World Migration Newswire Archive

Statewatch News Online, 15 February 2006 (03/06)
Full contents see:  http://www.statewatch.org

World Chechnya Day is intended to commemorate the dignity and resiliance of a people who, against all odds, refused to be erased from existence.

Imagine living on ‘death row’ … in Britain. Being allowed to walk around, but not knowing which day you’ll be seized and sent back to your enemies. This is the story of a failed asylum seeker in Nottingham. He's lived in the shadows for 5 years. He can't stay and he can't go back. What is he to do?

Malian Riot Police stopped a march of WSF participants today, who were on their way to the French embassy to demand the stop of deportations of illegalised migrants from France and Europe. The network NoVox  http://no-vox.org called for the demostration to demand from the French governement papers for all sans-papiers.

The WSF took a strong stance against European migration policies in a variety of meetings called by African, Maghrebian and European NGOS and groups.

Squatters pledge to resist by any means necessary..

Tonight (thursday) the free weekly cinema at the rampART is showing films related to the french riots.

During the last few weeks these riots have been used to fuel race hatred by nationalist and other right wing scum in the hope of gaining power and influence for their fascist agenda.

In France, Le Pen's Front National party has been milking the situation for all it's worth and apparently gaining support. Opinion poll commissioned by the newspaper Le Monde, suggest that only 39 percent of the French now believe that the views of the Front National party, are "unacceptable." That suggests up to 61 percent, now see Le Pen as a legitimate political candidate, along with his policies of compulsory mass expulsion of immigrants, including children born in France.

Moreover, the ideas and resentments that underpin Le Pen's message have become widespread. Nearly three out of four (73%) declared that "the traditional values of France are not adequately protected." while almost two out of three (63%), said that there are too many immigrants in France.

Le Monde also reported another poll organized by France's National Commission for the Rights of Man. It was accompanied by a confidential report to the Minister of the Interior, noting that "the word 'racist' has been liberated." Indeed it appears that the word is no longer used with shame in France. The poll found that 33% of French adults used the word 'racist' to describe themselves (in rural districts the percentage is even higher at 48%!). In the same poll a year ago, only 25 percent would call themselves 'racist.'

The poll showed that the public acceptance of racist attitudes is strongest among men, the elderly, skilled workers, small business people, company heads and workers. The report concludes that, "the end of the taboo against racism is confirmed by the finding that 63 percent of respondents said that certain behavior (by immigrants) can justify racist reactions."

Slightly less than the previous poll, this one reported that 56% thought that there were too many immigrants in France - even immigrants saying the same apparently! France has the highest proportion of immigrants in Europe with some 10 percent of the population, mostly of Islamic backgrounds in North Africa.

Racism appears to be making gains around Europe. In Belgium, the successor to the Vlaams Blok party (a party banned two years ago for it's 'extremism'), has 18% of the vote and is the second largest party in the Flemish parliament. It is also the largest party on Antwerp city where 'Mohammed' is now the most common name in new registrations of births.
 http://www.upi.com/InternationalIntelligence/view.php?StoryID=20051218-092936-9999r

In the UK, the British Nazi Party have also been striving to gain support for their fascist agenda by capitalising on peoples fear after the french riots.  http://www.bnp.org.uk/columnists/brimstone2.php?leeId=66 All over the internet you can find right wing websites exploiting stories of gang rape of white women by muslims men in order to fuel the race hate that gives them power.

Where the riots in france really race riots by terrorist inspired muslim youth or simply a class issue of alienation, discrimination and poverty? Whatever the answer that fact remains that tensions are growing as the cap between the haves and have nots widens under global capitalism and as the worlds finite resources are squandered at an ever increasing pace.

Mehdi Hooshyar sought refuge in the Netherlands in 1999. He was a student activist in Iran and has converted to chirsitianity after leaving Iran. Dutch government wants to send him back. He has been on hungerstrike since November 27th.

Zimbabwean still fighting for release from detention - A Zimbabwean lesbian protesting against her detention without trial in a Bedfordshire asylum centre has ended her 33-day hunger strike.

The Home Office asylum system is corrupt, with applications prejudged and lawyers prevented from properly representing their clients. By Peter Tatchell

For two days running, no Immigration Service snatch squads have been able to leave the Scottish Enforcement Unit at Brand Street in Glasgow to carry out their dawn raids on people facing deportation.

This is Tavi from city of Timisoara, Romania writing on behalf of the INCA Center in Timisoara.
INCA stands for International Network of Contemporary Artisans and the Center is the only alternative place of this kind in Romania.

Following the gathering of a large drunken mob on Cronella beach trouble continues in Sydney

Another Female Ugandan hunger striker faces imprisonment and torture if returned to Uganda tonight at 7pm on a BA flight from Gatwick.

21 Nov 05: Once again the Home Office Immigration offices in Glasgow have been closed down by protesters. Earlier this morning 40 people gathered outside the building and padlocked two of the gates. 3 protestors have been arrested. More details and photos to follow on imc scotland:
 http://scotland.indymedia.org/newswire/display/2289/index.php


This is from imc Scotland:

In an exclusive interview given for a broadcast on US-american TV channel "Capitol One", Patrick Balkany, deputy-major of Paris suburb Levallois-Perret, explains the situation in French suburbs just before the uprisings. He said: "There is no poverty in France. (...) The poor live very well."

Download the video of the interview from the samizdat site

Here is a call for a "caravan against the fence" at the very southern border of europe: the spanish enclave "ceuta". The Caravan departs on the 4th of November.

Since Wednesday, about 20 irregularised immigrants are occupying the Saint-Boniface church, Rue de la Paix at Ixelles (Brussels, Belgium).

no more deaths on borders! no more walls!

a call for a europe-wide day of actions against the deaths and brutality occuring as a result of the fortress europe border regime. adapted from a call put out by the a migrants collective in malaga.

Charity's removal is scheduled for today 18th October. Charity's life will be in danger if she is returned to Uganda.