Christmas message2015/Refugees, a tale of centuries
CHRISTMAS MESSAGE 2015/REFUGEES, A TALE OF CENTURIES
SEE ALSO
http://www.astridessed.nl/christmas-message-2015refugees-a-tale-of-centuries/
On the flight.
A man, his wife and his newborn child.
Barely escaped from the athorities, who wanted to
kill them, to hunt them down.
Escaped from a war zone, where the right to life is a joke.
Poor.
Unheard.
Nothing they could take with them.
But they have nothing anyway.
Barefoot they arrive.
But where they are, it’s warm and they can wait there untill their own
country is safe again.
Or they can build up a life in this new country.
Their choice.
And that’s how it should be.
THIS FAMILY IS LUCKY
Where they are, they can stay.
No immigration service, no border control, no
Frontex (1), nothing at all.
And when they hear that their country is safe, they return.
Voluntarily.
Because they are rooted in their country.
Because they were forced to leave behind their father. mother, brothers
and sisters, grandparents, who they love and who they
wish to see again.
THIS FAMILY IS LUCKY
Many flee and never see their family again.
THIS FAMILY WAS LUCKY, YES
Haven’t they found a safe shelter, the Christmas Story
had never been told. (2)
And there hadn’t been Hope for millions of people!
Had this Family lived in this time, BET YOUR LIFE, that they
were not believed and deported with the help of
airline companies like KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines) (3), as many
refugees were, who were tortured and killed in their country, when they are deported. (4)
Because the authorities didn´t believe their story. (5)
Happily for us, the Christmas Story happened 2000 years ago, because otherwise...... (6)
BACK TO THESE TIMES/REFUGEES
Back to the present and the ’’flow’’ of refugees, who have come to
the Netherlands this year, 2015.
The term ’’flow’’ and still more hateful ’’invasion’’ are from the mouths of
demagocic and xenophobic politicians, who consider refugees as a ’’burden’’
or a ’’threath’’ to the Dutch culture. (7)
For BET YOUR LIFE, when the refugees were big shots with a lot
of money in their pocket, or famous writers or artists, the red carpet would have
been rolled out.
You remember State Secretary of Justice and Refugees Teeven, who
wanted to ’’sell’’ a Dutch residency permit to rich foreigners? (8)
But thoes big shots don’t need the Netherlands at all! (9)
Given the xenofobic climate in Europe, you can’t blame them!
But for those other refugees, from Syria, Eritrea and all the other
warzones, there is no choice.
They have to come to Europe, whether they like it or not.
It’s just like the Jews, back to the thirty years of the former century:
The rich ones could escape to the USA, where they were safe.
The poor had to stay in evil Nazi Germany or had to flee
into Europe, with all the desesastrous consequences. (10)
And let’s not forget, that in the course of the thirties, either the USA,
or Europe wanted to shelter Jewish refugees anymore! (11)
And so politicians played poker with the lives of refugees.
People who have a right to a safe shelter, regardless their
descent of where they come from.
BACK TO THE ’’FLOW’’ OF REFUGEES IN THE NETHERLANDS/2015
After an initial heartwarming welcome (and make no mistake, thousands
of people still welcome the refugees!), the evil setback:
The extreme right wing PVV leader G Wilders (12) began to
sow hatred by invoking ’’resistance’’ against the coming of refugees and travelled across the country to incite the population
against the refugees. (13)
Alas it had succes in little towns like Steenbergen, Woerden, Pannerden,
Geldermalsen and the little town Oranje. (14)
Violent stormings of municipal houses, assaults on refugee shelters,
two attacks on Somali refugee families (In Steenbergen and Pannerden) and so on. (15)
Wilders walks hand in hand with right wing and anti Islam movement
Pegida, which is closely connected with all sorts of Dutch and
German neo nazi movements. (16)
Together they have the goal to attack the refugees, muslims and
non western conmmunities.
It is very, very dangerous, since neo nazi gangs openly participate
in the attacks on refugees in cities like Steenbergen, Woerden, Pannerden,
Geldermalsen.
Neo nazi gangsters attacked a Somali family in Steenbergen and Pannerden.
(17)
Dark clouds above the Netherlands.
BUT THERE ALSO IS RESISTANCE AGAINST RACISM AND
FASCISM!
From christians, Jews and muslims.
