Declaration by the Almeria immigrants collective.
We, the immigrants associations of Senegal, Mauritiania, Ghana, Guinea Bisau, Guinea Conakry, etc., and the Almeria SOC-SAT, in the face of the lamentable events which occurred this weekend in the 200-flat district of Roquetas del Mar, make the following declaration:
1/ We strongly condemn the murder of Ousmane Kote and demand that the authorities carry out a full investigation of the deeds, and impose the corresponding penal consequences on the person responsable for the homicide.
2/ We denounce any attempt on the part of the authorities or media to connect the victim of the crime, without any proof whatsoever, to drugs questions.
3/ We also strongly condemn the altercations produced after the crime. We affirm that, beyond the legitimate feeling of powerlessness of those attacked, the legal mechanisms for preventing the impunity of those responsible, and for promoting social measures which stop these events re-occurring in the future, should always prevail.
4/ We denounce the delay of more than an hour and a half of the arrival of the police and medical services on the scene. Consequently we demand that the people reponsable are brought to account. If they had acted more rapidly, we would certainly have avoided the events, including the death of the Senegalese worker.
5/ We firmly underline that the real cause of this dreadful situation is non other than the negligence and disinterest of the authorities in this marginalized district with the serious social, cultural and labour security and inclusion problems of its inhabitants.
6/ Once again we denounce the habitual harrassment which the immigrant collective find themselves subjected to, as much by police constables as by private individuals. To this date we still have not received an adequate response on this matter.
We do not accept any generalised negative prejudice made against this collective of immigrant workers which continues to feed the social rejection that already exists.
In conclusion, we demand:
1/ The legal follow-up of both the homicide and the negligent response of the police and health administrations.
2/ The immediate release of the Senegalese workers who have been detained, and an investigation into the events after the crime, with effective guarentees for the persons implicated.
3/ That a discussion table on immigration and marginalisation is urgently created in Roquetas del Mar. This will analyse the exclusion present in the district of 200 flats and other areas of the town, with the aim of getting the neccessary measures moving for real social, cultural and labour integration for the collectives marginalised in this way, as well as effective security for all the collectives.
Roquetas del Mar, 8th September 2008
The collectives
