Community has played its role in an aspect of world history

As local councillor Barbara Beck-Iselin said, looking back to the time three years ago when the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) (as opposed to the canton) announced it would be setting up an asylum-seeker centre in the former military facility at Gubel on the outskirts of Menzingen, there were those locals who were prepared to accept the influx of refugees from Asia and Africa, while there were others who feared for their (own) safety. Fortunately, there was no need for locals to have been so fearful. Indeed, in many ways the local community has benefited from the presence of these refugees. As the centre is about to close, representatives of the state authority involved have praised the organisers and locals for all they did in helping out over the past few years. As Beck-Iselin summed up, “I am proud that our community, which enjoys a reputation for being somewhat conservative, has, together with other helpers, shown that humaneness is very much in evidence here.” Indeed, over the past three years, no fewer than 2,500 asylum-seekers have passed through its gates.

Beck-Iselin, who represents the Green Alternative Party on Menzingen council, said that what had contributed hugely to locals’ fears being allayed was that they were constantly kept informed so openly about everything. For example, information evenings were held and farmers on adjacent land were also kept informed. Furthermore, right from the onset, Beck-Iselin and her councillor colleague Susanne Staub of the CVP party insisted local companies be involved with supplies, with mattresses ordered locally and the Ochsen restaurant providing food. It had not always been easy, but what also helped considerably was that it was not just local authorities who got involved, but many volunteers from the neighbourhood, too. In fact, it was even before the first refugees had arrived that the Zentrum Gubel interest group had been set up to provide support, for example by setting up containers with internet connection, where the asylum-seekers were able to maintain contact with their families and friends in their homelands, something for which they went on to be awarded the Prix Zug.

Also instrumental in allaying locals’ fears was an open day organised in May 2015, enabling them to see exactly how the refugees were being accommodated.

There were the odd problems at the start, not least in relation to the occasional scuffles between some of young men refugees and the increased litter noticed. However, the state authority, the SEM, reacted promptly in organising collection and work for some of the refugees, for example in clearing undergrowth, thanks to the uncomplicated cooperation with the Cantonal Office of Forestry and Wildlife and the asylum-section of Social Services. Indeed, so successful was Menzingen in all this that the SEM decided to mirror its modus operandi at other centres. Beck-Iselin also mentioned the major contributions of two local churches, which set up counselling facilities.

Speaking on behalf of the SEM, Emmanuelle Jaquet von Sury praised all those who had been involved in the centre on the Gubel. “Despite its rather remote location, there have been relatively few problems,” she said as she praised the Zurich Asylum Association (AOZ), which had been in charge of the running of the centre, and also members of the Gubel Interest Group for all they had done, not only on the personal front but also financially to help, and in all the assistance they had given to the AOZ. She added that, with the SEM and the canton of Zug bringing together all those involved, from the various local authorities and council to neighbours and local trade, it had been able to be proved that, once such state asylum-seeker centres were up and running, initial fears had been proved groundless.

Now, after all these years, the association between Menzingen and asylum-seekers is coming to an end. It all made Beck-Iselin wonder about all the dreadful experiences the asylum-seekers, the children in particular, had gone through as they made their hazardous way over the Mediterranean Sea, once the eastern routes to Europe had been closed.

“For a period of three years, Menzingen played its part in an aspect of global history, didn’t it?” she concluded.