Protest letter against obstruction of the 3rd International Miners Conference
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- Created: Saturday, 01 July 2023 02:14
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To the public German embassy and federal government Belgian Embassy in Congo Dear Ladies and Gentlemen today's nationwide meeting of the militant miners' movement Miners for AUF has learnt that the German and Belgian embassies in Uganda and Congo have delayed or even refused to issue visas for delegates to the 3rd International Miners' Conference, which will be held in Germany from 31.08.2023 to 02.09.2023.
Eugene Badibanga from the Congo has been given an appointment at the Belgian embassy - which is responsible in the Congo for issuing visas to all countries in the Schengen area - for 27 December, i.e. 4 months after the conference. We can only interpret this as an attempt to prevent his participation. Eugene is a member of the International Coordination Group of the militant miners' movement and its Africa coordinator. He represents the FOSYCO trade union. The German embassy in Uganda has even refused a visa for a delegate, although all requirements are fulfilled. We protest strongly against this and we do not accept it! While coal is imported from countries all over the world in Germany, German companies are involved in the brutal mining of coal and other mineral resources and rake in profits, the miners who are exploited in the process and their representatives are to be prevented from uniting internationally. We call on the German embassy and the German government: Issue the visas immediately! Stop obstructing the entry of the participants of the 3rd International Miners' Conference from Congo, Uganda and elsewhere! Unanimously decided on 24.6.23 by 34 representatives of the miners for AUF city groups and preparatory groups for the 3rd International Miners' Conference from all over Germany.