Anarchists and other .leftist progressive
people, who are blocking Pegida demonstrations
and are not afraid to seek the confrontation.
’’Common’’ people who help and support refugees.
Or simple show their solidarity!
Like the support the people in Pannerden gave the Somali
family, whose house was firebombed by neo nazi’s. (18)
Heartwarming!
CRUELTY AND GOOD WILL
It looks very unheimlich.
But it is NOT hopeless.
At one side cruelty:
Racism, fascist attacks, Islamophobia,
xenophobia.
But at the other hand:
People of Good Will:
And there are enough of them!
Only they must come together, must be organized
and not let themselves intimidated by the hatred mongers.
And there are enough people who refuse to bow
for Evil!
200 years ago the powers that be failed in
killing the Child and His parents.
Let’s show in these times, that evil racism and fascism
don’t have the last word.
That a world of peace and equality for everyone is possible.
I wish everyone a Blessed, Good and Merry Christmas.
Astrid Essed
NOTES
NOTES
(1)
FRONTEX
WIKIPEDIA
FRONTEX
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frontex
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
THE EU´S DIRTY HANDS
21 SEPTEMBER 2011
FACE THE FACES OF DEATH! THE MEDITERRANEAN TRAGEDY
CALLED FRONTEX
JOKE KAVIAAR
9 OCTOBER 2013
https://jokekaviaar.nl/faces-of-death-of-Frontex.html
(2)
’’
The Flight into Egypt
13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”
14 When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, 15 and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”[a]’’
THE NEW TESTIMONY
MATTHEW 3: 13-15
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+2%3A13-15&version=NKJV
(3)
KLM COMPLICITY WITH THE DEPORTATION OF
MR F.M. AMIRI TO UNSAFE AFGHANISTAN/LETTER
TO KLM
ASTRID ESSED
4 JANUARY 2015
KLM COMPLICITY WITH THE DEPORTATION OF AN
AFGHAN FAMILY TO UNSAFE AND DANGEROUS AFGHANISTAN/
LETTER TO THE KLM
ASTRID ESSED
10 APRIL 2013
(4)
´´A 60-year-old Afghan man who was deported back to Afghanistan in 2006 after a five-year battle to stay in the Netherlands has been murdered in Kabul by the Taliban, the Telegraaf reports on Wednesday.´´
DUTCHNEWS.NL
FAILED ASYLUMSEEKER KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN
23 FEBRUARY 2011
http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2011/02/failed_asylum_seeker_killed_in/
(5)
´´A 60-year-old Afghan man who was deported back to Afghanistan in 2006 after a five-year battle to stay in the Netherlands has been murdered in Kabul by the Taliban, the Telegraaf reports on Wednesday. The paper says the man was killed last September, but his death has only just been made public. Nezam Azimi was a known opponent of the Taliban but was refused permission to stay in the Netherlands by the then immigration minister Rita Verdonk.´´
DUTCHNEWS.NL
FAILED ASYLUMSEEKER KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN
23 FEBRUARY 2011
http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2011/02/failed_asylum_seeker_killed_in/
(6)
The Flight into Egypt
13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”
THE NEW TESTIMONY
MATTHEW 3: 13-15
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+2%3A13-15&version=NKJV
(7)
DUTCHNEWS.NL
’’In the short term, the cabinet will agreed with efforts by the European Commission to spread the flow of refugees into Greece, Hungary and Italy around Europe if there is enough support for the Dutch position, prime minister Mark Rutte said.’’
PRIME MINISTER FIRM ON DUTCH REFUGEE PLAN, EXPECTS EU
SUPPORT
10 SEPTEMBER 2015
’’Earlier in the debate, Geert Wilders, leader of the anti-immigration PVV drew fire from other MPs for describing the influx of refugees to Europe as an ‘Islamic invasion’ of ‘men with beards’ and said that all refugees who try to reach Europe are economic migrants.’’
