Totalitarian Statements Harm the Integration

Press Office of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF)- Witten, 3 August 2005


“Totalitarian Statements Harm the Integration”

The Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) criticized the statements of Stefanie Vogelsang, the District President of CDU of Berlin-Neuköln and the member of the Municipality Council, that the ones, who could not speak German, should be expelled from the country: “The immigrant minorities should not be pointed as target in order to have political advantage. Such seeds, which are sowed for short-term advantages, gives the way to totalitarianism.”


The statements of the CDU member, Stefanie Vogelsgang, which appeared in the German press in details, that the immigrants, who could not learn German, should be expelled, were harshly criticized by the ABTTF President, Halit Habipoglu. Mr. Habipoglu evaluated this as a misfortune that the political personalities were making such statements, and pointing at the immigrant minorities as target in order to achieve political advantages before the national elections on 18 September , and said: “As the members of the immigrant minority living in Germany, we are aware that we should of course learn the language of the country where we live as perfect as possible, and I believe that we realize this in the best way. However, the statements of Ms. Vogelsang shows that she speaks without embracing the history of migration. In the history of the migration of workers, which has been going on over half of a century, the immigrants have become longest a part of Germany. It should not been forgotten that these people have been recognized as immigrants only at the beginning of this year.”

Mr. Habipoglu stated that the idea of expelling people, since they could not learn the language, did have no place in the democratic order, and said: “The concerning people are ordinary persons, who were embodied right after their arrival to the mill of industry without any language course or education. It is a sign of judicial ignorance that the expulsion, which could be applied to terrorists or criminal persons, are being proposed for such immigrant persons. Furthermore, such kind of thinking is the real hindrance before the integration of the immigrants in this country.”