International Women Space has released a video with an interview with Rita Awour Ojunge ‘s mother
We would like to invite all activists and all those in solidarity and concerned with the problems faced by refugee to travel together with us in a big bus from:
Oranienplatz at 10am to Herzberg Kreisverwaltung and Hohenleipisch
Our rally on the 25.11.2019 the International day for “Elimination against violence against women”, we will travel together from Berlin Oranienplatz to Herzberg Elbe-Elster and remind the city authorities that the closure of the Hohenleipisch lager is long overdue. We will then travel to the Hohenleipisch lager to show solidarity with the refugee living in this isolated lager
The demand for justice for Rita continues. Join us on the 25.11.2019, the International day for „the Elimination of Violence against Women“, to protest on violence against refugee women* and demand the closure in particular of the Hohenleipisch Lager as a first step to abolish all camps. For many years we have been organising activities and raising public awareness on sexual violence and harassment of us refugee women* in the camps.
On 7th of April 2019 our sister Rita Awour Ojunge disappeard leaving behind two small kids. She was 32 years old, from Kenya and had been living in Germany for more than 7 years in the Lager of Hohenleipisch. It took the police 3 months to discover her remains in the forest near the Lager. It took pressure from different sectors to start looking for her despite the reports of many of her friends and neighbours. Up to now, no details surrounding the circumstances of her death have been released officially. But just imagine if Rita would have been a white woman with a German passport.
As refugee women* we are exposed to all kinds of violence from men both inside and outside the Lagers, from fellow refugees, from security personnel, from German citizens living near the isolated camps. Our campaign on women* and children to be removed from the camps and the abolishment of all camps nationwide is very much up-to-date. One of the main reasons is the physical, sexual harassment and violence against women* living in them. Women* living in these isolated camps have been complaining and even going to the extent of reporting some of these cases to the police. So it is not a surprise that now we are talking about a murder case that could have happened inside the camp.
Violence against women*, abuse, harassment are a global phenomenon in this sexist and racist world and that is why the 25.11. was designated as the International day for the Elimination of Violence against Women in order to raise public awareness every day on that date. In Germany and all other European countries the violations and violence against women* is constantly present which is also reflected by the full women shelters. All over the world it is the same fight.
This is why we are asking for your solidarity. Let’s stand up together, no matter which gender, race or religion to join us this year on the 25.11. to travel together with us to Hohenleipisch and continue demanding:
- Justice for Rita
- Make it loud and clear: “No lager for Women* and Children”, “Abolish all Lagers”
- The Lagers in Brandenburg are not a safe place for Women* and children.
- The Lager of Hohenleipisch has to be closed immediately!!!
