Aguascalientes in the refugee centre Vič!

Association Political Laboratory, Aguascalientes and Gmajna Films, together with the Bosnian Refugee Committee, are organizing an open-air concert in the refugee centre, on Sunday, the 12th of May, starting from the early afternoon until dark. There are several reasons for this event. The year 2002 means the 10th year of the beginning of the war in Bosnia, which caused not only the death of at least 200.000 persons, but also a significant amount of Bosnian refugees, mostly women and children, which saved their lives, but lost everything else. It is estimated that around 200.000 refugees from Bosnia fled to Slovenia from 1992 onward, where they received help mostly from international humanitarian organisations. The Slovenian government, in it’s efforts to distance itself from “Balkans”, the separation of Yugoslavia and all the tragic consequences of that process, never showed any empathy or particular interest for the destiny of the refugees. On the contrary, the Slovenian government literally invented a new category called “temporary harbour”, a status never used before and that gives absolutely no rights. Only three persons received the status of the refugee. The 2000 people that are still in Slovenia in various centres throughout the country have no right to work, no social or health security, no possibilities of integration. Children are visiting Slovenian schools and faculties and build new social relations, but have no right to employment after finishing their studies. Even the children that were born in refugee camps have no additional rights. Their existence depends on humanitarian help; the only source of the improvement of living conditions is clandestine work. Of course this “illegal” activity can be sanctioned with the expulsion from Slovenia. The Slovenian government that until recently guaranteed the right to survive but at the same time denied the right to live, has now decided to throw the refugees out from the centres. The proposed solution for them is supposed to be “private arrangement” or “return to the origin country”. Of course the government does not explain, how can people with no status and rights earn the money for “private arrangements”, who will take half illegal people into his apartment (even if they can pay) or to where shall these people, mostly from Republika Srbska, return. 

The concert is a part of a broader activity in our efforts to help the refugees to express their desires and needs, to become the subjects in the processes concerning their faith and future. Trough that we are initiating the movement of new public spaces that is going to resist politics of exclusion, paternalism and dependence; a movement that would transcend the power lines of divisions and contribute to the process of the building of the society from bellow.

The concert will try to bring music for all generations, including Balkan Babau from Trieste, rap improvisations, the Association for Slovene-Bosnian friendship will perform traditional songs and dances from Bosnia, a rock band from east Slovenia, theatre…. You are invited to form an equip for the football marathon with the cup of the “temporary winner”.

I KAPAK!

Contact us: zapata@volja.net