PRIME MINISTER FIRM ON DUTCH REFUGEE PLAN, EXPECTS EU
SUPPORT
10 SEPTEMBER 2015
(8)
DUTCHNEWS.NL
RICH FOREIGNERS CAN ’’BUY’’ A DUTCH RESIDENCY PERMIT
FOR 1,25 M
20 SEPTEMBER 2013
http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2013/09/rich_foreigners_can_buy_a_dutc/
(9)
DUTCHNEWS.NL
DUTCH EFFORTS TO SELL RESIDENCY PERMITS
TO RICH FOREIGNERS FLOP
27 NOVEMBER 2014
(10)
WIKIPEDIA
THE HOLOCAUST
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Holocaust
(11)
THE WASHINGTON POST
EUROPE’S FEAR OF MUSLIM REFUGEES ECHOES
RHETORIC OF 1930’S ANTI SEMITISM
2 SEPTEMBER 2015
HOW AMERICA’S REJECTION OF JEWS FLEEING NAZI GERMANY
HAUNTS OUR REFUGEE POLICY TODAY
19 NOVEMBER 2015
http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2015/11/19/9760060/refugees-history-holocaust
(12)
A TSUNAMI OF RACISM/POLITICAL VIEWS
OF MR WILDERS
ASTRID ESSED
30 APRIL 2007
https://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/world/2007/04/369132.html
(13)
DUTCH POPULIST WILDERS SEEKS HALT
TO ’’ISLAMIC INVASION’’
10 NOVEMBER 2015
http://tribune.com.pk/story/988708/dutch-populist-wilders-seeks-halt-to-islamic-invasion/
(14)
DUTCHNEWS.NL
BRABANT TOWN LEADS ’’RESISTANCE’’,
STEENBERGEN PROTESTS AT REFUGEE PLANS
22 OCTOBER 2015
ASYLUM RESCUE CENTER ATTACKED:
CONCERNS RAISED, ARRESTS MADE
13 OCTOBER 2015
http://www.nltimes.nl/2015/10/13/asylum-rescue-center-attacked-concerns-raised-arrests-made/
’’The community of Pannerden rallied around the Somali family in the town who was the target of a racist attack last. The family’s home was pelted with fireworks on Thursday. The perpetrators left a flyer stuck on the front door showing a picture of PVV leader Geert Wilders and the words: “White is better, own nation first! Immigrants must go! This is just the beginning’’
COMMUNITY RALLIES FOR SOMALI FAMILY HIT IN RACIST ATTACK
21 DECEMBER 2015
http://www.nltimes.nl/2015/12/21/community-rallies-for-somali-family-hit-in-racist-attack/
THE GUARDIAN
DUTCH PROTESTERS CLASH WITH POLICE OVER
REFUGEE CENTRE
http://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2015/dec/17/dutch-protesters-clash-police-refugees-video
JUSTICE MIN DISAPPOINTED VILLAGERS ATTACK DEPUTY’S CAR
7 OCTOBER 2015
http://www.nltimes.nl/2015/10/07/justice-min-disappointed-villagers-attacked-deputys-car/
(15)
SEE NOTE 14
(16)
’’The infamous Geert Wilders, Dutch MP and leader of the islamophobic “Freedom Party” attended a Pegida demonstration in Dresden.’’
DOORBRAAK.EU
EUROPE’S RIGHT WING ’’CIVIL WAR’’ AGAINST REFUGEES
27 OCTOBER 2015
http://www.doorbraak.eu/europes-right-wing-civil-war-against-refugees/
WIKIPEDIA
PEGIDA
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pegida
(17)
’’The community of Pannerden rallied around the Somali family in the town who was the target of a racist attack last. The family’s home was pelted with fireworks on Thursday. The perpetrators left a flyer stuck on the front door showing a picture of PVV leader Geert Wilders and the words: “White is better, own nation first! Immigrants must go! This is just the beginning’’
COMMUNITY RALLIES FOR SOMALI FAMILY HIT IN RACIST ATTACK
21 DECEMBER 2015
http://www.nltimes.nl/2015/12/21/community-rallies-for-somali-family-hit-in-racist-attack/
(18)
’’The community of Pannerden rallied around the Somali family in the town who was the target of a racist attack last. The family’s home was pelted with fireworks on Thursday. The perpetrators left a flyer stuck on the front door showing a picture of PVV leader Geert Wilders and the words: “White is better, own nation first! Immigrants must go! This is just the beginning’’
COMMUNITY RALLIES FOR SOMALI FAMILY HIT IN RACIST ATTACK
21 DECEMBER 2015
http://www.nltimes.nl/2015/12/21/community-rallies-for-somali-family-hit-in-racist-attack/