"You shall know that no one is illegal. It is a contradiction
in itself. People can be beautiful or even more beautiful. They may be
just or unjust. But illegal? How can someone be illegal?" (Elie
Wiesel)
***** Then Eurydice said: All these homeless people. No space
for their time. What then, mon ami, what shall we do with this pack of
hands, this handful of dust to dust?
And she heard:
Migrants and refugees are not wanted in Europe. Here it is nearly
impossible for them to find a legal form of refuge or immigration, so
crossing state borders will always be an "illegal" offence and often
entail risking ones life. An "illegal" person is someone who stays
even though it isnt permitted or accepted. The possibilities of
immigration or residence are systematically reduced. Thus an ever increasing number of people is forced into illegality.
Borders do not only separate territories, they separate people.
Borders exist everywhere: at social welfare centres, at stations, in
city centres as well as at the state border. Wherever people have to
prove their identity there is the border.
And Orpheus said: Look at all this it is the real world impinging
on us. We have to become multiple to make space for everyone.
The only solutions will be to make rights and space linked linked linked,
just like we need to make a new Biology of Love.
Living without rights, security or legality means constant fear of
denunciation and blackmail, because the consequences of being found
out are punishment, remand pending deportation or immediate
deportation. One has no protection or rights face to face with
authorities, employers and landlords, but also in cases of illness,
accidents or encroachment. Social contacts become a frightening risk.
Children cannot attend school or kindergarten, young people are
deprived of education and training. One has to watch out all the time.
And Eurydice said then we can make differance a perpetual state of
movement for the whole of the human race, and we can end death.
In the fight against racism it is becoming more and more important to
give political and practical support to migrants in their battle for
legalisation and their right to have any rights at all. All people
have the right to decide for themselves where and how they want to
live. Respecting human rights for every human being regardless of
their origin or identity means that the regulation of migration and
the systematic denial of rights go against the demand for equality in
all socially and politically relevant areas.
Then all the families of the world will be one hand, and the
silent voices of the dead will speak with the living and an architecture
of celebration will spread throughout the vast canopy of the earth.
It would not end all misery, but at least isolation would have a global
context beyond hunger and the earth.
Then Orpheus and Eurydice heard the voices of the kids of the
world laugh past death and they called out:
For these reasons we are calling for the support of migrants on entry
and the continuation of their journey. We are calling for the
provision of work and identity papers for migrants. We are calling for
the supply of medical care, education and training, accommodation and
material survival.
Because no one is illegal.
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