Image: Imago | Michael Schick
The escape room initiative aims to ensure that the refugees are allowed to stay in Bremen and are not distributed to other federal states. Today the initiative demonstrates in front of the social welfare office.
Ibrahima Bah has lived in Bremen since March 2020. The young man is from Guinea. He plays in a soccer team in Vegesack, wants to take his B1 test in German and dreams of working as a receptionist in a hotel, he says. But he never comes to rest. He is one of around 40 young refugees who are threatened with relocation. And that although they are not considered healthy enough for it by expert reports or court orders. “Regardless of whether I’m outside or in my room, I’m always stressed because I am waiting at any moment for someone to knock on my door and tell me that I have to leave this accommodation and Bremen.”
It has already happened three times in a similar way. However, he was allowed to return using an urgent application. In September 2021, the Higher Administrative Court, i.e. the highest instance in Bremen, ruled that redistribution should not take place at this point in time. The risk that Ibrahima Bah’s mental state will worsen massively is too great. Even so, the redistribution was not lifted. Because the decision would not justify permanent residence, but only for a certain time, argues the social authority.
What does redistribution actually mean?
Those affected are young men who have stated that they are minors. In court, however, they were classified as of legal age. These people complain against this, and the proceedings often take months. If the lawsuit is then dismissed, redistribution usually follows. To do this, those affected are first brought to an anchor center in Lower Saxony. From there, they should then be distributed evenly to the federal states or deported. The Fluchtraum initiative sees this situation critically: Not only is there a lack of psychological care or adequate care, the fear of deportation also puts additional stress on the already unstable people, says Hannah Dehning, the press spokeswoman for Fluchtraum.
Some of those affected suffer from severe mental illness
Fluchtraum employees regularly experience breakdowns and, in the meantime, also some suicide attempts in connection with the redistribution. “As a youth welfare organization, we cannot answer for such a thing. We consider it very dangerous that psychological certificates are not taken seriously,” said Hannah Dehning.
The association had already contacted the authorities in September to stop the redistribution, but a discussion with the social affairs department did not lead to a solution. “We were shown understanding, but also told that such a solution cannot be found for individuals. However, due to a margin of discretion, it is legally possible to refrain from redistribution.” As a result, the organization collected more than 2,300 signatures from Bremen residents, which should be submitted to the authorities and demand a right of residence for the persons concerned. Since they have not yet been accepted, Escape Room would like to draw attention to the situation with an event in front of the authorities and hand over the signatures personally.
Social authority refers to legal framework
In the opinion of the social authorities, the action makes no sense: “There is no way to deal with something like this in a general way, so it makes no sense to accept these signatures. So we do not accept them because the perspective is not connected with that this can even lead to success, “explains Bernd Schneider, press spokesman for the social welfare authority.
A petition could indeed be discussed by the petitions committee in the citizenry, but the authority would stick to the given legal framework. The authority rejects the allegations of not taking judicial judgments or expert opinions seriously:
We are bound by law and order. Of course, we include all justifications and reports, in our authority and also in court. In each individual case, it must be checked whether the roots have progressed so far that there is a claim to stay here. For the 40 people, however, we cannot simply decide that.
Bernd Schneider, press spokesman for social affairs
Uncertain future
The young man will have to wait and see how the situation continues for Ibrahima Bah. After his traumatizing past, he hopes to be able to arrive soon: “I really want to integrate, but because of the fear of redistribution I have so much stress in me. Stable conditions are necessary to heal the scars of the past and in the To be able to live the present. ” So he continues to hope, together with the other people affected, for a solution that is not redistribution.
This topic in the program:
buten un in, 11. January 2022, 19:30
