Germany: Unity, Justice and Freedom (Satis Shroff)

GERMANY: Unity, Justice and Freedom (Satis Shroff)

The Federal President Joachim Gauck 75, said that the integration of refugees is a bigger task than the re-union of Germany. He encouraged the Germans to accept this challenge in a speech on the occasion of Germany’s Day of Unity.

Asylum Law: Chancellor Merkel (CDU) refused to lower the high standards of the Asylum Law, which hasn’t in any way been touched. What is necessary is a speeding-up of the asylum procedure. Even the SPD doesn’t desire any changes to be made in the Asylum Law of the country, but what the SPD is demanding from the Chancellor is to admit that Germany’s powers are limited in the refugee crisis, and that this influx of refugees can’t go on. It has already almost reached the million mark, which makes it impossible to take in more people.

In this regard, the EU wants to work cooperatively with Turkey to curb the flight of the refugees to Europe, according to which Turkey should control its border with Greece. At the same time, the EU wants intends to finance refugee-camps in Turkey for two million refugees. As an additional incentive, the EU wants to take 500,000 refugees. The Turkish government under Erdogan is facing difficult times with the bomb explosion today that has cost a lot of lives during a demonstration. The Kurdish demonstrators are blaming PM Erdogan and vice versa.

Grown together: Germany has grown together—what actually belonged together, is a well-known and often cited quote from Willy Brandt, who was right. The German President said: ‘Although the process of unity was definitely difficult that most of the people had thought in the euphoria of the years 1989 and 1990.’

Chancellor Merkel in turn went on record as saying:’ We’ve attained a lot, and not yet achieved everything. But in general, the growth is mutual, which belonged together. And Willy Brandt’s words have come true. We’ve also attained that flourishing landscapes are here, the way Helmut Kohl had predicted. And that’s why it’s for me, as before, a day of joy.’

President Vladimir Putin’s views on the Day of German Unity was: ‘ The unity of Germany meant 25 years of the end of the Cold War in Europe and it has opened a new chapter in the relationship between our countries.’

Challenges: President Gauck encouraged the people to carry on without putting aside the fears and anxieties of the others. He spoke of the challenges that Germany had to overcome in the 1990s and which concerned the generations. And now that which doesn’t belong together (refugees) should also grow together. East and West Germany Germans have, nevertheless, the same language, the same culture and history. According to his perspective, it doesn’t matter where you’re from, where you’re going and which political orders you identify yourself with. Even in the case of the historical re-union of the two Germanys there was no precedent, but millions of people took the challenge and overcame it.

In the tents of the 16 Federal States of Germany you were given treat: a choice between a fish-bread from Bremen or a piece of Black Forest cake from Baden-Württemberg. In the Bavarian tent you could attend a seminar on beer and taste it too, and chocolates galore.

Case against pegida: Meanwhile, according to a German Press Agency report, the state attorney has filed a case against Lutz Bachmann, the founder of Pegida-Bündnis, because of his hatred against foreigners (Volksverhetzung). There is evidence in his postings on FB from Autumn 2014, in which Bachmann called foreigners ‘cattle’ (Viehzeug), Gelumpe (tramps) and Dreckspack (dirty pack). Pegida has come out in strength with demonstrations against the Chancellor and the government with banners and posters opposing the war-refugee exodus from Syria and other parts of the world.

Ossies & Wessies attaining a balance: The re-building of the Eastern part of Germany after 25 years of German unity shows a healthy trend. The economic power has been raised, even though it’s stagnating to the extent of 2/3 rd of the west niveau. Despite the investment for the re-building of the former East Germany, the east hasn’t quite caught up with the west part of Germany, the reason being the small economic structure, a low export quota and an equally low research performance in the industry. The jobless quota till September 2015 in the east was 8,7%, which is higher than in the west (5.6%). However, the jobless quota sinks faster than in the west, and the difference between east and west has become smaller. Demography is the key to this problem because in the east there are lesser people in working-age. It might be noted that there was an exodus of young, able people after the reunion.

National identity: Perhaps it would be better for the nation if the rightists revalued the national identity of Germany, which has since long been a country which has needed, and thus allowed, the migration of young prospective workers from all over the world.

It all began, like in the UK, after World War II, when the bombed factories of both nations needed rebuilding, as most of the able men had either died in battle or were invalid or were registered as missing in the killing fields of Stalingrad or elsewhere in Europe. The manpower had to be replenished and the idea of inviting guest-workers from Southern Europe was born, and workers came from Spain, Portugal, Greece, Turkey and Italy. Since Britain was a colonial power, it was easy for them to invite people from the former colonies: Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon), Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan), India and the Caribbean. Now, there are additionally war-refugees from Syria, who make their way across the Greek isles of Lampedusa, Lesbos and Kos via Hungary to Austria, and eventually to Bavaria (Germany) Switzerland and Sweden. A good many Afghans decided to go to Switzerland, when Hungary and the EU countries started controlling their borders.

