Expert opinion: Migration umbrella organization unlawfully in insolvency

The umbrella association of Saxon migrant organizations (DSM) has been unjustly forced into insolvency, according to an expert report commissioned by the East German umbrella association. "It is a precedent with a major political impact," said Eter Hachmann, chairwoman of the umbrella organization of migrant organizations in eastern Germany (DaMOst), at the presentation in Dresden.

The associations in the eastern German states are all facing problems. "We are in a poor financial position, and politically we are being fought rather than supported," said Hachmann. That's why it's important to shed light on the mistakes made back then.

The DSM had destroyed a bridge between the majority society and people with a migration background, said former co-chair Kanwal Sethi. "The DSM was about not just talking about people, but letting them speak for themselves, and unfortunately that no longer exists." He called on the government to provide financial support for the successor association "so that this bridge can be rebuilt as quickly as possible".

Insolvency after criticism from the Court of Auditors

The DSM, in which more than 60 initiatives were organized, had fallen into financial difficulties after the Saxon State Court of Auditors criticized the allocation of funding. As a result, funding that had already been approved was canceled and money was reclaimed from the Sächsische Aufbaubank (SAB). As a result, the association filed for insolvency in spring 2024 due to the threat of insolvency. The state parliament even set up a committee of inquiry into the funding practices of the Ministry of Social Affairs.

According to the expert opinion, the association was unlawfully forced into insolvency, as no criminal misconduct was found. The insolvency is an expression of structural deficits in Saxony and shows the need for reform in the promotion of migrant self-organization.

Resources for legal action are lacking

Hachmann and Sethi do not see the possibility of legal action. In view of the structures that no longer exist, there is a lack of resources, strength and will among those involved, said Sethi. Although defamation of character is punishable by law, legal battles require a lot of money and people who can fight them, added Hachmann. "We lack that at the moment. If we were set up differently, I would have loved to take this path."