Invitation to The VOICE Forum -Refugee Congress in Duesseldorf
On behalf of the organising committee of the International human
rights week

The events will take place on the 06th to 10th of December 2001 in
the University of Applied Science in Duesseldorf, Germany

The refugee congress will initiate attempts to strenghten an
international network with refugees in Germany and the home
countries for the freedom of political prisoners in the home lands
of the refugees.This is with focus on the political prisoners and
the Human rights abuses in Cameroon and Guinea.

There will be workshops and discussions on countries in Africa and
other continents.There will also be discussions on the human rights
abuses of refugees and their situation in Germany.

The congress will try to bridge the gaps between the acts of
resistance and
solidarity with the victims in relation with the activists and the
refugees in Germany, for the freedom of political prisoners in the
countries of the refugees.

We hope that early confirmation of this invitation will facilitate
the actualisation of the congress programmes and arrangement for
your participation.

Thank you for your co-operation.
Cho Lucas Ayaba, Andrea Schmitz-Faas, Paolo Eyong
Osaren Igbinoba, Gaston Ebua and John Dunn
The VOICE Refugee Congress Committee in Duesseldorf

FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS - ASYLUM IS A HUMAN RIGHT
Political situation and human rights abuses in the home countries of
refugees in Germany.
"Beyond the Border network"

The VOICE Forum Refugee Congress
6th to 10th December 2001
in Duesseldorf at the Fachhochschule
Josef-Gockeln-Str. 9, Duesseldorf-Golzheim

Torture of political prisoners and critics in Cameroon and Guinea
State suppression and execution of political prisoners in Cameroon:
Cameroon has been ruled for over 18 years by a corrupt dictatorship
under Paul Biya Routine repression and extra judicial execution of
critics and opponents. Thousands of opponents of his regime including
human rights activists have either been killed, jailed or forced into
exile.

The Despotic regime in Guinea Conakry: The rule of Lansana Conte for
over 17 years, resistant to any political consultation and dialogue and
who has no interest in the social well being of the Guinean people has
cost the lives of thousands of his opponents. A prominent victim of the
system has been invited to present the Guinea case.

The problems of the refugee countries are still isolated and ignored as
much as the problems of the refugees that are here in exile. People who
fight for socio-political justice, and liberation are persecuted,
tortured and killed all over the world.

The politically corrupt collaboration of western countries with the
dictatorial regimes have hindered to acknowledge public opinion and
resistance of those affected with the human rights abuses in their
countries and in the western states. The struggle for social justice is
undermined and sabotaged with the divide and rule policies of the
imperialist order. This order seeks to maintain political and economic
dominance through unequitable distribution of wealth, the source of
social tension.The solidarity actions against human rights abuses, the
destruction of the environment and the persecution of! the activists in
the countries of the refugees are unreported by the media,
non-governmental organisations NGOs, the international community and the
politicians because of hostile western economic interest. The
neo-colonial strategies of the western countries to suppress the
prisoners political struggle and their resistance for the social
responsibilities of their states and for progressive development towards
equality, exposes the corrupt collaboration and hidden agendas of
western countries to dominate in the refugee countries.

The struggle of the political prisoners can only continue when we
support the prisoners themselves who are confined in the resistance.

We are to unite our resistance with those left behind. Supporting the
resistance of political prisoners is being in the resistance itself.

Referent speakers: refugees, human rights activists and lawyers of
political prisoners are invited to speak about the situation in
following countries:

The Genocide and Western Exploitation in Congo Kinshasa: Millions of
people have been killed, maimed by the western sponsored conflict for
the exploitation of the resources in Congo. The Congolese people are yet
to choose their legitimate government to represent their interest.

The Industrial sponsored war in Angola: Since the struggle between the
communist and the capitalist for the control of Angola, 25 years of war
has completely ruined the country. Landmines have maimed thousands and
opponents of the war of exploitation remain victims of the system.

Demonstration: Saturday, 8th December 2001,
Gustaf-Gruendgens-Platz, Duesseldorf, 12.00 Uhr
Free all political prisoners, Asylum is a human right!
Stop all deportation,
Free movement for all!!

Workshops:

Different workshops and working groups will deliberate on the situation
of political prisoners and persecutions in other countries like:

Guinea Conarkry, Togo, Cameroon, Nigeria, Congo Zaire, Congo Brazaville,
Niger, Algeria, Sierria Leone, Angola, Sudan, Rwanda, Iran, Sri-lanka,
Columbia, Turkey and Nepal Information on the longest mass hungerstrike
of political prisoners in Turkey.

