27 January commemoration of liberation of Auschwitz
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From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2000 14:07:48 +0200 (EET)
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Subject: 27 January commemoration of liberation of Auschwitz
From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Original sender: Eldar Zeynalov <[email protected]>
E-NEWS: 27 January commemoration of liberation of Auschwitz
E-NEWS 26/01/00
27 January 2000: 55 years after Auschwitz was liberated fascist
violence threatens to regain the streets anti-fascism is being
criminalised
Anti-fascists clearly see big differences between the governments of
today and the one in Nazi Germany, however it is easy to compare
certain aspects of our societies to the situation in 1938. Refugees
have nowhere to turn to. Violence against minorities is becoming
commonplace, especially against Roma. The extreme right is gaining
power in the democratic arena and anti-fascists and human rights
activists are being criminalised.
On 27 January all over Europe the liberation of the Auschwitz
extermination camp is commemorated. We say "Never Again" on this day.
"Never Again" against the murdering of people because of their 'race',
"Never Again" against shutting people out because of their sexual
orientation, their religion, their disability. It was typical for
fascism to divide citizens into categories. Minorities were separated
from the rest of society and were blamed for everything that had gone
wrong in society. We cannot afford to let that happen again. Everyone
has a role to play and a contribution to make to the struggle against
intolerance, according to their own skills and ambitions.
In Sweden thousands of people assembled in the largest cities to
protest against the murders of several anti-fascists, among which an
active trade union member. In several countries activists
commemorating the "Kristallnacht" pogrom on 9 November were met with
counter-actions from extreme-right sympathisers and neo-fascists. For
many Roma, gays and lesbians, black and ethnic minorities as well as
active anti-fascists, the daily reality has become a very threatening
one.
All over Europe people are being criminalised for deeds that until
recently would have been seen as acts of friendship, solidarity or
just plain humanity. Especially where undocumented people are
concerned, laws have become more and more restrictive. Hospitality
without asking for residency papers is illegal. Transporting people in
your taxi that could possibly be "illegal migrants" is punished.
Several of our colleagues from Berlin have recently been arrested on
charges of terrorism. We fear that these arrests were aimed at
weakening the activists community. We fear for the rights of the human
rights defenders.
UNITED for Intercultural Action, European network against nationalism,
racism, fascism and in support of migrants and refugees unites more
than 500 organisations from 49 European countries in the struggle for
an open society, where there is no place for intolerance and
discrimination.
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For more information, contact Saskia Daru at the UNITED secretariat
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Silence kills: Resist against intolerance!
27 January 2000: Commemoration of the liberation of Auschwitz
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UNITED for Intercultural Action
European network against nationalism, racism, fascism
and in support of migrants and refugees
PB 413, NL-1000 AK Amsterdam
phone +31-20-6834778, fax +31-20-6834582
e-mail [email protected] website
http://www.united.non-profit.nl
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Anti-Racism Europe
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