Corona shows: Even though individual people are acutely affected, all problems have an impact on the whole of society. Therefore it should be in the interests of every human to fight against these social evils.
Free health care for everyone!
Neoliberalism and profit-oriented thinking have economized our health care system to pieces. Shut-downs of doctors’ offices and hospitals in rural areas make easy access to health care for everyone nearly impossible – as well as a health care system that does not only split in statutory and private health insurance but is also directly linked to membership fees.
We demand equal health care for everybody requiring it. No more shutting down hospitals! Improved remuneration of nursing specialists doing the major part of the work right now! No decreasing the minimum level of staff! Corona shows that insufficient treatment of individual people cannot be in the interest of a society. Corona does not make a difference between people – neither do we!
Unconditional basic income (that is actually worth its’ name)!
The un- or self employed, temporary employees and many more precariously employed people are now presented with a special challenge. Some have to continue working because they need every single hour to afford life, and are threatened with termination if they fall ill for too long.
On the other hand an increasing number of employees are being handed – more or less openly – termination agreements. Often for threadbare arguments, so affected persons fall through the gaps of an already insufficient help system. We demand a permanent and unconditional basic income for everybody instead of support for large companies or bank loans destroying every future perspective. In times like these we need a solidary, fair society, not a system earning profits on our costs and our health.
Suspension of rents and socialisation of vacant living space
High rents in the cities already are hardly manageable for many people. Especially homeless people are very vulnerable in these times, they don’t have the possibility to retreat for recovery, protection or conservation, let alone apply quarantine measures. Often with loss of housing there goes the loss of health insurance or basic income. And even if we’re still lucky enough to be able to rent an apartment, how are we supposed to pay the rent without any money? Absurdly increased rents imply insolvency of individuals and companies.
We demand the opening of emergency shelters, not only for night- but also for daytime (and providing the necessary monetary funds) as well as the creation of additional institutions for daytime stay! We demand a suspension of rents as well as immediate discontinuation of forced evictions! Vacant living space should finally be made available for those who need it.
Solidarity with refugees!
It is inhuman and irresponsible to coop up refugees in common shelters or to detain them in camps by the European external borders. It is absurd that we are being told to keep 1,5m of distance to one another, when in Greece or Turkey people are being forced not only by the hundreds in tents but are being denied any kind of human right. The isolationist policy of the EU was lethal even before the Corona virus spreading, but now it is a lot more so.
We demand the immediate release and decentralised accommodation of refugees and opening of the EU external borders! Corona does not care about nationalities, we don’t either!
(Pro-)Feministic Organisation!
Women are not only doing the lion’s share of the domestic work incurring with quarantine, but usually the major part of this work weighs upon their shoulders. In addition they have to care for relatives and children (and their schoolwork). It is proven that in exceptional situations – especially if most of the society is confined to their own four walls – domestic violence increases. Now is the time to stick together, to take women and children seriously and to distribute household and care work evenly.
We have to fight so the retreat into the individual four walls is not lethal for people. For expansion of women’s shelters and a guaranteed state support for them!
Our solidarity against conspiracy theories and right-winged smear campaigns!
We are rejecting conspiracy theories that see the manipulation of clandestine forces behind the Corona virus. These theories are not worth being mentioned in detail, but many resort to widely known antisemitic or racist arguments.
We also stand firmly against right-winged agitators using the Corona crisis to play off different groups against each other or to push national isolationist policies forward. Corona does not know national borders, neither do we!
Our help should not result in commercial gain.
We are faced with a dilemma. We wish to help and stand beside each other in solidarity. But the fact that we have to do that with so many basic tasks shows how our state has failed during the last years and has ignored the needs of the people. This does not only concern the Corona virus being a topic since a short time but also state that the global responsibilities have been severely underestimated. It is not limited to doing grocery shopping for elderly neighbours but spreads to economizing our health care system to dysfunctionality. It is not solely about the closing of shops but also about our state encouraging precarious employment.
We help each other, now as much as ever and always in solidarity. This does not mean we have forgotten that this crisis is manmade. The problem is not only the Corona virus, but our system.
With this in mind:
Our solidarity is antiracist and not limited to state borders. We will not be divided: Corona is everywhere – and so are we!