There will be working group and discussion about neo-colonial
globalisation and the Imperialist order with focus on Plan
Colombia (Latin America), Sri-Lanka (Asia) and Afghanistan.

The Situation of Refugees in Deportation Prisons and racist policies in
Germany will be discussed, with special reference to the inhuman
deportation prisons and the Apartheid residential restriction law
"Residenzpflicht" for refugees in Germany. Refugees in Germany are
confined to local districts, and restricted to controls in the camps for
deportation. Refugees are not only persecuted and tortured in the
deportation process, but they can also be deported to countries where
they are at risk of persecution, murder and disappearances.

There will be a working group on the Freedom of movement -against
"Residenzpflicht" and the Caravan for the rights of
refugees and migrants in Germany "without borders": The VOICE Refugee
Forum worked with the International Menschenrechtsverein Bremen who
initiated in 1998, The Caravan for the Rights of Refugees and Migrants
protest tour in 44 cities and towns with discussions and demonstrations
under the motto "We have no vote but we have a VOICE" in Germany.

Refugees, Human rights activists, Critics, ex-prisoners of conscience
and Lawyers of the political prisoners have been invited from the
countries of the refugees to the Congress.

Conferences, Workshops, Working groups, Discussions, Concert, Theatre
and Rally will take place.

Cultural program:

Concert and Music
Theatre of "The Mountain Mourners" from the "Southern Cameroon"
Bongo Blues Percussion
Reading and Poems

Refugees do not have the money to finance this congress or to pay
participation fees, donations are absolutely necessary. The most
urgent need is to finance busses and other means of transportation
because without this refugees will not be able to participate. To
organise the congress money is needed. Refugees from all German
States have already indicated interest to participate. Also groups
are in contact with asylum camps in Thueringen, Hessen, Rheine,
Mainz, Niedersachen, Hamburg, Saschen, Sachen-Anhalt, Bayern,
Baden-Wuerttemberg and Nord-Rhein-Westfalen.

Solidarity Donation:
Zapata e.V., Verwendungszweck: Human Rights Week, Nr. 802217467,
BLZ: 44010046, Postbank Dortmund

Contact:
The VOICE Forum Refugee- and Human Rights Groups in Germany
www.humanrights.de

The VOICE Africa Forum
Schillergaesschen 5
O7745 Jena
Tel.: 03641/665214
Fax: 03641/423795-420270
The_Voice_Jena@gmx.de

The VOICE Africa Forum N.R.W.
Tel.: 0173-7711395
The_Voice_nrw@gmx.de

The VOICE Africa Forum
c/o AStA Fachochschule
Josef-Gockeln-Str 9
40474 Duesseldorf
Tel.: 0173-1761737 o. 0174-3559321
The-Voice-Duesseldorf@gmx.net

The VOICE Africa Forum
Kranichsteinerstr. 81
64289 Darmstadt
Tel: 06151-712365 o. 0175-3267398
Fax: 06151-782438
The_Voice_Darmstadt@hotmail.com

The VOICE Goettingen
The_Voice_Goettingen@gmx.de

The VOICE Berlin
The_Voice_Berlin@gmx.de

The Voice Fluechtlingsforum Kongress von MenschenrechtsaktivistInnen
fuer die Freiheit politischer Gefangener

Menschenrechtswoche vom 6.-10. Dezember 2001

6.12. DonnerstagPressekonferenz11.00
Plenum16.00
Abendessen18.00
Begruessungsrede19.30
gemeinsame Abendveranstaltung21.00

7.12. FreitagFruehstueck 8.30
Arbeitsgruppen10.00
Mittagessen13.00
Arbeitsgruppen14.00
Abendessen17.00-18.00
Podiumsdiskussion18.00
Konzert21.00- 1.00

8.12. SamstagFruehstueck 9.30
Demonstration12.00-16.00
Abendessen17.00
Praesentation der Arbeitsgruppen18.00
Theater20.00

9.12. SonntagFruehstueck 8.30
Plenarsession10.00
Mittagessen13.00-15.00
Auswertung der Veranstaltung
Wie geht's weiter?
Vorbereitung der Pressekonferenz
Vorbereitungen fuer Montag15.00-18.00
Abendessen18.00
gemeinsame Abendveranstaltung19.00

10.12. MontagFruehstueck 9.00
Pressekonferenz11.00-12.00
Strassentheater12.30-15.30

www.terz.org - 26.11.2001