Update: 3rd day of tree occupation + four people on hunger strike

Napuli

Napuli currently is alone in a tree at Oranienplatz, where she has spent the last 48 hours. She still doesn't receive neither water nor food. Paramedics are being sent away by the police. The tree she is on as well as a spacious area around it has been fenced off completely. This fence is also surounded by police. She is being cut off from allies who might provide her with food – preventing this is done by all means.

 

According to a police spokesman, her being cut off from food and drink happens on the orders of Monika Herrmann (member of the „Grüne“ party, phone: (0049) (0) 30 / 90 298 23 31, Fax: 030 / 90 298 41 78, monika.herrmann@ba-fk.Berlin.de)

Napuli still demands a conversation with Dilek Kolat, which the latter is still refusing. The two politicans who are being lauded by uncritical media as well as by their fellow party members as the heroines of a nonviolent eviction are risking Napuli's life. They persistently ignore the refugee – she was excluded from the respective negotiations (the one led by Herrmann in autumn 2013 as well as the one led by Kolat in spring 2014). She wasn't the only one, other refugees who have been active since the beginning of the camp were undesirable.

Instead, both politicians instrumentalised the group at Oranienplatz whose moderate (yet of course completely warranted) demands consisted of requesting a humane living space. It couldn't be concealed that not everyone agreed to the trade-off of temporary housing in exchange for the protest camp. Nevertheless, most of media coverage consists of reports of militant allies who begrudge the refugees their luxury four-bed rooms. Napuli's and other refugees' ongoing criticism of the negotiations are being ignored.

Apparently no one is bothered by Ms. Kolat's spreading of obviously fake percentages, either: 80% of all refugees are said to approve of the outcome of the negotiations. However, most of the refugees are living in the Gerhard-Hauptmann-Schule and demonstrably weren't included in the negotiation process in any way, not even via a single delegate from the school.
As one of the results of the negotiations, the refugees were supposed to consent to vacating the school premises. The inhabitants' reaction was an open letter to Ms. Kolat which does not with a single word mention them agreeing to leave. This letter is accessible to the general public. It was translated into German and is unambiguously worded. It is being ignored by Ms. Kolat as well as by almost all politicians and most of the media. Nobody should be surprised as to why refugees are resorting to radical means in order to make their protest visible.

When asked why Napuli can't be provided with food, the officer-in-charge answered that she could come down and eat to her hear's content. But who would listen to her then, who would be interested in the demands of those who want to continue the protests at Oranienplatz? Who will take her seriously, who will support her and her cause? If the activist falls off the tree due to fatigue (she has been without water and wearing wet clothes for 48 hours now), it will be the fault of Kolat (Senatorin@senaif.berlin.de, Tel.: 030 / 9028-0, Fax: 030 / 9028-2056), herrmann, henkel and of all those who want to silence her.

In order to protest Hermann's and Kolat's cold-heartedness, four refugees on the other side of Oranienplatz have started a hunger strike, saying that they „won't eat as long as a dry hunger strike is being forced upon our sister Napuli. We request her being provided with water, food and blankets immediately!“

If you want to form your own opinion of the situation the last person at Oranienplatz is in or if you want to talk to those who hunger strike and find out what they think about Ms. Kolats nonviolent eviction, you should come to Oranienplatz. The four strikers had blankets and sleeping bags confiscated off them last night. If they have to get through another night, they need on-site support! Your solidarity with the strikers, your criticism regarding this so-called democracy with so-called guaranteed fundamental rights is needed!

PS: Not that a lot of us would still believe it, but apparently Hermann, Kolat and Co. Have to be reminded of the following in order to prevent even worse things from happening.

(1) Human dignity shall be inviolable. To respect and protect it shall be the duty of all state authority.
(2) The German people therefore acknowledge inviolable and inalienable human rights as the basis of every community, of peace and of justice in the world.
[quoted from Article 1 of German Grundgesetz, translation according to http://www.iuscomp.org/gla/statutes/GG.htm#1 ]

 

PS 2: Convicts as well as protesters are entitled to these fundamental rights.

 


 

This is an inofficial translation of this post by a non-native speaker: https://asylstrikeberlin.wordpress.com/2014/04/10/update-3-tag-der-baumb...
My heart goes out to Napuli and her comrades.

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Ein aufschlußreiches Interview mit einem der Baumbesetzer_innen vom O-Platz

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0XVYB2mXqE