In Edgelanders, the artists build a case for a tribunal against the city of Amsterdam to hold it to its ethical image and legal obligations. Leading up to this tribunal, the artists have presented Part I: The Background in the Amsterdam Museum and Part II: The Hearing at Podium Mozaïek.
At de Appel they will present Part III: The Witnesses, where visitors are invited to listen to the experiences of undocumented refugees through a variety of audio-visual material in a designed spatial environment. Against the backdrop of an increasingly dilapidated garage on the outskirts of Amsterdam Southeast, a group of undocumented people sought refuge. Their plight caught the attention of lawyer and activist Pim Fischer, who fearlessly championed their cause and took the city of Amsterdam to court to enforce their basic human right to shelter. The judge ordered Amsterdam to provide shelter with unconditional access to Bed, Bath and Bread.
In a determined pursuit of justice, the fight extended to the national level when the state itself was sued for failing to make the necessary commitment. In a landmark decision, the EU court ruled in favour of the plaintiffs and ordered the provision of unconditional access to shelters throughout the country. As the facilities were built, there was a glimmer of hope for those in desperate need. However, the Council of State interjected a condition, the elusive fourth “B”—“Begeleiding” in Dutch, meaning “bearing” or “orientation”. It meant that the use of the shelters was conditional on the participation of undocumented people in a repatriation orientation programme, to be completed within a year. This condition highlighted the complexity of the situation, where the pursuit of basic human rights became entangled in bureaucratic mandates. A lack of moral and ethical considerations from the side of the national government gave rise to the apparent dichotomy between the provision of shelter and the demand for repatriation.
