Day commemorated for Refugees – 2. October, 1998

Pro Asyl demands a fundamental change in
the policies governing asylum seekers and refugees
A „humanitarian signal“ is expected from the
new Administration

Pro Asyl, a nationwide Human Rights Organisation for Refugees,demands a fundamental change in the policies governing asylum seekers and refugees from the new German Administration.

In commemoration of the Day of the Refugees this coming Friday, spokesperson Heiko Kaufmann looks very much forward to „a new beginning“ in the policies of a Schröder Administration. He holds, „The shaping of a forward-looking society in Germany requires that all people should be treated equally and be able to participate on an equal basis, particularly as regards to their economic, civil, cultural and political rights“.

For this reason, the central demand put forward by Pro Asyl is for a return to the current international standards, governing the rights of refugees, In particular, this means that Germany must unconditionally observe the Geneva Convention on Refugees as well as the European Convention on Human Rights. Furthermore, Germany must comply with all international laws and international agreements relating to the overcoming of all forms of racial discrimination, as well as the United Nation´s Convention on Children´s Rights.

Pro Asyl further considers, that the following points are necessary for establishing a humane right of asylum, and „fundamental protection and minimum standards“ for asylum seekers:

1. Refugee groups which are particularly at risk must be better protected:
   • Women, as victims of prosecution, must find protection in Germany
   • The situation for unaccompanied under-age minors must be improved
   • The special situation of torture victims and those flleeing from civil war must be recognized.
2. In order to solve individual cases as humanely as possible, guidelines establishing what is a case of hardship in German law are required.
3. An end to the inhumane conditions and the current practices of deportaion.
4. The separate treatment of refugees and the denying of their social rights must end.
5. Procedures governing the rights of asylum applicants must follow minimum humane starndards. Protection of the rights of refugees must be guaranteed.
6. Procedures at German airports hindering asylum seekers are to be striken.
7. Length-of-stay guidelines, covering those residing in Germany for more than 5 years, are urgently needed.

Kaufmann adds, „Such length-of-stay guidelines would set a humanitarian signal from the new Adminstration. Not only would it relieve the justice department, it would reflect the actual integration of refugees living so long in Germany“.

Pro Asyl´s position is clearly presented in it´s paper „Mindestanforderungen an ein neues Asylrecht“ (Minimum Demands for a New Asylum Policy“), which has been submitted to leaders of the SPD and Bündnis 90/Die Grünen parliamentary partys, both possible coalition partners in a new German Administration. The paper presents the joint demands arising from numerous Church groups, Trade Unions, welfare organisations, Human Rights organisations as well as the German Commission Justitia et Pax. It establishes the key points required in order to achieve a new policy, which protects the human rights of refugees and asylum seekers.

Kaufmann concludes, „After so many years lost in ideologically-loaded debates surrounding the theme of foreigners and asylum seekers, it is time to expect a signal, marking the beginning of a new humane policy towards asylum seekers and other minorities.“