Good morning, and thank you all for joining us.
Over the past weeks, the Oplatz Refugees Movement travelled across Germany as part of the “Let Fear Go” Refugee Empowerment Bus Tour. We visited refugee accommodation centres and communities in several federal states, reaching as far as Darmstadt. This tour was not about speaking for refugees. It was about listening to them. We met asylum seekers, refugees, local groups, and community members. We listened to their experiences, their concerns, and their hopes for the future. What we heard was remarkably consistent, regardless of the city we visited.
The strongest message was clear:
Many asylum seekers in Germany are living in fear.
They live with constant uncertainty about their future. Many fear deportations. Others fear violence, discrimination, or being left without protection. Many told us they feel invisible, forgotten, and trapped in a system that often ignores their voices and their humanity. One of the most concerning issues we documented was the lack of transparency surrounding transfers between accommodation centres. People reported being moved from one centre to another without adequate information or preparation. Friends, family members, lawyers, and support networks are often left without knowing where someone has been transferred. This creates unnecessary fear, disrupts legal support, weakens community connections, and increases people’s isolation.
We also observed conditions in several accommodation centres that raise serious human rights concerns. Residents described feeling unsafe because of insufficient security, particularly in facilities housing women and children. Others compared their accommodation to prisons rather than places of protection. We visited overcrowded camps where people are forced to live for long periods under conditions that undermine their dignity, privacy, and mental well-being. At the same time, our journey also showed another reality. In every city we have visited, we met people building solidarity. Refugees, residents, activists, and organisations came together to share experiences, challenge stereotypes, and support one another. These encounters demonstrated that when people meet face to face, fear can be replaced by understanding, cooperation, and hope.
This is why we called the tour “Let Fear Go.” Fear should never define the lives of people seeking safety. Today, we call on policymakers, public authorities, and society as a whole to take these experiences seriously.
We call for:
• Safe, dignified, and humane accommodation for everyone seeking protection.
• Transparent and fair asylum procedures.
• Clear communication regarding transfers between accommodation centres.
• Greater protection for women, children, and vulnerable people.
• The meaningful participation of refugees in decisions that affect their lives.
• Policies that promote inclusion instead of isolation.
The voices we heard throughout this journey are not isolated stories. They reveal systemic challenges that require political action.
The Let Fear Go Bus Tour is only one step.
Our commitment continues. We will continue documenting these realities