Ekbo warns of right -wing populism: refugees in the focus of the debate

Ekbo warns of right -wing populism: refugees in the focus of the debate

"The AfD is talking to the mouth", Dagmar Apel, Integration Commissioner of the Evangelical Church in Berlin-Brandenburg-Silesian Upper Lusatia (EKBO), and denounces the sharp migration debate in Germany. She urges the negative consequences that could have these discussions for refugees.

Berlin - In the middle of the heated discussions about Germany's migration policy, Dagmar Apel, integration officer of the EKBO, raises her voice. She vehemently criticizes that refugees are placed under general suspicion and that the debate is increasingly influenced by right -wing populist tendencies. "It has been extremely unpleasant for weeks that party and power policy is held on the back of migrants, yes, that the AfD is talking to the mouth," she said in an interview with the Evangelische Zeitung.

Apels Appeal: Protection of the fundamental right to asylum

Especially emphasizes Apel that the fundamental right on asylum, which is anchored in the Basic Law, should not be questioned. She emphatically supports the attitude of Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who wants to work for this individual right. "Chancellor Scholz brought the basis of our legal system into conversation and that is right and good," emphasizes Apel.

With a view to recent demands, such as that of Finance Minister Christian Lindner, refugees to delete financial achievements, Apel explains that these measures are unjust and that they would harm people who have fled terror, violence and war. "The proposal punishes all refugees," she criticizes sharply. "A general suspicion is assumed that all migrants are criminal." Instead, she demands that refugees can have their say and tell their stories to reduce prejudices. A positive example of this is the online platform "Amal, Berlin!", On which journalist: Inside from crisis countries report about German society.

illegality of deportations in crisis areas

Special worries Apel the recurring discussions about deportations in crisis areas such as Afghanistan and Syria. "Syria and Afghanistan are uncertain countries," she emphasizes. "There is still war and terror in Syria and human rights are not used in Afghanistan. That's why people flee." Deportations to such countries are therefore not to be justified. Apel is particularly concerned about the situation of women in Afghanistan, which are subject to extreme restrictions under the regime of Taliban. "Many women in Afghanistan and Iran are doing badly. They are completely displaced from the public," continued Apel.

In this context, she also criticizes the recent deportation of 28 offenders to Afghanistan on August 30th. Apel emphasizes that criminals also have human rights and cannot be deported to countries in which they threaten torture and death. "Deportations to Syria and Afghanistan neither ensure more security nor justice, but damage our fundamental rights and our understanding of democracy," she explains.

The tense location of the church asylum also prepares Apel a headache. It reports on violent evacuation of church asylums in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and North Rhine-Westphalia and emphasizes that the situation becomes increasingly critical. "We keep talking here in Berlin and also in Brandenburg with representatives of the responsible authorities to ensure transparency and protection as best as possible," said Apel. Despite the increasing need for church asylum places, these are limited, which further tightens the situation.

Finally, Apel calls on both society and politics to reduce the pressure on refugees and to counter them with more humanity. "The general suspicion is wrong about millions," she warns. Apel's statements are included in a variety of other AfD-critical and migration-friendly statements. At the beginning of June, the EKBO created the legal requirements for the exclusion of AfD politicians from church offices. The Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) is also faced with the challenge of falling membership numbers, a trend that continued in 2023.

- Nag