By Sarah Lafen

Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Europe

BERLIN, Germany —  A federal government report released by the German government warns of unrest in Eastern Germany due to far-right violence as the product of “xenophobia and racist attacks.”  The report warns that the line between protests and violence is becoming too blurred, and that the increasing violence tarnishes the reputation of East Germany as a place to do business.  Through the report, the German government urges civil society to take a stronger stand against anti-migrant demonstrations.

Within the past year, attacks on refugees residing in East Germany have increased dramatically, including riots and arson attacks on refugee shelters.  Far right-motivated violence was far more prevalent in Eastern Germany last year, at a rate of 58.7 average occurrences per one million inhabitants.  This figure was significantly higher than the rate of 10.5 average occurrences per one million inhabitants in Western Germany.  The attacks are most commonly carried out in the Eastern German states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

In 2015, Germany accepted over 1 million refugees into the country.  This movement increased support for the anti-immigrant party Alternative for Germany (AfD), which is represented in all of the eastern federal states.  AfD is also known for their criticisms of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s “open-door policy” toward asylum-seeking refugees.

Iris Gleicke, the federal government’s Commissioner for Eastern German Affairs, considers right-wing extremism to pose a “very seirous threat” to the social and economic development of new German states.  Gelicke, who grew up in Eastern Germany, stated that “Society should not look away when people are attacked or refugee shelters are set on fire. A lot is on the line for east Germany.”  On recent trips to Japan and California in attempt to draw investments into Eastern Germany, Gleicke claims that there was concern about whether their staff would be welcome in the Eastern German states, and whether or not their investments would be safe there.

Merkel recently expressed her regret for losing control over the refugee situation in Germany, stating that she wishes she could “turn back time” to better prepare the country for the influx of migrants.  Merkel’s statements come in the wake of her conservative’s party second electoral defeat within the last two weeks, as voters rejected her open-door policy towards refugees.

 

For more information, please see:

The Huffington Post — German Government Fears Xenophobia Will do Economic Harm — 21 September 2016

Independent — Angela Merkel Admits she Lost Control of Refugee Crisis in Germany and Would ‘Turn Back Time’ if she Could — 21 September 2016

Newsweek — Far-Right Violence ‘Threatens East German Economy — 21 September 2016

VOA News — German Government Warns Against Rising Xenophobia — 21 September 2016

By Sarah Lafen

Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Europe

 

PARIS, France —  Construction will soon begin on a wall in the French city of Calais in order to prevent migrant refugees from entering the UK from France.  Calais is currently home to a migrant refugee camp known as “the jungle” which is known for its unsanitary living conditions.  Many of the migrants living in the camp refuse to register as refugees in France, because their preferred final destination is Britain.

The wall will be 13 feet high, run one kilometer long, and will cost an estimated $23 million to build.  The UK is funding the construction of the wall, while France is choosing the measures through which it is completed.  Set to be built in two sections on either side of the road, one of the goals of the wall is to protect lorries and other vehicles traveling in the area from migrants’ attempts to intercept the vehicles and climb aboard.  The wall will be constructed with smooth concrete in hopes of making it harder to climb, and will be landscaped with plants around it in an attempt to reduce its visual impact on the surrounding neighborhoods.

The wall is a joint project between Britain and France, and is one of many attempts at addressing security concerns and general displeasure with the migrant camp located on the English Channel, less than 30 miles away from the English port of Dover.  In addition to the construction of the wall, security measures have increased around the Channel Tunnel, making it more difficult for migrants to sneak on to ferries or trains which are traveling across the English Channel.

Local residents and groups question the effectiveness of the wall.  François Guennoc of Auberge des Migrants, a French aid group currently working in Calais, predicts that the wall will “just result in people going further to get round it.”  Richard Burnett, Chief Executive of the Road Haulage Association, called the construction of the wall a “poor use of taxpayers’ money,” and believes that that money would be better used on increased security in the surrounding area.

After visiting the camp last week, French Interior Minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, announced that French authorities would eventually completely dismantle the camp, however did not specify when.

Construction of the wall is expected to begin this month, and end by the end of this year.

 

For more information, please see:

BBC — Calais Migrants: Work to Start on UK-Funded Wall — 7 September 2016

CNN — Calais Wall: UK to Build ‘Big New Wall’ in Calais to Stop Migrants — 7 September 2016

The Guardian — UK Immigration Minister Confirms Work to Start on £1.9m Calais Wall — 7 September 2016

NY Times — Britain and France to Begin Work on Wall Near Calais to Keep Migrants from Channel Tunnel — 7 September 2016

By Sarah Lafen

Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Europe

KIEV, Ukraine — The Ukrainian government has announced that it is planning to ban certain Russian artists from next year’s Eurovision Song Contest, which will be held in Kiev, Ukraine in May 2017.  Ukraine is in the middle of an economic recession, however plans to spend $49 million on the competition through renovations to the host venue.