The refugees come to Europe with high expectations and are confronted with values and norms that are different than their own. It is expected that Germany should share its values not only through definition and its institutions, but also by the public, which has to a great extend really taken place and which is laudable. National identity has to be created in debate and discussion at schools, colleges, the tavern Stammtisch in the communities and everywhere. Citizenship is important for marginalized or newly accepted asylum-seekers who have been recognized by the government and these people who have chosen to live here in Germany must be given the chance to make a claim on the national identity, with as much respect, patience and tolerance, despite the rumblings created by the neo-nazis and the pegida.

Educating the public: The government has an important function in timely educating the public so that racism and other forms of stigmatism through stereotyping identities can be confronted and replaced by a positive politics of mutual respect and inclusion. Being a Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist or a Christian should be accepted as a part of being German within a secular framework. This, and only this, inclusive acceptance of the concept of national identity can assist in clarifying on matters relating to citizenship, mutually shared values and cohesion in the community.

Multiculturalism and the diversity it brings with it is integral to nation-building in Germany, Britain, Canada, Australia, Malaysia and Singapore or elsewhere. It is high time the ethno-religious diversity and bilingual Germans were integrated and incorporated in the process of nation-building, civic inclusion and national identity. This can help the migrants to identify themselves with Germany. Social justice should be the call of the day.

Oh, Bavaria: The Bavarian government under Horst Seehofer (CSU) wants to reduce the number of refugees in Bavaria and wants to file a case in the constitutional court against the present German government. At the same time, Seehofer has brought out an integration packet for refugees who want to remain in Bavaria. 1700 new teachers will have to start working, and there are further 2700 positions in the administration, justice and police. Seehoder said: ‘Education is the gate for a good integration. The packet to be implemented in 2016 bears a volume of 489 million euros. However, the Bavarian Mini And the authorities cannot use force to detain them. They all want to head for Karlsruhe, which is the only place where they can apply for asylum. sterpräsident Seehofer warned, ‘If integration isn’t possible, the main sufferers will be the common people.’ The big aim is to make it possible for people with diverse ethnical and cultural backgrounds to live in an atmosphere of equality and solidarity in Bavaria.

When refugees flee: A good many refugees, who have finally reached Germany, don’t want to live in places that have been allocated for them, such as Villingen and other far-off, rural places. They just disappear from the provisory quarters by taxi, train or bus. The disappearance of refugees has become a matter of daily life for the many social workers. The reason is they aren’t registered anywhere, in none of the computers. And the authorities cannot use force to detain them. They all want to head for Karlsruhe, which is the only place in Baden-Württemberg where they can apply for asylum. They also receive a pocket money of 140 euros for single persons, 252 euros for couples, and 90 euros for every child. If the asylum is granted, then they can bring their family members who are still in Syria. Refugees are also allowed to do a bit of community work for 1,05 euros per hour.

Nevertheless, the impatience among the refugees and complaints are  increasing because the German administration has too much paper work with the refugees.

Endangered refugees: 5300 refugees live at the moment in five provisory posts: 1650 in  Donaueschingen, 1050 in Immendingen, 950 in Villingen. Freiburg has 920 refugees, and Sasbachwalden has 720. The problem is not all refugees are from warn-torn Syria. In Villingen, a Black Forest town, 1/3^rd of the refugees are Syrians and West Balkans, and the rest are from different nations: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Eritrea, Nigeria and Iraq.

It takes weeks to set up the necessary data cables, connect with the Federal computer, make place for the infrastructure and find people to do the new jobs. The pressure on the communities and Landkreis increases. Every day 1,500 new refugees come to Baden-Württemberg.

‘Wir schaffen das. We’ll do it,’ were Chancellor Merkel’s words.

‘We don’t have another choice,’ says a German administrator. Whereas the NPD (rightists) are trying to scare the people with stories about refugees who bring infectious diseases to Germany, the renowned Robert Koch Institute says the opposite. Refugees are not dangerous but are endangered because their immune defence is impaired due to the strenuous and long journey from their Heimat.

Nabbing human-smugglers: The UN Security Council has authorized the EU to take military measures against human-smugglers in the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of Libya. The ships of the smugglers will be intercepted and confiscated, according to the decision made in New York. The refugee-smugglers can be arrest and their voyages will be brought to an end. 14 countries voted for this decision. The exception was Venezuela. The authorization is valid for a year.