IndyMedia - Vrij Media Centrum Nederland

Hier kun je discussieren over 25 april: Soli Demo in Utrecht, with immigrants and refugees in AZC Echt and all camps in the Netherlands.
On Wednesday 21 april, an asylum seeker in AZC (Asielzoekers Centrum) Echt caused several injuries and left 2 dead. Bloody pictures spread on the internet and residents and allies called for protests against IND and COA. This act of violence is not an isolated incident and at the root is the inhumane Dutch immigration system, that is a fertile ground for serious mental health issues.

The conditions in which over 400 refugees live in the camp in Echt are very bad, as they are in all the other camps in the Netherlands, that are intentionally located in remote and isolated areas. As they are subjected to endless asylum procedures, the camps function like modern prisons with heavy control, regulation and punishment systems carried out by COA (Centraal Orgaan opvang Asielzoekers). While in the asylum process, refugees are not allowed to work and it’s made impossible for them to start anything close to a dignified life. Access to medical and psychological care is not properly facilitated by COA and their treatment of the people they are supposed to care for is fraught with abuse and manipulation. With waiting times that often take up years, many already traumatized people lose themselves in a spiral of hopelessness and depression and are mostly just left to themselves. As a result, suicide and violent lashing out is a familiar part of daily life in the camps.

AZC Echt was already under the public eye only two months ago, when the refugee Angel ended her life and whose death sparked protest around the country. Nothing has been done with the calls for justice. The AZC’s are inhumane and unsafe places, where people are tucked away from society and their struggle is being silenced and ignored.

We have to stand up against IND and COA, they need to be held accountable for the pain and violence they bring about
No more silence! Shut down the camps! Give all the migrants and refugees the care and safe house they need!

Sunday 25 April
15:00 - 17:00
Paardenveld, Utrecht

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Covid-19 measures:
- please wear a mask
- please respect the 1,5m distance from those outside your household or social circle, always respect each other's space
- sanitize your hands regularly (we will bring some too)
Accessibility info:
The location can be reached when using a wheel chair. There is a public toilet nearby around the skate park and we will bring a few chairs. If you have any questions about anything you need to be able to join the demo, please send us a message and we can figure it out together. There will be an access team present and someone trained in EHBO on standby.