This past year, a Ukrainian citizen named Jamala won the competition with a song about deportations of Crimean Tatar’s under the rule of Joseph Stalin.  Crimean Tatars are ethnic Muslims who were accused by Stalin of collaborating with the Nazis.  Stalin had them transported in cattle cars from Crimea to remote regions of the Soviet Union.

Ukrainian Culture Minister Yevhen Nyshchuk said that Russian singers who have been blacklisted by Ukrainian state security for supporting the separatist cause between Russia and Crimea would be banned from the competition if Russia chose them to compete.  He noted that there are “many decent artists” in Russia who understand peace, however warns that Russia is capable of finding the would-be blacklisted singers and pushing them to win local competitions, which might lead to their entry in Eurovision.  Nyshchuk would consider this action by Russia to be a “deliberate provocation.”

Anton Gerashchenko, a parliament member for the ruling party in Ukraine, wishes to uphold the ban against Russian media as well, stating that it is for “Ukraine to decide” whether to block certain Russian media groups from covering the competition.

There are currently 10 Russian singers and actors whose work has been banned from Ukrainian media for its support of the Crimea annexation and Russian separatists.  Chicherina and Kobzon are two Russian singers who have been banned from physically entering Ukraine for performing songs that support Russia’s position in the Crimea annexation.

Jamala’s song in the 2016 event raised concerns in Moscow that the contest was charged by politics.  For this reason, some Russians have suggested that Russia boycott the 2017 Eurovision altogether.  There is still speculation regarding whether or not Russia will honor the ban, or will try to challenge it and send blacklisted artists to the competition.

 

For more information, please see:

EuroVisionary — Ukraine Confirms Russian Artists Still Banned From Entering 2017 Eurovision — 10 September 2016

ABC — Eurovision: Ukraine Names Names City to Host 2017 Song Contest — 9 September 2016

Reuters — Ukraine to Bar Some Russian Singers After Kiev Chosen to host Eurovision — 9 September 2016

EuroVisionary — Ukraine Threatens Russian Artists to Ban them from Eurovision 2017 — 21 May 2016

By Sarah Lafen

Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Europe

 

LONDON, England — Nine activists of Black Lives Matter UK (BLMUK) staged a protest on a runway of London City Airport in London last Tuesday.  Protestors reportedly swam or traveled via a dinghy across the Thames River from a dock across from the airport in order to reach the runway.  Once on the runway, the protestors constructed themselves into an interlocked tripod formation.

Flights at the airport were suspended until the protesters were arrested and removed from the runway.  According to local police, the seven of the nine protestors were arrested on charges of aggravated trespass, being unlawfully airside, and for breaching the bylaws of the London City Airport.  The remaining two protestors remained interlocked on the runway and continued to engage in negotiations with police officers.

BLMUK stated that London City Airport is planning to expand, which would likely impact the surrounding neighborhoods which are located in a highly deprived part of London.  One reason given by BLMUK for the protest was to highlight the economic disparity between airport travelers and the people who live in the neighborhoods surrounding the airport.  The activist group claims that the airport was “designed for the wealthy,” and compares the salaries of the average London City Airport user (€136,000) to the average population in the surrounding town of Newham (£20,000 or less).

In this same sense, BLMUK provides that the reason for the protest was to “highlight the environmental impact of air travel on the lives of black people locally and globally.”  The group estimates that by 2020, there will be 200 million climate refuges across the world.  They claim that in 2016, 3,176 migrants either died or went missing in the Mediterranean as a result of fleeing conditions they did not create because cheaper, easier, and safer avenues of travel have been blocked or ignored by the UK.

The protest aggravated many affected travelers at London City Airport.  One traveler whose flight was delayed said she understood the purpose of the protest and the concerns surrounding it, but highlighted that there are other ways the group can get their point across without impacting “young families.”  Another set of African American travelers recognizes that “many issues always affect the poorest in society…but it has stopped these two black lives from going on holiday.”

 

For more information, please see:

BBC — Black Lives Matter Protestors Close London City Airport Runway — 6 September 2016

CNN — Black Lives Matter Protesters Removed from London Airport Runway, Police Say — 6 September 2016

The Guardian — Black Lives Matter Protest Stops Flight at London City Airport — 6 September 2016

The Independent — Seven Arrested as Black Lives Matter Protest Hits Flights at London City Airport — 6 September 2016