Esosa Osabuohien hopes for a better life in Germany than in her home country Nigeria, not only for herself but especially for her children. “I definitely want to stay in Bernried,” she says, referring to the threat of deportation. Esosa is only tolerated in Germany. Since Nigeria is considered a safe country of origin, she has no chance of asylum. But she doesn’t want to go back to Nigeria. Her biggest fear is that her daughter might be circumcised. She couldn’t feel safe. In Nigeria, the family decides, they themselves have no rights. The young woman hesitantly tells her story about her escape, only in part. She hides the negative experiences. Esosa came to Italy as a child. She lived there with her mother for 14 years and begged to survive. Then a man handed her 50 euros and advised her to go to Germany. Everything is better there, he said. Trusting that, Esosa set out. Bernried was the last stop on their long and dangerous flight. Her husband also came to Italy with a tug boat across the Mediterranean and later landed “somewhere in Germany”.
Around 70 citizens, both adults and children, are protesting in the Bernried monastery courtyard against the apparently planned deportation of Nigerian refugees.
(Photo: Franz Xaver Fuchs)
It took a lot of time and effort to bring the family back together, explains Elisabeth Rind-Schmid from the Bernried support group. The initiative organized a vigil against deportation in the monastery courtyard on Wednesday evening. Signs are held up with appeals such as “after six years it’s high time for a right to stay”, “abolish work bans” or “help for voluntary return is an offer to sell the right to protection”. A boy in a stroller wears a heart-shaped sign that reads, “They’re my friends.” The children in school and kindergarten don’t care about the color of their skin. The Bernrieders stick together. Around 70 participants came to demonstrate their solidarity with the families from Nigeria. Roger Wasilewski, coach at SV Bernried, brought the G youth of the football department with him. Two refugee children play there, so “we want to set an example as a team,” he says.
Efosa Emovon, his wife Susan Job and their three children, who have been living in the community on Lake Starnberg for more than six years, are also said to be affected by the deportations.
(Photo: Franz Xaver Fuchs)
Efosa Emovon has been living in Bernried with his wife Susan Job and their three children for six years now. His eldest son received a kidney transplant here; he himself donated the kidney. He found a job as a kitchen hand in the monastery, but his work permit was revoked in the autumn. He doesn’t understand. “I worked and supported my family.” He always tried and did everything to be able to stay here. “He did his job well,” emphasizes Sister Beate Grupp from the Missionary Benedictine Sisters in Bernried. She also cannot understand why Emovon’s work permit was revoked because the family is supposed to leave the country by the end of January at the latest. “It puts them under a lot of pressure, they can’t sleep anymore. They’re afraid they’ll pick them up,” says Nurse Beate. In Nigeria, they don’t even know what to do with their children. Rind-Schmidt from the support group reports on the efforts that those affected made to give their families a future and what fear they have now. Women had reported how they were forced into prostitution in order to be able to pay the money for the smugglers. In their homeland they are forced to have circumcision, although it is officially forbidden in Nigeria. According to Gaby Dorsch from the support group, 80 percent of the Nigerian population have no chance of school or education. There is also no medical care. “It’s not a place where you have a remote chance,” she is convinced.
Elisabeth Rind-Schmid from the circle of supporters is demanding a right to stay for the refugees.
(Photo: Franz Xaver Fuchs)
“For the children who were born in Germany, Germany is their home. They don’t know any other country,” explains Rind-Schmid to the applause of the participants. She hopes that the new government in Berlin will create better opportunities for tolerated people, for example a probationary right of residence for people who have been here for five years and have integrated. Then she asks the Weilheim-Schongau district office to use all discretionary powers so that the Nigerian refugees can stay in Bernried. Rind-Schmid is convinced that the Starnberg District Office has found “a more humane way” in dealing with refugees and appeals to District Administrator Andrea Jochner-Weiss: “Perhaps you can exchange ideas with District Administrator Frey.”
The Weilheim-Schongau district office does not want to know anything about measures, such as deportation, against Nigerian families from Bernried. However, the authorities promised to look into the matter.