migrants will be stopped by the police or military), to build solidarity with refugees and migrants and act together for an opening of the borders.
We also invite everyone to come to Ljubljana one day before, on September 25th, to participate at festival and demonstration for open borders for everyone.
Let’s build the European Open Borders Caravan showing that Europe can be a land of rights and dignity for all despite European Institutions‘ hypocrisy and xenophobic propaganda. Against EU and governments policies, fences, Frontex, deportations and quotas of relocation, our common action wants to open authorized paths for everybody’s safe arrival to desired destinations, full citizenship for all and the end of the Dublin Regulation.

Join us for this cause!
Nothing can stop the will to live and the desire for freedom!

Let’s support all together refugees and migrants!
Because their fight is our fight and their future is our future!

Updates from Berlin

Hello again,

here comes an update for the convoy starting on thursday in Berlin. Now with link to the international call, contact phone number, account for donations and the place of departure. Please forward it to the multitude.

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Leipzig und Wien haben es vorgemacht – von Berlin aus wollen wir es auch tun, koordiniert mit vielen internationalen Freund_innen, Genoss_innen, anderen Fluchthelfer_innen: Nicht mehr zusehen, sondern praktisch unterstützen. Solidarischen Schienenersatzverkehr organisieren!

Während von Willkommenskultur die Rede war, wurde die Abschottung der Grenzen schon vorbereitet. Die bewaffnete Bundespolizei hat die Grenze in Bayern dichtgemacht, während sich die humanitäre Katastrophe im Grenzgebieten von Serbien und Kroation, in den Lagern von Ungarn und entlang der Routen zuspitzt. Die Abschottung wird niemanden von der Flucht abhalten, aber zu mehr Not, Angst und Tod führen. Wir erfahren zur Stunde, wie wenig die warmen Willkommens-Worte der letzten Tage wert sind. Die einzige radikal humane Anwort ist: Fluchthilfe.

Schließen wir uns dem Aufstand gegen das Dublin-System an. Die letzten Wochen haben gezeigt, dass das Grenzregime ins Wanken geraten kann, wenn viele sich nicht aufhalten lassen. Die Schließung der deutschen Grenzen setzt die Abschottung in einem Dominoeffekt bis in die europäische Peripherie fort. Schaffen wir einen Dominoeffekt von Grenzüberwindung, von zivilem Ungehorsam und Menschlickeit!

Konvois aus Wien und Leizpig haben bereits hunderte Menschen auf ihrer Flucht unterstützt. #OpenBorderCaravan soll am Wochenende nun auch von Berlin abreisen. Wir werden koordiniert mit mit vielen Helfer_innen, Unterstützer_innnen und Genoss_innen aus Italien und hoffentlich auch noch weiteren Ländern aufbrechen und ankommen. Es wird ein Konvoi, eine Karawane mit dem Dringendsten, was die Menschen im Grenzgebiet von Kroation, Serbien, Slowenien und entlang der Transitrouten benötigen, sein. Und mit dem Willen, ihre Flucht nach Kräften zu erleichtern.

Von Donnerstagabend (22:00 Uhr) bis Sonntagnacht/Montagmorgen (24.9. bis 27.9.) werden wir unterwegs sein. Von Berlin gen Südosten. Der Konvoi braucht euch, eure Tatkraft und Solidarität. Wenn ihr mitkommen könnt oder ein Auto zur Verfügung stellen, tretet mit uns in Kontakt. Wir benötigen auch dringend Sachspenden: Vor allem Decken, Zelte, warme Kleidung, Schuhe.

Kontakt:
openborders@posteo.de
Caravan Telefon-Nr. 01578-6424265 (ab Donnerstag erreichbar)

Spendenkonto:
Empfänger: Vobik e.V.
Stichwort: Spende OpenBoarderCaravan
DE52 1009 0000 7271 4260 08
BIC: BEVODEBBXXX

Treffpunkt/ Abfahrtsort:
Parkplatz LPG BioMarkt
Mehringdamm 20-30
10961 Berlin
Bitte am Donnerstag um 21:30 Uhr dort sein. Um 22:00 Uhr wollen wir losfahren
Internationaler Aufruf und eine Übersicht über die Konvois aus verschiedenen Städten finden sich hier: https://www.facebook.com/openborderscaravan

Es wird am Mittwoch, den 23.9. dazu ein Vorbereitungstreffen geben: 23.9., 19:30, Vierte Welt, Zentrum Kreuzberg | Galerie 1. OG | Kottbusser Tor. Wegbeschreibung: http://www.viertewelt.de/
vierte-welt.html

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Leipzig and Vienna showed us how to do it – in Berlin we want to follow their example. Together with many international friends, comrades and other people we will help refugees to cross the borders. Instead of only watching, we want to practically support the refugee struggles on the European borders by organizing shuttle service.

While still talking of welcoming culture, the closure of the border was already being prepared. The armed federal police closed the border in Bavaria while the humanitarian catastrophe in the border areas of Serbia and Croatia, in the camps of Hungary and along the transit routes intensified. This closed border policy inside the Fortress Europe will not stop anyone from fleeing, but will lead to even more misery, fear and death. In this moment, it becomes obvious that the warm words of welcome of these last days were of little value. Therefore, our answer can only be practical help to cross the borders!

Let us join this uprising against the Dublin system. The last weeks have shown that the border regime can shake if challenged by the the power of the masses. The closure of the German borders has unleashed a domino effect reaching the European periphery. So let us create a domino effect of border crossing, civil disobedience and humanity.

Convoys from Vienna and Leipzig have already supported hundreds of people on their flight. #OpenBorderCaravan will depart from Berlin this weekend. We will depart and arrive in coordination with supporters and comrades from Italy and hopefully many other places. It will be a convoy, a caravan, carrying things that the people in the border areas of Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia and along the transit routes need most urgently – and carrying the will to to practically facilitate their flight.

We will be on the road heading from Berlin towards South-East Europe from Thursday evening (22:00) until Sunday night/ Monday morning (24.9. – 27.9.). The convoy needs you, your energy and your solidarity. If you can join us or provide a car, please contact us. We also need donations: especially blankets, tents, warm clothes and shoes.

Contact:
openborders@posteo.de
Caravan Phone 01578-6424265 (contactable thursday)

account for donations
Vobik e.V.
keyword: Spende OpenBoarderCaravan
DE52 1009 0000 7271 4260 08
BIC: BEVODEBBXXX

Place of departure:
Parking area LPG BioMarkt
Mehringdamm 20-30
10961 Berlin
Please be there Thursday evening at 9:30pm. We will start at 10pm.

International call and overview over the convoys from different cities, you will find here: https://www.facebook.com/openborderscaravan

A preparation meeting takes place this Wednesday, 23.9., 19:30 at Vierte Welt, Zentrum Kreuzberg | Galerie 1. OG | Kottbusser Tor
Directions: http://www.viertewelt.de/vierte-welt.html